New-York tribune., 1912-02-18

we've. Ana IN Jllc nOur DclOTe ulllllCI Nl'H
we get home III tell Henry all about it.
He'll find a way out, you'll see! Though he
is my son, really must own that he's 50 eX-
traordinarily clever!"
CHAPTER XIV.
TT has been like gladiatorial combat, with
the little brown hand of Lii as the prize.
The struggles proceed progressively, the
afternoon, the two mothers; in the evening,
the two sons.
At dinner, Mrs. Stuart, with her usual
delicacv and attention 20 the rights Of
others, put me beside my hanc6. Though
she had spoken of an informal family dinner,
still las usual, find in America when they
use that eXpreSSiOn) we were quite large
party. The CobbS, Mrs. NanhuySen, and
Miss Carroll, with two or three friends that
they had invited, another two or three Of
Henry's friends,-altogether we made no
small tableful. Henry, on the other side Of
the table, was obliged to be very attentive
to an important old lady, invited by his
aunt: so, between this fact and the hum Of
general conversation, and the flowers with
which the table was heaped, remained
quite at liberty with my fancG-free to cX-
change with him if | chose all those tender
nothings that two persons in Our interesting
circumstances might be supposed TO be
murnuring after an enforced separation.
To do him Justice, Victor appeared 10
greater advantage than had ever seen him,
except the dav Of the aeroplane meet. Ap-
parently he was conscious Of the fact that
he had not distinguished himself the other
dav, and was anxious to create a more dash
ing impression.
"Corking clans" he said.
Ah those dreadful little ShellfSh-always
there with their taste OF tears when my
heart was sad.
Excellent" | answered. But | couldn't
eat them, for all that
Victor. as though delighted with his sue.
cess, continued the conversation. 81 say,
YOU look corking yourself tonight, and as
his blue eyes ran up and down me suddenly
there same into them for the flash Of a mo-
ment that look which the first evening had
chilled them with indetnable repulSion.
"Youve got a Corking neck, Lii,' he was
good enough to add, "and that little pink
dress is out of sight. Is it one of the-er-"
NO" | hastened to answer. Il don't
wear those till-er-"
He nodded. Till afterward. No, OF
course not" he said
Alltl We MGlt SllNllI lOl q ilAOlllNLAN' " ilN a
desperate resolution formed itself within me.
Instead of beSeeching the mercy Of Mrs.
Cobb. who could know none, instead OF
waiting for the extraordinarily clever way
out of it" that Henry's mother knew he'd
find and knew he never could, why not do
what should have done long ago and address
myself directly to headquarters? After all,
the Young man beside me wanted to marry
me no more than | wanted to marry him.
Except for the caprice OF gratitied vanity or
other feeling more ephemeral, or yet for the
pleasure Of tcketing publicly as his own the
girl whom perhaps-perhapS other people
might want too, what interest could he have
in me? And if what the other girl had said
this afternoon were true, then his interest IN
breaking off this impossible marriage was
perhaps almoSt-not quite, but almoSt-aS
strong as mine. In that moment | realized
how effective a weapon Mrs. Cobb had
plucked from my hand, in obtaining my
promise not to tell Victor that Fay was in
town and had come to see me that afternoon
Ny mother in law to-be, placed at some