The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-02-27
CHAPTER xxIII..
THE PARSON

THE PARSoN SELLS A SECRET,
As the afternoon progressed, Lady
Drumloch's little house filled to over
flowing. Reports of the adventures OF
the diamond necklace had brought a
crowd of flattering, envious and above
all, curious acquaintances round the
dainty table where the cousins dis
pensed chocolate and coquetry,
Some vague rumors had reached
Lady Drumloch, through Lowton, of a
nocturnal exploit by which Prue had
distinguished herself in some myster-
ious way, but she was in absolute
ignorance Of the actual facts, and had
great difficulty In controlling her own
curiosity, while maintaining an appear
ance of urbane indifference under the
.crossfire OF questions, congratulations,
thinly yelled censure and half incred-
ulous comment by which the guests
displayed their varied interest. II was
in vain that Peggie used her ready wit
to turn the conversation into safer
channels: In vain that Prue vowed the
whole thing a ridiculous exaggeration,
and refused to be made a heroine or to
be coaxed or goaded into compromising
admissions. The necklace. she declared,
had beer accidentally carried away by
some person employed at Marlborough
House, who, becoming terrified by the
possession Of the dangerous treasure
and wishing to be rid Of It., had con-
veyed 1t to her as a sure means Of get
ting 1t back to the rightful owner; that
she had brought II to the duchess and
together they had returned 1t to the
queen: and there, SO far rs h was
concerned, Prue regarded the incident
as closed and vas quite tired OF an
swering silly questions and explaining
things that really needed no explana-
ton. Would they please not worry her
about 1t n more. but talk of some
thing else? HLa ~,
Still, 1t was not easy to change the
current OF conversation, for each new
conner had some fresh rumor to be on
tradiced, some new extravaganza to be
laughed at or some malicious inference
to be drawn from Prue's unwonted re-
serve, and her grandmother's Ul-con-
cealed annoyance. ... .
But IL the afternoon wore away slow
ly to PeggieI and Prue, II was a long
drawn torture to Lord Beachcombe,
whose watch upon the house was never
relaxed, notwithstanding the gibes of
the gay throng as 1t passed in and out,
marveling what kept Prue's quondam
lover hanging round Lady Drumloch's
door, and the rising murmurs OF his
followers, whose numbers had been re-
inforced by numerous loungers on the
lookout for mischief OF profit.
A constant stream Of guests, arrtv-
ing and departing, passed before him;
still no one at all resembling Robin
Freemantle appeared Dainty ladies In
brocade and jewels passed in and out
Of the door, their servants being obliged
to force a way for them through
the gathering crowd Of idIers.
Beaux as dainty and as gaily costumed,
handed them into their equipages, lisp
ing quaint oaths and shaking their
Jeweled canes in the faces OF the over
bold; still no Robin Freemantle. One
after another the carriages rolled away,
the chairmen trotted of with their
fair burdens, the casual onlookerS dis
persed, and left the street to Lord
B~eachcombe and his noisy retinue.
At last he could control his impa-
tience nc longer. Hurriedly directing
his men to keep vigilant watch for
their quarry, he once moro knocked for
admitance and demanded q word with
Lady Brooke. James, the imperturable,
would have conducted him up to the
drawing room, but he stalked haught-
lily to the library and abruptly opened
the door--to md the room deserted.
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