Evening star., 1911-06-09
CHAPTER XIV.
The Great Healer.

The Great Healer.
Eyes, it's q fine building" Travers said.
looking about him with an expression Of
satisfaction. 1.-The rajah hasn't spared
the paint in any way. You see. it was all
native work, so he killed two birds with
one stone-pleased and gave the aborig-
ines a Job. He has gone quite mad on re-
forms. poor fellow!" He laughed, not in
the least contemptuously. but with a faint
pity. "And it's all your doing, Miss Bea-
trice," he went on, turning to her with
an elaborate bow. You should be very
proud Of your work"
She looked him straight in the face.
They were in the new ballroom OF the
clubhouse which the Rajah of Marut had
just opened. In the adjacent tearoom
she heard voices raised In gay discussion,
but for the moment they were quite
alone.
"You give me more credit in the mat
ter than deserve" she said. "Is that
generosity on your part. or-are you
shirking your share of the responsible
ity2" ,,x 49,, .,.r ., -. re.,ons,,,,
ity!" he exclaimed, with a good tempered
lifting Of the eyebrows. "My dear lady.
thing7'
She smiled rather sarcastically.
idea does not seem to me wholly impos-
sible."
"And even If you were right, why
should in this particular case 'shirk the
responsibility as you put it? Surely it
is not responsibility we have incurred. but
gratitude"
She walked by his side over to the open
windows, which looked out on to the as
yet uncultfvated and barren gardens.
''The question Is this" she said at last:
$Isa p8C}o 10 Of md
In any way compensate for the fact that
in order to obtain it q whole life's hap
piness has been incidentally sacrificed?'
II know to whom you are alluding," /"
though. as matter Of fact. the two
things have nothing to do with each
other. except in your Imagination. You
mean Lois. Yes, OF course, she has had a
hard time. Who doesn't? But it's rub
bish to talk Of a 'life's happiness. In the
nothing lasts SO long as a lifetime. l as
sure you. In the second, Lois has not
sustained any real 1oss-not any which I
cannot make good to her."
cient?" she asked.
II have confidence in my own powers. -
he admitted. THAT Is the first condition
Of success. I believe that In a few hours
I shall have Lois on the road to recov-
cry"
81 do not In the least understand your
methods" Beatrice said, but they have
hitherto been so eminently successful that
suppose I ought not to question them.
hope for the best I really was rather
sorry for Lois-especially as she behaved
so WELL"
Are you starting q conscience. Miss
Beatrice?" Travers asked. gayly. Il
rather suspect you. 1t would be such a
typically feminine proceeding"
There you are quite wrong" she an
uHf n had do ~ in hor
pendage which discarded a good many
years ago as the luxury of respectability.
AS you know. and as any woman at the
station would tell you / am not respect
able
Whence this anxiety. them
1T is purely a practical one You talk
Of gratitude-do you really think any one
is grateful to me for-this?" She waved
her hand toward the lofty. Handsomely
doubt II any one remembers that 1 had
anything to do with it. But every one
suspects mo Of having bewitched Stafford
into becoming deserter-thanks to Mrs.
4 just and holy indignation. doubt
whether they really care a rap about poor
Lois, and, indeed, could accuse one or
two OF q certain satisfaction: but the
matter has given them a new whip with
which to beat US out OF Marut."
But you will not be beaten out of
Marut,' Travers said. a smile passing
over his fresh face. You have got a far
too firm footing. The woman who has
bagged the finest catch in the station has
nothing more to fear.
You mean Capt. Stafford?'
Il do"
'"rhen. IL you have no objection. We will
leave that subject alone"
"By. all means. II you wish IT, ne
agreed. somewhat taken aback. But.
between friends. you know. one does not
need to be so delicate"
Her hands played idly with the handle
Of her silk parasol
"It is not a matter Of delicacy." she
said. "at least, not altogether It would
be rather silly to begin with that sort OF
thing at my time Of life, wouldn't it?
But-you don't know for certain that I
shall marry Capt. Stafford"
my dear lady! You have accepted
himi" Travers exclaimed
She looked at him, her clear hazel eyes
flashing with momentary run.
'It is very bad policy to rely upon
twenty-four hours she warned him.
For once he remained serious.
THAT may be true. but 1t is sometimes
necessary to warn her that first thoughts
are best"
.'Now, what do you mean?"
Miss Beatrice" he said. appearing to
ignore her question, do you remember
some time ago my telling you that we
were like two partners at game OF
bridge?"
"I remember very well.
"Well. we are still partners, though the
game is nearing its end. AS rule am
for straight. above-board play, but there
are moments when man is strongly
tempted to cheat"
"Haven't we cheated all through?" she
inquired. with . one-sided smile.