The Tomahawk., 1917-12-27
CHAPTER xVIl-continued.

"You silly child" Louise exclaimed
''No. one told me you were here. have
you had any lunch?"
"Long ago." Sophy replied. Il have
been finishing your accounts"
Louise made little grimace.
~Tell me the worst" she begged.
"You are overdrawn at your bank
yoprsbills are heavier than ever this
month, and there are five or six special
accounts-one for some electric fit
tings, another for the hire of a motor
car--which ought to be paid"
Louise was looking up at the ceiling.
She sighed.
1T would be NICE" she said, Ito
have someone to pay ones bills and
look after one, and see that one wasn't
too extravagant."
"Well, you need someone badly" So
ply asserted. II suppose you mean
ito make up your mind to it some day.
= 81 wonder!" Louise murmured. "Did
you know that that terrible man from
the hills-Joiln Strangewey's brother
has been here this morning? He fright
ened me to DEATH"
''What did he want?" Sophy asked
curiously.
- t.He was a trife vague" Louise re-
marked. II gathered that if don't
send John back to Cumberland, he's
going to strangle me-"
Sophy leaned across the table.
care you going to send him back? ?"
she asked.
e.: II am in an uncertain frame of
mind" Louise confessed. II really
cant decide about anything"
II want to tell you this, Louise,
Sophy said firmly. "John is getting to
know a great many people, and you
know how men talk at the clubs.
Aren't you sometimes afraid that he
will hear things and misunderstood"
81 am expecting it every day." Lou
Use admitted.
'Then why don't you end it,"
(which way?'
There was a silence between the two
women The muffled street noises
from outside became the background
ito a stiffness which grew every mo-
ment more oppressive. Louise returned
to her former attitude. She looked
eteadfastly before her, her face sup
ported by her hands
- Sophy grew paler and paler as the
minutes passed. There was something
strange and almost beautiful In LOU
ise's face, something which had come
ito her lately, and which shone from
H.. or int
i "You care for him, believe" Sophy
cried at last. "You care for him -
] Louise did not move.
: 'Why not?" she whispered.
, There was a ring at the front door.
Louise. from her place, could see the
long, gray bonnet of Johns car. Al
most before she could speak, he was
ANNOUNCED.
- cts an atrocious time to come, I
know" he began alphabetically.
"Youre in time for some coffee, any
how" Sophy told him cheerfully. "And
b know Louise is glad to see you, be-
cause if you hadn't come, was going
ito make her go through some &C
counts"
t'Ycu know / am always glad to see
vou," Louise murmured, pointing to a
chair. "Sophy and have been having
"a most interesting discussion, but we
have come to cul de sac"
81 really came" John explained, ITO
ask if you cared to come and see a
collection of pictures. There's an 1tal-
dan-a futurist, of course-just un-
hacked his little lot and set them up
over a curiosity shop in Clifford street.
He is sending out cards for next week,
but could take you tcday-that is,
If YOU would care about it. We can
10 somewhere for some tea afterward."
J Louise made a little grimace.
!; "What bad luck!" she exclaimed.
She stopped short. She felt that by
her hesitation she had, in sense, COM
mitted herself.
. Il have promised to go and have tea
with the prince at Seyre House." she
said. 1T is on engagement we made
Hast week."
John set down his empty coffee cup
with a clatter. An inexplicable but
dominating fury seemed to have sud-
denly assailed him. He took out a
cigarette and tried to light it. Sophy,
after watching him for a moment in
astonishnent, slipped out of the room.
Louise came over to his side.
care you really so much disappoint-
ed?' she asked. II am so sorry! II
b had known that you were coming for
me, would have kept myself free"
at isn't that exactly" John an
swered. Its something I can't alto
eether explain. If you don't mind, 1