Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-19
CHAPTER VIII.
MnMAN,S WILES.

and inquired for MRS. WeHhdii Sai uiiei
u. was sent at once TO her apartments
IN charge of page. She was lying upon
,ofa piled UP with cushions, wrapped
q wonderful blue garment which
,ssmed somehow to deepen the color OF
S,r sves. BY her side was small table
an which was some chocolate, bowl
:, roses and a roll of newspapers, She
Ia ont her hand toward Tavernake, but
s,d not rise. There was something almost
srIritual about her pallor, the delicate
outline of her figure, so imperfectly con-
cSaIed by the thin silk dressing gown the
ssint tired smile with which she well
coined him. ,,-
.syou will forgive my receiving you like
this. Mr.. Tavernake?" she begged. To-
dav have headache. have been anx-
Jois for your coming: You must SIT py
! NV side please, and tell me at once
wbether YOU have seen Beatrice"
Tayernake did exactly as he was bid
aan The chair toward which she had
poInted was quite close to the sofa, but
there was no other unoccupied in the
nam She raised herself little on the
cauch and turned toward him. Her eyes
we're fixed anxiously upon his, her fore
head slightly wrinkled, her voice tremu-
lous with eagerness.
"You have seen herr"
'T have" he admitted, looking steadily
into the lining of his hat.
'She has been cruel" Elizabeth de-
CARED "I can tell 1t from your face.
You have bad news for me-"
~ do not know" Tavernake replied,
swhether she has been cruel or not. She
refuses to allow me to tell you her ad-
dress. She begged me, indeed, to keep
away from you altogether
"whyH Did she tell you why?'
"She says that you are her sister. that
you have no money of your own and that
your husband has left you" Tavernake
answered, deliberately.
rs that all?"
mo. 1t is not ALL" he continued. "As
10 the rest, she told me nothing definite.
II is quite clear, however, that she Is
very anxious to keep away from you"
but her reason?" Elizabeth persisted.
"Dld she give you no reason?"
Tavernake looked her in the face.
"She gave me no reason" he said.
DO you believe that she is justified
in treating me like this?" Elizabeth
asked, playing nervously with a pendant
which hung from her smooth, bare neck
"of course 1 do" he replied. "I am
quite sure that she would not feel as she
does unless you had been guilty OF some
thing very terrible indeed"
The woman on the couch WINGED as
though some one had struck her. A moro
susceptible man than Tavernake must
have felt little remorseful at the tears
which dimmed for a moment her beautiful
eyes
Tavernake, however. although he felt
moments uneasiness. although he felt
himself assalled all the time by a curious
new emotion which he utterly failed to
understand. was nevertheless still Inn
inune. The things which were to happen
70 him had not yet arrived.
"of course" he continued, IT was very
much disappointed to hear this, because
had hoped that we might have been
able to let Grantham House to you. We
cannot consider the matter at all now
unless you pay for everything in ad-
vance,"
She uncovered her eyes and looked at
him. People 80 direct of speech as this
had como very seldom into her life. She
was conscious Of a thrill OF interest. The
study OF men was a passion with her.
Here was indeed new typeI
SO you think that am an Rdven-
turess," she murmured.
He reflected for a moment.
suppose" he admitted, that 1t comes
oilOhAu ilol hdNC al
All II had not promised. II there Is any
message which you wish me to give your
sister I will take 1t. but cannot tell
you her address"
hhe laid her hand suddenly upon his.
Snd raising herself little on the couch.
,saned toward him. Her eyes and her
iips both pleaded with him.
Mr. Tavernake," she said slowly,
Beatrice is such a dear. obstinate crea-
spfe' but she does not quite appreciate
my position. Do me a favor, please. II
YOU have promised not to give me her
-aoress let me at least know some way
y some place in which I could come
sefoss her. am sure she will bs glad
siserwards, and II shall be very grate-
tavernake felt that he was snveloped |
" something which he did not under |
-und' but his lack OF experience was so
siset that he did not even wonder at his |
naensibility.
shall keep my word to your sister"
y announced. sin the spirit as well as the |
ssNei; II Is quite useless 20 ask me 70 |
g otherWise.'
-u1aoeth was at first amazed. then
..Asty, how angry she scarcely knew even |
'sfself, She had been a spoilt child, she |
va grown into spoilt woman. Men.
\ \ last East had been ready enough to do her |
aualns all her life. Her beauty was OF |
~ peculiar kind. half seductive. half |
i-.helc. wholly irresistible. And now
nsfs had como this strange. almost inn
Visible person. against the armor OF |
. nose indifference she had spent herself |
4 fain. Her eyes filled with tears once
.ste .e as she looked at him. and Taver-
,- .eae became uneasy. He glanced at the
'sSk rs. ana again toward the door.
think, II you viii excuse me-" no
ATT Tavernake." she interrupted. "you
I.e e,sEy unkind TO me. very unklnd in
&. cannot help IT," he answered.
you knew everything" she con-
.n4ea. you would not be so obstinate.
oeatriee herself were here. II could
.',-pef something IN her ear. she would
{. eAiy too thankful chat had found her
seatrlce has always misunderstood
~ iaYernake. II Is a little hard
.f1 ne for We are both SO far away
hemes from cur friends"
sa can send her any message you
fe e qe HaFefaake declared. ~ goa
va Helt Whna yea write q letter.