Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-18
HER WORD OF HONOR
Continued from page 10

last case knew that the son wanted me
and l wanted-oh, l wanted him!
Was the temptation going to be too great,
after all? Was this last of all the Vauquieres
going to be separated from her family ira
ditions as she had already been separated
from France? Was she going to find her
strength insufficient to keep her plighted
word? What disgrace-oh, what black dis
grace!
And yet wanted Henry, wanted him
with every bit of me- in strange, new WAYS.
with strange, wild feelings that had never
suspected until fell in love, which perhaps
perhaps will be stronger than the best
strength of my soul.
Oh, why, when 1 had had the force to re-
new my promise to Mrs. Cobb, did l walk
straight back into temptation and give my
self the whole battle to fight over again. In
that moment l wished sincerely and with
all my heart that had gone home with Mrs
Cobb.
$50 now, Lii, as Henry is waiting to take
us out in the motor, I'll just ring for Gene
We've. And in the hour before dinner when
we get home I'll tell Henry all about it.
He'll find way out, you'll see! Though he
is my son, really must own that he's so ex-
traordinarily clever!"
CHAPTER XIV
TT has been like gladiatoria1 combat, with
1 the little brown hand of Lii as the prize.
The struggles proceed progressively in the
afternoon, the two mothers; in the evening,
the two sons
At dinner, Mrs. Stuart, with her usual
delcacy and attention to the rights of
others, put me beside my fance Though
she had spoken of an informal family dinner,
still (as usual, l find, in America when they
use that expression) we were quite large
party. The Cobbs, Mrs. Vanhuysen, 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
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, l remained
quite at liberty with my fance-free to ex-
change with him if chose all those tender
nothings that two persons in Our interesting
circumstances might be supposed to be
murmuring after an enforced separation
To do him justice, Victor appeared to
greater advantage than l had ever seen him,
except the day of the aeroplane meet. Ap-
parently he was conscious of the fact that
he had not distinguished himself the other
udy, dllO W1S dllAlOuS W SlCdIC d lllOlc udSll-
ing impression.
aCorking clams!" he said.
All, those dreadful little shellfsh-alwavs
there with their taste of tears when my
heart was sad!
HExcellent!' I answered But couldn't
eat them, for all that.
Victor, as though delighted with his sue
cess, continued the conversation. Il 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 mo-
ment that look which the first evening had
chilled them with inde6nable repulsion.
you've got 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," l fastened to answer. u don't
wear those till-er-"
He nodded. "Ti1l afterward. No, of
course mott" he said.
And we were silent for moment, while
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,
~ 1,o,,~~ >,,o,, beside mo uoptad 70