Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-05-01
CHAPTER XVI.
The Doctor Speaks.

COup4cb uIlIlou On tlT01eS6 anu cOns
tent, or blissfully sat out" dances on
the stairway, Katharine Fargo held
her stately court no less gaily for the
stealthy doubt that was creeping oveI
her spirit. She had been SO certain
Of what would happen that evening
that when her father (between cigars
on the porch with Judge Chalmers
and Doctor Southall) had searched her
out under a lag-of-truce. she had sent
him to the right-about, ~laughingly de-
clining to depart before royalty. But
number followed number, and the
knight in purple and gold had not
paused again before her. Now the
scarlet cloak no longer Haunted
among the dancers, and the white
satin gown and sparkling coronal had
disappeared. The end of the next
"round-dance" found her subsiding
into the hower-banked alcoye sudden
" distract amid her escorts sa1lies. II
was at this moment that she saw, en-
tering the corridor from the garden
the missing couple.
It was not the faint flush on Shir
1ey's cheek-that was not deep-noi
was It his nearness to her, though they
stood closely. as lovers might. But
there was In both their faces a some
thing that resurgent conventional ity
had not had time to cover a trem
bling reflection of that light thai
never was, on sea or land"-which was
like a death-stab to what lay far deep
er than Katharine's heart. her pride
She drew swiftly back, dismayed al
the sudden ~veriication, and for an in.
slant her whole body chilled.
A craving for a glass Of water has
served its purpose a thousand times,
as her cavalier solicitously departed tc
fetch the cooling draught, she ross
and carelessly humming the refrain
the music had just left off. sauntered
lightly out by another door to the oper
air. A swift glance about her showed
her she was unobserved and she step
ped down to the grass and along the
winding path to a bench at some dis
lance in the shrubbery. Here the
smiling mask slipped from her face
and with a SILVER she dropped her hot
face in her hands.
There were no tears. The wave
that was yelling over her was one oil
bitter humiliation. She had shot hei
bolt and missed-she, Katharine Far
goi For three years she had held
John Valiant, Economically speaking In
the hollow of her shapely hand. Now
she had all but thrown herself at his
feet-and he had turned away to this
fiame-haired, vivid girl whom he had
not known as many months!
Heavy footballs all at once APPROACH.
ed her-two men were coming from
the house. There was the splitting
crackle of a match, and as she peered
out, its red flare lighted the massive
face and floating hair of Major Bris
tow. His companions face was in the
shadow. She waited, thinking the,
would pass; but to her annoyance
when she looked again, they had seat
ed themselves on a bench a few pacef
away.
To be found incoming In the shrub
berry like a schoolgirl did not please
her, but 1t seemed there was nc re.
course. and she had half arisen, when
the majors gruff-voiced companion
spoke a name that caused her to sit
down abruptly.
"Rristow, Shirley's a magnificent
girl"
"Finest In seven counties" agreed
the majors bass.
srEyto -. H. xror. uA1Ix4n 1T1 oVT ~ ao-n
to marry?"
Chilly Lusk, of curse The boys
been in love with her since they we're
in bibs. And he ZONES as near being
fit for her as anybody"
"Hump!" said the other s~ardonical
ly. mo man l ever saw was half good
enough for a good woman. But good
women marry just the same. It isn't
Lusk. / used to think 1t would be,
but I've got a pair of eyes in nay
head, If you haven't. It's young Val
iant."
The pearl fan twisted in Katha.
rine's fingers. What she had guessed
was an open secret, then!
The major made an exclamation that
had the effect or coming after a Jaw.
dropped silence. II never thought
of that"
The other resumed slowly. some
what bitterly, 1t seemed to the girl
listening. "If her mother was in love
with Sassoon-'
Katharine's heart beat fast and then
stood still. Sassoon! That was the
name of the man Valiants father had
killed in that old duel of which Judge
Chalmers had told IF her mother
Shirley Dandridge's mother-"was In
love with Sassoon!" Why"
"Was she?"
The majors query held a sharpness
that seemed almost appeal. She was
conscious that the other had faced
about abruptly.
ave always believed SO, certainly.