The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1915-03-25

Mr. Brents coming" she said. al
most impatiently.
Alaric started for the window lead
ing into the garden.
Jolly good of you to let him bore
you. | hate the sight of the beggar
myself Always looks to me like the
first conspirator at play"
The door opened. and Jarvis entered
and ushered in MIR. Brent" Alaric
hurried into the garden.
few words of description of Chris.
tian Brent might be of interest since
he represents type that society al
ways has with it.
They begin by deceiving others; they
end by deceiving themselves.
Christian Brent was a dark. tense.
eager. scholarly looking man of TWEEN
ty-eight years of age. His career as a
diplomatist was halted at its outset by
an early marriage with the only daugh-
ter of prosperous manufacturer
Brent was moderately independent in
his own right. but the addition of his
wife's dowry seemed to destroy all am
bition. He no longer found interest in
carrying messages to the various lega
tons or embassies of Europe or III fill
ing a routine position as some ones
secretary. From being an intensely
eager man of affairs he drifted into q
social lounger-the lapdog of the draw
ing room-where the close breath of
some rare perfume meant more than
the clash of interests and the conquest
of a woman greater than that of ma
ton
Just at this period Ethel Chichester
was the especial object of his adora.
ton
Her beauty appealed to him.
Her absolute indifference to him
stung him as a lash. 1t seemed to be
little his powers of attraction, Conse
quently he redoubed bis efforts.
Ethel showed neither like nor dislike
just form of liberation Brent &C,
cepted this, as dog crumb. in the
hope of something more substantial
to follow He had come that morn
ing with a fixed resolve. His man.
ner was determined. His voice wooed
as a caresS. He went tenderly to
Ethel the moment the door closed on
Jarvis.
How are your" he asked. and there
was a note of. subdued passion in his
tone.
Fair" replied Ethel without even
looking at him.
where is your motherf" suggesting
that much depended on the answer.
Lying down." answered Ethel truth
fully and without any feeling.
And Alaric?"
''ln the garden"
''Then we have a moment or two
alone?" Brent put a world of mean
ing into the suggestion.
Very likely" said Ethel, picking up
a score of "Boheme" and looking at 1t
as if she saw it for the first time, all
the while watching him through her
half closed eyes.
Brent went to her. "Glad to see
me?" he asked.
"Why mott"
81 am glad to see you"-he bent over
her-"more than glad"
"ReallyT
He sat beside her. ETHEL" he whis-
pered intensely, II am at the cross,
roads"
"Oh" commenced Ethel, without any
interest
ut came last night"
Ibid it?"
This is the end-between Sibyl and
myself"
ais it?"
"Yes-the end. It's been horrible from
the first-horrible. There's not word
of mine-not an action-she doesn't
misunderstood"
How boringr' said Ethel blandly.
"She would see harm even in this!"
"Why?"
"She'd think was here toto He
stopped.
"Whaty" innocently inquired Ethel.
MAKE love to you" And he looked
earnestly into her eyes.
She met his look quite frankly and
astonished him with the question.
We'll, aren't your"
He rose anxiously. Ethel"
Don't you alwaysT persisted Ethel
Has it seemed like that to your"
Yes" she answered candidly; "by
insinuation, never straightforwardly."
HAS it offended your
"Then you admit it?"
oh" he cried passionately, 81 wish
| had the right toto Again he
wavered.
"Yes?" And Ethel Looked straight at
hin.
make love to you Straightforward
~" He felt the supreme moment had
almost arrived. Now, he thought, he
would be rewarded for the long walt
ing-the endless siege to this marvellous
woman who concealed her real nature
beneath that marble casing of an as
sumed indifference.
He waited eagerly for her answer.
When it came 1t shocked and revolted
him.
CHAPTER XII.
Ethel and Brent.
ETHEL dropped her gaze from his