Evening star., 1914-07-19

ably silent. fumbling for an answer, there
was the ruby heart and the white rose.
Were they nothing
Then, at least, Alastair could honestly
exclain, Il don't know what you meanl'
4Never mind You sent no word with
them; but l didn't suppose that was be-
cause you wouldn't acknowledge the truth,
even to me. l thought of much pretter
and more romantic reason.
"We're playing at cross PURPOSES, he
said, so sharply that the girl took fright
"Oh, dear Alastair, forgive me-" she cried
3I'm sorry l was cross. But | can't help
being little jealous after what has passed.
Of course Daura forced herself on you say
ing she wanted to go in your car, while |
knew all the time you must have borrowed
it on purpose to take me. You couldn't re-
fuse her, without making us both consricu-
Gus.
That's perfectly true" Alastair agreed.
thankful for the temporary relief, and the
time to find some way of escape from the
snare set for him by his own foolshncss.
CHAPTER XVII
nAURA expected to be proposed to in the
- motorcar, the chauffeur notwithstand-
ing, and she was not disappointed, except in
the form the proposal took. On this night
had its appeal for the girl. If she did not
love Alastair except as friend and good
comrade, tried and trusted for many years,
she felt horribly sorry when she heard what
scrape his stupid jealousy had placed
him in
Alastair hinted at it without compro1nis-
ing Miss Erskine; but Daura, knowing
Vane, read between the lines. you KNOW
he said, "you were always throwing me over
for that other chap, and l couldn't stand it,
SO l spooned Vane bit, to take my mind
off, and it was natural enough that she
should misunderstood. Not that she cares
rap for me. I'm not conceited swine
enough to think that, or boast of it to you.
But l was ass enough to be rather sweet on
her as kid, you know, and that subject
cropped up. No girl likes to be played with.
If you won't promise to marry me, Daura
l shall be so down it won't matter what be-
comes of me, and suppose it will end in nv
turning myself over to Vane, to take or to
leave"
@My poor child, you have been rather a
donkey!" was Daura's cousinly remark,
made in real sympathy
@Ten unmitigated asses aren't in it with
mel groaned the victim. @But look here,
you haven't been up to any practical joke,
have youo Vane said something about a
white rose and ruby heart pin. l saw her
with them both on all right, the other day,
and she hasn't missed wearing the pin once
since. But 1 don't know any more than
Adam where they came from; though she
seemed to have the idea she owed the gift
to me"
"How extraordinary Daura cried, with
a pang of self reproach, because she could
not help being more interested in this sur
prising piece of intelligence than in all the
rest of the talk, which concerned Alastair
alone. 1t was hard to free her mind from
the one absorbing subject that drew it in
with the force of whirlpool. "Did Vane
have the air of telling the truth when she
said that she thought you had sent her the
pin9"
@Well, took it for granted that she really
thought So" Alastair admitted. "But it
occurred to me you might have played
trick on her. l couldn't think what else it
could be-"
4You must have an odd opinion of me to
fancy | could do such a catfish and caddish
thing" said Daura, in maze.
3You know very well what my opinion of
you is Alastair was defending himself.