Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-04


agrees with him. She says he deserved it.
Mama is wonderful really, when it comes to
pinch. She has given up all thought OF putting
a foot outside the castle
Can you have luncheon with us tomorrow
Would it be too much trouble if we to
have it in the loggia? l just mad to get
outdoors. If only for an hour or two in that
walled-in spot. Mr.. Poopendyke has been
perfectly lovely. He came up this morning
to tell me that you haven't sneezed at all and
there isn't the remotest chance now that you
will have cold. 1t seems he was afraid you
might. You must have very rugged constr
tuition. Britton told Blake that most men
would have died from exposure If they had
been put in your place How good you to
mel ALINE 7.
P S. may come down to see you this
evening.
TSHALL skip over the rather uninteresting
events of the next two or three days. As
for Mrs. Titus, that really engaging lady
made life so easy for me that | wondered
why l had ever been apprehensive. She was
wonderful when it came to pinch. began
to understand a good many things about
her, chief among them being her unvoiced
theories on matrimony. While she did not
actually commit herself, had no difficulty
in ascertaining that, from her point of view,
marriages were not made in Heaven, and
that properly arranged divorce was great
deal less terrestrial than it was commonly
supposed to be. She believed in matri-
mony as a trial, and divorce as reward, or
something to that effect.
We were discussing Aline's unfortunate
venture into the state of matrimony, when
| expressed my belief that the Countess
would marry again. II am not betraying a
secret" | said, because she has intimated
as much to my secretary as well as to me. |
take it that as soon as this unhappy affair
is settled she will be free to reveal the true
state of her feelings toward" l stopped,
somewhat disrnayed by my garrulous turn.
Toward whom2' she fairly snapped
II don't know" l replied truthfully.
"Good Heaven!" she cried, starting up
from the bench on which we were sitting in
the loggia. There was a queer expression in
her eyes. "Hasn't-hasn't she ever limited
at-hasn't she mentioned anyone at alp"
mot to me-"
Mrs. Titus was agitated thoughtful
frown appeared on her smooth brow, and
CLEAN of anxiety sprang into her eyes. Il
am sure that she has had no opportunity
to- She did not complete the sentence,
in which there was a primary note of per-
plexity and wonder.
1t grilled me to discover that she did not
even so much as take me into consideration.
@You mean since the-er-divorce?" | in
quired.
"She has been in seclusion all the time.
She has seen no man; that is to say, no man
for whom she could possibly entertain "a
But of course you are mistaken in your i'm
preston, Mr.. Smart. There is absolutely
nothing in what you say
A former sweetheart, antedating her
MARRIAGE | suggested hopelessly.
"She had no sweetheart OF that | am
positive said she with conviction.
"She must have had an army of admirers.
They were legion after her marriage, may
be pardoned for reminding YOU
She started. "Has she ever mentioned
Lord Amberdale to you?' she asked, failing
completely to hide her nervousness.
"Amberdale?" l repeated, with queer
sinking of the heart. mo, Mrs. Titus An
Englshman?'
She was mistress of herself once more, and
informed me that his Lordship most at
tractive and honorable young Englishman,
had been one of Aline's warmest friends at
the time of the divorce proceedings But of
course there was nothing in that! They had
been good friends for years, nothing more,
and he was perfect dear. But she couldn't
fool me. could see that there was some
thing working at the back of her mind; but
whether she was distressed or gratifed |
could not fathom.
"I've never heard her mention Lord Am
berdale,' said l.