The Washington herald., 1912-06-23

4
! is purely a sentimental one?"
Il am afraid it is, she murmured
u have thought of him so often lately
He was such a dearl l have never beer
sufficiently thankful that he got away
that night. At the time, / was very
angry, but often since then ! have
wished that / could have passed oui
with him, into the fog and been lost
but l mustn't talk Ike thisl Please
don't misunderstood me, Mr.. Ruff.
am happily married-quite happily mar
ried r.
Peter Ruff sighed.
Il wonder" he asked, 'if you woulc
do me the honor Of lunching with me
We might go to Princes or the Carl.
ton-whichever you prefer will prom.
ise to talk about Mr.. Fitzgerald all the
time"
."Oh, / couldn'tP Maud declared
with little gasp. I'D love to go-bui
if we were seen! Wouldn't people
talk%
Peter Ruff smiled. Just the same
dear, modest little thing
i can assure you" he said, "tha;
nothing whatever could be said against
our lunehing together A married lady
has always a great deal of latitude, you
know"
She looked up at him with a dazzling
smile
"Td simply love to go to Princes p
she declared.
"CatP Miss Brown murmured, as
Peter Ruff and his client left the room
together.
Peter Ruff returned from his lunch
con in no very jubiliant state of mind.
For some time he sat in his easy
chair, with his legs crossed and his I'm
ger tips pressed close together, looking
steadily into space Miss Brown watch
ed him from behind her machine.
Disenchanted?" :" she asked calmly.
81 am afraid" ne admitted, hesitat-
ingly that marriage with John Dory
has-well, not had a beneficial effect
She allowed me, for instance, to hold
her hand in the cab! Maud would new
er have permitted a stranger to take
such liberty in the old days"
Miss Brown smiled curiously.
is that all?" she asked.
"She certainly did SEEM" he admit
ted, ito enjoy her champagne a great
deal, and she talked about her dull life
at home a little more, perhaps, than
was discreet to one who was presum-
ably a stranger. She was curious, too,
about dining out Poor little girl,
though. Just fancy, John Dory has
never taken her anywhere but to the pit
of theaterw
Which evening is it to be-" Miss
Brown asked.
Something was said about Thurs
day" Peter X ufT admitted
"And her husband?" Miss Brown in
quired.
He happens to be in Glasgow for a
few days"
Miss Brown looked at her employer
Peter" she said, ARE you going to
let that woman make a fool OF you?"
He raised his eyebrows.
GO on" he said; Say everything
you want to-only, if you please, don't
speak disrespectfully Of Maud"
Hasn't it ever occurred to you at
Maud, or whatever you want to call her,
may be playing a low-down game of
her husbands? He hates you, and he
has vague suspicious. Can't you see
that he is probably making use of your
infatuation for his wife, to try and get
you to give yourself away? Can't you
see it, Peter?"
Il must admit" he answered, with a
sigh, that some suspicion of the sort
has interfered with my perfect enjoy
nent of the morning"
Miss Brown drew a little breath Of |
relief.
What are you going to do about it, |
hen?" she asked
Peter Ruff coughed
THE subject of Mr.. Spencer Fitz-
gerald" he remarked. Seemed, some |
now or other, to drop into the back |
ground during our luncheon. pro-
pose, therefore, to continue to offer
% Mrs. John Dory my most respect
tul admiration. If she accepts my
friendship, and is satisfied with it, so |
much the better | must admit that it |
would give me great deal of pleasure
o be her occasional companion-at |
uch times when her husband happens
o be in Glasgow
"And supposing," Miss Brown asked,
that this is not all she wants-suppos-
ng, for instance, that she persists in |
Ter desire for information concerning
Mr.. Spencer Fitzgerald?"
u was just thinking that out" Peter
Ruff said mildly, when you spoke"
On their next meeting, however, Peter
Suff was forced to realize that his sec
etary's instinct had not misled her. It
vas, alas, no personal and sentimental
egrets for her former lover which had
'rought the fair Maud to his Office. The
Measures of her evening were INSULT
lent this time TO keep her from recur-
ing continually to the subject of her
-anished lover. He tried strategy
ealousy among other things. i
"Supposing," he said, 'supposing /
we're to induce our friend to come to I
yondon-I imagine he would be fairly
afe now If he kept out of your hus- (
and's wsy-what would happen to
ae?"
Your she murmured, glancing at
i'm from behind her fan and then drop
ing her eyes.
Certainly - meT he continued.
Don't you think that I should be do
ng myself very i'll turn if / brought
ou two together! l am quite sure
hat you still care for him"
She shook her head. -.t |
Not q scrapp she declared.
Then why did you put that advertise
lent in the paper?" Ruff asked, with
mooth but swift directness. :
She was not quick enough to parry
is question. He read the truth in her
isconcerted face Knowing Il now for
certainty, he FASTENED to her aid.
Forgive me-" he said, looking away.
4 sbotgfd 49, ba.,a ,eI-aI &L-s -,,..zs.--. II