The Republican journal., 1912-08-08
LETITIA TO THE RESCUE
"A lady to see you, SIR

She refused her name, sir. hut
think it is Miss Fairfax
CHAIRMAN stared at the others inex.
presslve face in establishment for a.
though Letitia Fairfax had a reputat;or
Tor doing extraordinary things. + was
difficult to imagine what could bring har
70 his bachelor chambers before II ~.
clock in the morning. Not that he fall
any Discrimination to see her: on the con.
trary, it would have given him pleasure
to behold her at any hour of the dav or
night. VI
A few moments later she entered with
her usual impetuous vivacity. In her
obvious excitement she made a radiant
picture, and not for the first time # ha.
came necessary for Chairman to mt q
rein on his feelings.
Now" she exclaimed as soon as the
man had closed the door, "you needn't
tell me ought not to be here because
I'm perfectly aware of that, and besides
l haven't second to waste
rs there anything can do?''
why, of course" she answered
swiftly. IF Lord Chessington or any
one else asks you are to say you took me
to supper at t'rascati's week ago last
night. You quite understand"
- Nol lHe ledSl HlIle DIT, aVerred
Chairman.
You took me to supper at Frascati's
week ago last night, and-and we had
private room,' she insisted.
Chairman was on the point of asking
for some kind of explanation when the
door opened and his man again appeared.
Lord Chessington, he began, when
the girl raised pair Of alarmed eyes to
his masters face.
"Oh, dear!" she exclaimed, "what-
ever is to become of me?"
Without word the we'll trained SER
want crossed the room and opened a
door which led into kind of lobby.
Il shall leave the door ajar," said
Letltla, $50 that | can hear how you do
1t, and she raised a warning finger,
smiling as she passed out of the room.
few seconds later Lord Chessing-
ton was ushered in. No. was a tall
young man, about twenty-six, SHINY
built, with sloping shoulders, and very
fair hair parted exactly down the mid
die of his head. Inside the head there
was little in the way Of good gray mat
ter, but the expression in the pale blue
eyes argued simple honesty of pur-
pose and composition into which vice
had not entered in the smallest or any
form. He was engaged, as Chairman
knew, to Alma Carruthers, the one in
innate female friend of Letitia Fairfax.
Most awfully glad I've caught you
in, Chairman, his lordship said as they
shook hands. you'll think it's fun
ny sort of question Pm going to ask
you. | just want to know whether you
took Miss Fairfax to supper at Fras-
CATS week ago last night?'
"Well, it is a curious sort of ques-
ton, answered Chairman, with
glance at the slightly open door of the
lobby. why on earth do you ask it?'
Chessington hesitated, evidently en-
barrassed; then he began to speak in an
agitated tone.
ITS to do with Alma," he said, land
that there was something approaching
scandal about them some years ago, but
it died down, and the fellow went away
Now he's back again, and-and last
night something happened. Old Cock
ran-you know him?-just back from
India, was introduced to Alma in my
presence. He said he'd seen her be-
fore-saw her coming down from the
private supper rooms at Fcascati's a
week ago last night | was not with
Alma that night at all. She denied it,
of course. but Cochran was so confound-
eddy positive; said he saw her quite close.
When tackled Alma about it she said it
was Miss Fairfax whom Cochran had
mistaken for her. | know, of course,
that they've sometimes been mistaken
for each other at distance; but-but
that cad, Borkman, had been hanging
round her the night previously at a
dance and l thought it sounded rather
thin. couldn' sleep a wink LAST night,
and the first thing this morning l went
to see Miss Fairfax"
what did Miss Fairfax say?"
1.-THE same as Alma. She told me she
went to supper at Frascati's that night
with you, and that you had a private
room. That's why I've come to you.
You see,' fixing his blue eyes rather
pitifully on Charman's face, II don't
want to make big mistake. II there's
anything going on between Borkman and
Alma I'd do anything rather than marry
her. And yet if | don't marry her |
feel would as soon pitch myself in the
Thames as not But if you give me
your word you took Miss Fairfax to sup
per at Frascati's on that particular
night, why can eat any amount of hum
BILE pie and enjoy it. -
LII Vic 1dCI tlldt lllS WOtllGii w IO 1UOVG
all people he most desired to please was
| listening behind the open door Jack
Chairman realized that his position was
an extremely Difficult one. If Alma had
been reckless enough to sup with Bork-
man that night her lover had assuredy
room for serious complaint and he could
not feel satisfied that it would serve any
useful purpose to assist in throwing his
lordship off the scent. But mental
vision Of Letitia listening for his answer
assisted him to arrive at decision. Lee
titia in the scale against all things
earthly must bring down the balance in
her favor-at least, where he was con-
cerned
"Well," he said. "the sooner you be-
gin your meal the better"
"Then," cried Chessington, st really
was Miss Fairfax"
"Since you have found Us out l won't
attempt to deny it.
The next moment Chessington began
to wiring the others hands.
II say, old chap" he ssd "there's no
mistake about it, she's an uncommonly
pretty woman. When is it coming off?''
"What?" demanded Chairman, flush
ing to the roots of his hair
"Oh come" said the other, "she
wouldn't have let you take her there
unless there was some kind of under
standing between YOU