Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
Continued from page 2

ley. 1t was destined to be charged anew
today.
3Well, Robley," said Alice, once more re-
stored to her lighter, more jovial mood, "you
appear as clipper and gay as a clam. Has
some one died and left you another fortune?"
Stuyverant attempted to smile; but it's
failure verged on the tragic. 3I'm all right"
he asserted, but without convincing empha-
sis. II just dropped in to ask if by any
chance you or Miss Thurley may have re-
ceived a letter addressed to me-or intended
for me, would be more accurate-and per-
haps directed wrongly by mistake
"Why yes, said Alice. "Thurley brought
me some such epistle this morning, and we
sent it at once to your address; at least, it
was posted by noon. Why? Was it any,
thing Important"
Il must ask you what it was about"
"Oh, it was just a sort of business an
nouncement, should say; something about
some bonds; special concession from the
Paris Bourse, if I remember correctly. 1t
merely directed your attention to the fact
that investments were now made possible
in some sort of Continental bonds"
"Did it come from the office of Acton Gail
lard?' His gravity impressed her strongly.
@Why, yes. We rather wondered, of
course. l felt convinced that some blunder
Of mixing envelopes Perhaps you received
some other note addressed to Thurley?"
u did," said Stuyverant, his face pecu-
larly drawn. II have brought it with me-"
He drew an envelop from his pocket, re-
moved a folded sheet of writing linen, and
placed it in Alice's hand. 1t was the briefest
bit of scrawl:
DEAR THURLEY.-Just formal receipt. &C
knowledging the loan of your thirty thousand
dollars. You must let me come Friday night.
ACTON.
Alice read it at a glance, and the color
mounted swiftly to her face. A more pro-
voking accident she could scarcely imagine
occurring at this particular time. She looked
up presently and met somewhat stern and
chilling gaze from Robley's blue gray eyes.
There seemed to be nothing adequate to say,
and nothing to do. She tried to smile.
"Well?"
3It's true?" he said. @She has made him
this loan?"
Alice arched her brows. @My dear Rob-
ley, isn't that rather matter of her concern
alone?"
He rose and rammed his hands into his
pockets. "Obviously. You realize, of course,
Alice, that made this discovery through no
fault or prying of my OWN"
as it necessary to say that, Robley2"
His manner altered instantly. ooh, L
I'm hardly responsible for what may say
or do! This thing has Jared me, that S ALI"
She looked out at the window. @Well, it
Jared me-"
"You knew about it before?"
"She told me she had lent him the money!"
what do you make of it, if | may ask?"
II made wry face over it, said Alice:
"but-what is the use?"
"Then it doesn't make you happy?"
Every few of the worlds occurrences
seemed designed for my particular JOY"
He crossed to another window and stood
there, staring out at the park. II admit
I've been fool enough to dream Dreams, he
confessed after moment of silence II
could, believe, have accepted philosophic-
ally anything that the needs of a nation,
at the hands of this young Grand Duke,
anything that political necessity Hadn't
you seen any signs of this relationship with
Gaillard?"
perhaps; but thought" She did not
finish; but shrugged her shoulders instead.
@Had he met her before?"
$50 l hear"
@You weren't consulted first about this
loan?"
Alice smiled as before, without mirth or
special meaning. "My dear Robley, we
must neither of us forget that Thurley is of