The Southern herald., 1915-08-20
CHAPTER XVII.
Foul Weather.

voice full Of irony.
"Will you be good enough to call off |
your spy, James?"
What do you meanT He had start
ed to put on his light overcoat.
Il think you know" she said, briefly.
do you consider me so mean, so
infamous as" he began hotly.
Nevertheless, feel happier when
l know he is out of the house. Call
of your dog, James,"
He smothered an execration and
then called out harshly to Jones. ASK
Ranjab to attend me here, Jones. He
is to go out with me-" he said to the
butler a moment later. Yvonne was
still leaning over the banister, a
scornful smile on her lips
"I shall wait until you are gone. l
intend to see Frederic alone" he said,
with marked emphasis on the final
word.
"As you like" said he, coldly.
She crossed the upper hall and dis
appeared from view down the corridor
leading to her own room. Her lips
were set with decision; a wild, reck-
less light filled her eyes, and the smile
of scorn had given way to one of ex-
altation. Her breath came fast and
tremulously through quivering nos
trils as she closed her door and hur-
ried across to the little vine-covered
balcony.
"The time has come-the time has
come, thank God," she was saying to
herself, over and over again.
She turned her attention to the win
dow across the court and two floors
above her-the heavily curtained win
dow in Brood's retreat" There was
no sign of life there, so she hurried to
the front of the house to wait for the
departure of James Brood and his man.
The two were going down the front
steps. At the bottom Brood spoke to
Ranjab and the latter, as imperturb-
able as a rock, bowed low and moved
off in an opposite direction to that
taken by his master. She watched
until both were out of sight. Then she
rapidly mounted the stairs to the top
floor.
Frederic was lying on the couch
near the jade-room door. She was
able to distinguish his long, dark fig
ure after peering intently about the
shadowy interior in what seemed al
first to be vain search for him, She
shrank back, her eyes fixed in horror
upon the PROSTATE shadow. Suddenly
he stirred and then half raised himself
on one elbow to stare at the figure
in the doorway.
rs 1t you?" he whispered, hoarsely
and dropped back with great sigh OF
his lips.
Her heart leaped. The blood rushed
back to her face, Quickly closing thu
door, she advanced into the room, he
tread as swift and as soft as a cats
HE has gone out. We are quit
alone" she said, stopping to leal
against the table, suddenly faint will
excitement.
He laughed, a bitter, mirthless
snarling laugh.
Get up Frederic. Be a man!
know what has happened. Get up
want to talk it over with you. W
must plan. We must decide nova
once-before he returns" The word
broke from her lips with sharp, stat
catolike emphasis.
He came to sitting posture slowly
all the while staring at her with a dul
wonder in his heavy eyes.
Pull yourself together" she crieC
hurriedly. 1--WE cannot talk here.
am afraid in this room. It has ear
l know. That awful Hindu is alway
here, even though he may seem to
elsewhere. We will go down to m
boudoir."
He slowly shook his head and the
t allowed his chin to sink dejectedly int
!, his hands. With his elbows on hi
q knees he watched her movements in
state of increasing interest and bewi
S derment. She turned abruptly to tn
8 Buddha, whose placid, smirking coul
n tenance seemed to be alive to the sit,
Z. alton in all of its aspects. Standin
close, her hands behind her back, he
figure very erect and theatric, she pr
u ceeded to address the image in a voiC
y full of mockery.
'"Well, my chatterbox friend, hay
pierced his armor, haven't 1? He wi
q creep up here and ask you, his wo
derful god, to tell him what, to {
n about it, ale? His wits are tangle
e He doubts his senses. And when |
L comes to you, my friend, and whint
u his secret doubts into your exceilel
IS and trustworthy ear, do me the kin
o ness to keep the secret shall no
whisper to you, for l trust you, to
t you amiable fraud" Standing on ii
toe, she put her lips to the idols et
|. and whispered, Frederic, across Il
u room, reused from his lethargy by Il
strange words and still stranger a
{. tion, rose to his feet and took sever
0. steps toward her There! Now y,
know everything You know mo
a. than James Brood knows, for y,
know what his charming wife is abo
to do next" She drew back al
,e regarded the image through ha