The Red Cloud chief., 1916-02-10

riddle!" she cried "But you're TO,
altered enough. Sweep. I'm disappaint
ed in YOU Where's your beard?"
Il had It of the other day. always
meant to-" he explained, before the
end OF the voyage. | wasn't going to
land like q wild man of the woods,
you know!"
Weren't you! call It mean"
Her scrutiny became severe, but
softened again at the sight Of his
clutchcd wide.awakc and curiously
characterless, shapeless SUIT.
you may we'll look" he cried, de-
lighted that she should. They're
awful old buds, | know, but you would
think them a wonder II you saw where
they came from"
I'm sorry to interrupt" said
Blanche. laughing. but there's your
taxi ticking up twopence every quar-.
ter Of an hour. and can't let 1t go on
without warning you. Where have you
come FROM"
He told her with a grin. was round
ly reprimanded for his extravaganza.
but brazened II out by giving the
smart young man sovereign before
her eyes. After that, she said he had
better come In before the neighbor3
came out and mobbed him for a mil.
lionaire. And he followed her indoors
and upstairs. into q little new den
crowded with some OF the big old
things he could remember In q very
different setting. But II the room was
small 1t had a balcony that was hard
ly any smaller. on top of that unduy
imposing porch; and out there. over
looking the fine grounds opposite. were
basket chairs and table, hot with
the Indian summer sun.
Il hope you are not shocked at my
| abode" said Blanche. I'm afraid l
can't help 1t II you are. It's just big
| enough for Martha and me; you re-
member old Martha. don't you? You'll
have to come and see her, but she'll
| be horribly disappointed about your
| beard!"
Coming through the room. stopping
| to greet a picture and q bookcase Gill.
ing a wall each) as old friends. GAIA.
| ict udu uto1llSu q Va
self with that appendage. He had
threatened to take the beastly thing
away, and Blanche had told him he
had better not. But 1t did not occur
to Cazalet that 1t was the photograph
to which Hilton Toye had referred. or
that Toye must have been in this very
room to see it. In these few hours he
| hn ~ yiuta ot
least in so far as 1t associated itself
with Blanche Macnair.
THE others all wanted me to live
near them" she continued, but as no
two OF them are In the same county
1t would have meant caravan. Be-
sides. l wasn't going to be transplant
ed at my age. Here one has every.
body one ever knew. except those who
escape by emigrating. simply at ones
mercy on bicycle. There's more golf
and tennis than I can find time to
play; and l still keep the old boat In
the old boat-house at Littleford. be-
cause 1t hasn't let or sold yet. I'm
sorry to say"
80 | saw as I passed." said GAIA.
let. THAT hit me hard!"
THE place being empty hits me
harder" rejoined the last Of the Mac.
nairs. IT'S going down in value every
day like all the other property about
here except this sort Mind where you
throw that match, Sweep! don't
want you to set fire to my pampas-
grass: it's the only tree I've got"
| ha Li,u
him laugh quite often. But the pam.
pas-grass, like the rest of the ridic-
ulous little garden in front. was OBJ.
scured If not overhung by the balcony
on which they sat. And the subject
seemed one to change.
1T was simply glorious coming
down." he said. Il wouldn't swap that
three.Quarters Of an hour for bale OF
wool You can't think how every NOR.
tai thing on the way appealed to me.
The only blot was a funeral at Barnes:
1t seemed such a sin to be buried on
a day like this. and a fellow like me
coming home to enjoy himself"
He had turned grave, but not gravel
than at the actual moment coming
down. Indeed. he was simply coming
down again. for her benefit and his
own. without an Interior trouble unit
9 Blanche took him up with long face
of her own.
t We've had a funeral here. l sup
o pose you know"
I yes. | know"
h Her chair creaked as she leaned for
, ward with an enthusiastic sOlemnit,
@ that would have made her shrek 1
she had seen herself: but 1t had n,
4 such effect on CaZalet.
v (To BE CoNTINUEDJ