Evening star., 1914-07-26

Annira and Father and stand or fall with him."
@Good God! They marred?'
"Yes. No one here knows yet, but me-and now you
He dropped her hands, and covered his face a mo-
ment. what am to do?" he groaned if the words
wrung from him.
@If you love me- and want to God will soften
your heart and show you what to do
Soften my heart! It's hardening it needs!' He
raised his head and looked at her. you're grand
fighter for your cause Lady Daura. l right to be
afraid of you But you've beaten me. I'll let George
Conway GO
Without word she held out her hands to him again.
Before he took them he sad with the question
eyes and on lips:
@Do you want to give these to me-to keep forever?
Or it only because you think you must pay? If it's
that"
Al want to give them!" she whispered.
DAURA and Troy sat out three dances together.
Then soon after she had given him her hands
forever she begged to be taken downstairs lest peo-
pie should talk"
@What if they do talk?" Troy asked almost gaily.
GThey II know enough why had right to keep
you to myself believe your father won't be sorry for
this. He's been very good to l almost think he'll
be glad-strange as it may seem to you
Il almost think too' Daura agreed. "But we'll
not tell him tonight, or anyone else-quite yet"
Tomorrow, then? want to make it feel more sure'
3Maybe tomorrow"
Daura drove home with her father in Troy's car,
and Vane went with Alastair. AS they to the
castle Dauras heart beating fast that it choked
her breath and made her giddy. What of Mira and
George? If anything had happened to prevent the
hasty wedding, Troy would think she had lied to him in
saying that the two already married. and perhaps
he would take back his promise. But the moment she
the face of the Dean who had sat up for the late
comers she knew that he excited and had
thing that he seemed half guitiy pleased to tell
a have piece of news to break to you, my dear
friend" he said to her father Il hope you won't think
l have done wrong
so the story out, before them all. And she lis
tened eagerly the girl able to guess that she
had advised the of the going away had been kept
No one knew yet that the newly married couple had
away. But-had they gone? Daura could not be
sure of this until she had with her eyes the
traces of their flight.
AS soon she could escape from the hail. where the
had been broken she slipped away while the others
all but Troy-were discussing the surprising event.
He with them but said nothing; and gladly would
the girl have had word with him alone to put at rest
the fear she had that he would feel himself deceived
Il must speak to him afterward" she thought But
she remembered only too distinctly her appointment
with Alastair in the Red The two men must not
meet there! Yet she could not wait until tomorrow to
make that Troy would forgive her for trckng him,
this night of all Others
Upstairs she went first to Anniras room. AS she
had hoped, it empty, and the bed had not been
disturbed. On the dressing table in Dauras room
lay two envelops, addressed to her, to their
father Daura tore open her letter. and read the few
words it contained
DEAR ONE--Thanks to safely married.
Uncle Edward will tell Father and all of you.
back He rather hard to persuade at first but
aterward very good. and quite excited I'm afraid,
though he will be when he finds that George
well enough away with the middle of the night
But will find till tomorrow. and you'll make
everything right for us then. You wonderful!
Now must stop; for I'm in travelling dress ready