The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-12-02

moro
Every few words will tell you all knowl"
Now that the anxiety was lessened, one saw
-ihat the dukes youthful face could show
surprising stubbornness--or resolution, as
one chose. "Things haven't gone well from
the beginning. No quarrel-no differences
that | could lay my finger on; but just
haven't gone we'll I'm hideously sorry to
bring this unpleasantness to you, but"
"Oh-pleasel" choked Sue "Pen-tell
him we'll help him-that we won't let this
thing go on"
81 fancy he knows all that" said Pen.
"Now go in, like a dear girl, and have
word with 'Milla If there's any talk of her
leaving, let me know" He looked, on that
word, vastly more stubborn than the dusty
duke. "She must stay here till some sensi-
sible arrangement can be made, if we have
to lock her i'm See to getting a room and
bath ready for Clif'-well come presently
and I'll tend to Boy"
Intent at once, as he had known she
would be, on making weary man COM
Portable, Sue hurried up to the house.
Both men looked after her a moment. then
their eyes met.
"Soon as she has Camilla out Of the way,
Wen go in" said Pen. 81 fancy you need
something more than her blessed tea. Now,
il you like, let looca."
Whatever additional information he may
have obtained from that confidence he had
no opportunity to impart to his wife. Sue
came to his dressing-room after her own
hasty toilet, to lay her unhappy discoveries
before him.
"I'm afraid it's gone too far to STOP" she
began breathlessly. "Milla admitted that
she expected he'd come after her-that's
why she asked to be alone to-day"
rs 'Nlilla coming down to dinner, or
must she be brought1"
Il made her see she must come. But
Pen! She says Clifton has dl1Odys been too
attentive to other women. 'Milla was
hardly home with him before a cousin of
Clifton's told her all about some creature
and-Penield Bond, avhdt did yoW Sdyl"
II said, God bless all gossips and show
'em the error of their ways" Pen answered
glibly And he met her severe eyes with
bland Innocence.
1t didn't sound like bless or the rest
of it. Well, anyway, Camilla wasn't going
to let that woman think she was afraid of
her, so she had some people just as soon as
she could, and asked her. The woman is a
titled Somebody, you know, in spite OF her
way"
Possibly because of it," Pen grinned.
Whereupon Sue turned to the door.
"Sue-Sue, come back here, you little
goose"
But | don't think you should Joke about
il" she protested, presently lifting her head
from his shirt-sleeved shoulder.
"Then won't. But it isn't our affair,
after all; and what's more it couldn't be-
could it2"
"N-no," said Sue, family. Over her head
he smiled, but tenderly.
Louder next time, Mrs. Bond, il you
please. Nowl 1t couldn't happen to US
Look at me and answer. Could it2" He
lifted her chin so that she saw his eyes.
"Could it," he asked, in different tone.
"Oh-no, no, DEAR" she cried remorse-
fully. "Not to HSi"
81 foresee," said Pen, getting into his
coat, after that little stirring OF the depths,
that we'll have fine cool dinner in spite
of the-What ever is the matter nOO,
girl2" o.
-Four people coming to dinner-and /
forgot to phone them not to-" she told
him, Mortified. "And others to come for
bridge, later"
"Well, what of it2" Pen was calm.
"With others here, 'Milla can't be too
nasty, and having duke thrown in, unex-
pectedly, will please our republican friends.
It'll go off all right"
Camilla was several degrees more "duch-
essy" Ito use his own term), and even more
lovely than usual, though she was as pale
and frosty as the crystal-embroidered chif-
fons she wore. Storrington seemed wholly
at ease. His meeting with Camilla in the
drawing-room before the arrival of the din
ner guests had been as casual and friendly
as though her absence had been but shop
ping trip to town, and she, perforce, had
answered in kind. AS she told Sue, it mat
tered litte-she had no vulgar end to gain
by haste, and she could delay the announce
ment of the intention until he saw how
hopeless coercion would prove, and take
himself away again.
That very courtesy and icy calm of the
two set Sue rose-pink with nervousness; but
she carried herself and covered Camilla's
aloofness, through the ordeal, in manner
that called forth Pens unqualified approval.
No one was overmuch surprised that the
duchess stayed apart when the tables were
set out; and when she was found to have
disappeared, later, and Sue explained the
dreadful headache that had compelled the
withdrawal, there was no embarrassment of
doubt among her hearers. The duke more
than compensated, AT supper ne made him