Evening star., 1911-06-09
all Just at present I feel impelled to-
well, give you a hint under the table.

ALL JUST at present l feel tmpelled To-
well. give you hint under the table.
'.Why?"
Miss Beatrice. more or less stand ir
the position Of q skilled and rich player
who has tempted a less wealthy partner
into doubtful game. II my plans fail
can look after myself: but shouldn't like
to get you in a mess. II l give you q
hint will you keep counsel?'
II suppose I must"
"Well. then, it's just this. Your mother
has invested the greater part of heI
money in the Marut Company. I did not
want her TOLL say that for myself-but
she has the speculating craze and moth
Ing would stop her. OF course, the mine
will be an immense success-but IL II
isn't, should like to see you, as my
partner. we'll out Of reach Of the results. .
Now I understand. Thank YOU"
"As to the rajah. think you had bet
ter let him run before things go too far
I'm afraid he has got one or two silly
ideas in his head. You had better make
your engagement public
Thank you" She looked perfectly
calm and collected. The red had died out
of her cheeks and left them their pale
rose, which not even the hottest Indian
sun had been able to wither. Still. hel
tone had something in it which startled
even the self-possessed Travers.
by Jove!" he began. ARE yor
angry?"
She passed over the question before HI
had time to finish it.
Il am going into the garden to lool
for my mother" she said. THE band j:
just beginning. Au revoir.
Travers watched her curiously and ad
miringly as she walked across the par
quetry flooring to the door. 1t requires 9
good deal OF self-possession and carriage
to walk gracefully under the scrutiny oi
critical eyes. and this self-possession and
carriage were the final clauses to Bea'
trice's claim to physical perfection. There
was a natural dignity in her bearing and
an absolute balance in all her movements
which Travers had never seen before
combined in one woman. At first sight
an observer called her pretty. and then,
as one by one the perfect details unfold
ed themselves to a closer criticism, beau
tiful. He was never disappointed, and
even the most carping and envious OF
Marut's female contingent had failed to
find her vulnerable point. So they had
turned with more success to her char
acter. and proceeded there with their
work Of destruction. Her beauty they left
unQuestioned.
Trave.s often asked himself-and asked
himself especially on this afternoon
why. apart from practical considerations
he had not fallen in love with her in
stead Of Lois. He liked beautiful women
as he liked all beautiful things. and Lois
had no real pretensions to beauty. Was
1t, perhaps, as he had said, that heI
honesty and genuine heart-goodness had
drawn him to her? OF course, he had
pretended that it was so. He knew that
in company with all true women, she was
susceptible to that form Of flattery where
other compliments merely disguised. and
he had made good use OF his knowledge
He had often laughed to himself at the
feminine craze for salvaging lost souls
but he had never taken it seriously. not
even with Lois. Was there any truth in
the assertions that he had made to her
more than he knew? The idea amused
him immensely. and also drew his at
with Beatrice Cary. He shook his head
whimsically in the direction she had
taken.
Il don't care what you say" he
thought. you are getting conscience.
Now, 1 wonder whom you caught it from
Not from me, I'll be bound
He laughed out loud. and shaking him
self up from his half-loEnsing attitude
against the window easement. he pro-
ceeded to follow in Beatrice's footsteps.
At the door he was met by three men
the rajah. Stafford and q newcomer
moment scarcely noticed. He had a
quick and sympathetic intelligence, which
was trained to read straight through
mems eyes into their minds. and in an
instant he had classed and compared,
not without a pang OF real II very OBJ
their expressions. Gloom and sunshine
jostled each other.
On the one hand, Nehal Singh had
never looked better than he did then.
The old film of dreamy contemplation
was gone from his eyes, which flashed
with energy and purpose: the face was
thinner and in places lined: the figure.
always upright, had become more mus
cular. From q merely handsome mar he
had developed into striking personality
xl,o
inactivity and an objectless destiny. By
just SO much Stafford had altered for the
worse. His character was too strong
and rigid to allow an absolute break
down. He still carried himself well; to
all intents and purposes. as far as his
working and conscientious as he had ever
been. but no strength of will had been
able to hinder the change in his face and
expression. He looked years older. There
was gray mixed with the dark brown of
his hair. the eyes were hollow ana light
less. the cheeks had painfully sunken ia.
A friend returning after q two months
absence would have said that he had
gone through sharp and very danger
Gus illness; but Marut. who knew that
he had not been ill. wondered exceed
ingly.
They wondered all the more because,
though nothing was known for certain,
they suspected a rupture in the relations
DetWeeh S.Anuu anu the Carmicnae1
family. and Beatrice was recognized as
the undoubtable cause. Her engagement
with Stafford had been kept secret, but
the Marut world had its ideas and was
puzzled to distraction as to why he
seemed to shun her society and had be-
come morose and taciturn. "It Is hts
conscience" said the busybodies, whose
inexperience on the subject OF conscience
excused the mistaken diagnosis. Travers
knew better. He felt no sort OF regret,
but he was rather sorry for Stafford, and
sometimes Stafford felt his unspoken SYM
pathy and shrank from 1t.
I'VE have been looking oil over the
place for you. -Tyeyere." be said. after tia