The Washington herald., 1912-05-12

people one reads of-like IseuIt, and
Amy Robsart, and those otherss"
She looked at him as though he were
speaking some foreign language. The
earnestness in his face was unmistak-
able. She answered him with a per
picked little frown upon her forehead.
"Ah, wonderp she murmured.
what a very strange question OF ask
me, Stirling, Just nowl Frankly, /
there is no other man. You are quite
alone"
The others were all discussing some
subject of kindred interest. Deane
felt curiously prompted to continue his
questioning. His engagement had been
such a very matter-of-fact affair. To
certain extent it was understood that
he was marrying for position, and she
versations they had discreetly concealed
that they cared, if not with passion, at
least in the most approved manner.
There had been no suggestion in their
many tete-a-tetes that they were about
to embark upon a marriage de conven-
ance.
''Tell me-" Deane persisted, 'ff
things should go wrong with me, or il
you had met me simply as a strug-
gler, with my feet upon the early rungs
of the ladder-tell me, could you have
cared then, do you think?"
She looked at him curiously. There
was something in his face which COM
PEELED the truth. u do not know" she
said. Let me think"
Think, by all means" he continued.
Remember that / was introduced to
you, even, as one of the youngest mil
lionaires. Forgive me If l seem ego
tIstical, but / have a fancy to put
things plainly. There is a glamour
about wealth. came to you with that
glamour about my name. / am rich, of
course, and wealth means power. How
much of your affection, Olive, came out
to the man, and how much to the mil
lionaire?
Absolutely" he assured her. Don't
be afraid of hurting my vanity. Iwant
nothing but the truth"
AT first, then" she told him, moth
ing to the man, and everything to the
millionaire This afternoon" She con-
tinued, Il rather fancy that the man
has the larger share. You are quite
a fascinating person, Stirling, when you
choose to make yourself agreeable"
You can't accuse me-" he remarked,
of making any special efforts in that
direction to-day"
Nor she answered. "You were
rather quiet, but still you were your
self. Personally, 1 am beginning to
find something very attractive about
silent man. You speak quite often
enough, and what you say is to the
point 1t seems always TO be the pro-
nouncement of the man who knows.
You have what Julia calls an air of re-
served strength about you, which
fancy that my sex finds little attrac-
tive. Tell me, why all this question
ing"
Deane looked away-through the
cluster of palms into the little smok-
ing-room from which he had issued a |
few minutes before.
Even the houses" he said, which |
according to the injunctions OF Scrip |
ture are built upon a rock, are liable to |
destruction by earthquakes. So, even, |
the strongest of us in the city have al |
ways the hundredth chance working in |
the world against us. The most amaz-
ing collapses have taken place. was |
really wondering what would happen
how greatly it would affect you-if my
riches were to vanish into thin air"
What an impractical person you !
are this afternoonp she murmured. |
looking at him curiously "Supposing l |
were to sit here and worry about the
fit of a dress which Nine. Oliver is
sending me home this afternoon for
the ball tonight l could make my
self miserable in FIVE minutes without
the shadow of a reason"
Mime Oliver" he declared, would |
deserve bankruptcy if she failed to fit
a figure like yours"
Lady Olive laughed. Really" she
said, you are becoming quite oour-
tier"
Dear people," Julia Raynham MUIR
INJURED, leaning over, "if we may bring
you back to the mundane world, every
body else is dying to start for Rane-
Iagh."
Lady Olive made a little grimace,
and rose to her feet at once "Stirl-
ing and l have only been boring one
another because you all seemed so oc-
cupied," she declared. 'Ranelagh, by
all means. 1t is quite time we made a
move"
They made their way toward the
Pail Mall entrance of the restaurant.
Lady Olive fell back once more with
Deane.
ITS such a nuisance about this
wretched dinner tonight" she said.
| think it was very bad taste indeed
Of the duchess to ask us without you.
You won't forget to come in and see
le for half an hour before We 60 on
10 the ball? l shall be in my room at
II o'clock punctually, and l will ar
range so that / can take you on to
Amberley House"
He bowed. Il shall be with you"
where are you dining?" she asked.