Evening star., 1918-12-29
THE MAN WHO LOST H

murmured; "you seemed half fright
ened before-Ju-Ju, l want to make
a confession"
"Yes?"
"Well-somebody pretended to care
for me very much little While ago.
"Wh was that?"
Never mind. ! went last night to
a dance at the Crawleys' and he was
there"
"Yes?"
"Yes-is that all you have to say?
You don't seem to be very much IN
terested."
II am, though"
II don't want you to be too much IN
terested, and go making scenes and
all that-though you couldn't for you
don't know his name. Suffice to tell
you-as the books say-he is very
handsome man, much, much hand
somer than you, Ju-well. listen TO
me. He asked me to run off with
him."
run off with him?"
"Yes-to Spain. We We're to go TO
Paris first and then to Spain-Spain,
at this time of year"
What did you say?"
II said: Please don't be stupid Id
been reading novel where girl SAID
that to a man who wanted to run OIL
with her-she died at the end-but
that's what she said at first. Fortu-
nate I remembered it,"
"Why?"
felt inclined to say yes l know IL
was dreadful, but thing of my posi-
tion, you going on like that, and me
all alone with no one to care for me.
It's like crave for drink. l must
have some one to care for me ana !
thought YOU didn't-so / nearly sald
yes Once I had said what ala
l felt stronger"
What did he say?"
"He pleaded passionately-like the
man in che book, and talked OF roses
and blue seas-hes not EnglisnsM,tt so,t
bath room slippers and yellow wrap
per- You know she reads st. Thomas
a Kempis and opens bazaars. She
opened one the other day, 'and came
back with her nose quite red ana IN
a horrid temper wonder whae % was
/ did anything foolish Venetfa would
exult, and that held me firm. She's
not wicked. I believe she Is really
good as far as she knows how, ana
that's the terrible thing about her
She goes to church twice on Sunday;
women in the country. she opens
bazaars anG subscribes to ragged
schools-yet with one word she sets
every one by the ears-well, when
got home from the dance began
to think, and today, when they were
all out, I had my boxes packed and
came right back here. I'd have given
ANYTHING to see their. faces when they
got home and found me gone"
She sprang up suddenly. A knock
had come to the door 1t opened ana
a servant announced Miss Birdbrook
Venetia had not changed that even
ing, she was still in her big hat She
ignored Jones, and. standing. spoke
tersely to Teresa.
$50 you have left us"
YES" replied the other. II have
come back here, d'you mind?"
"Im' said Venetia. ITS not a ques-
tion of my minding in the least, only
it was sudden, and as you left no
word as to where you were going we
thought it best to make sure you were
all right"
She took her seat uncomfortably on
a chair and the Countess Of Rochester
perched herself again by Jones.
"Yes. an all right" said she, with
her hand resting on his shoulder.
Venetia gulped.
II am glad to know it," she said.
1--WE tried to make you comfortable
cannot deny that mother feels
slightly hurt at having no word from
you before leaving, and one must ad-
nit that it cannot but seem strange
to the servants your going like that
tion of taste"
"You mean" said Teresa, that it
was bad taste on my part-well.
apologize. I am sorry, but the sud
den craving to get-back here was
more than I could resist. 1 would
have written tonight"
"Oh. it does not matter" said Vene-
tia, "the thing is done. Well, ] must
be going-but have you both thought
over the future and all that it i'm
plies?"
Have we, ,Ju-Ju?" asked the girl,
caressingly stroking Jones' head.
YES" said Jones.
I'm sure" went on Venetia with a
sigh, Il have always done my best
to keep things together. I failed
Was it my fault?"
NO" said Teresa. aching for her to
be gone. ~ am sure it was not"
II am glad to hear you say that. 1
always tried to avoid interfering in
your life. l never did--or only when
ordinary prudence made me speak, as
for instance, in that baccarat busi-
ness"
Don't rake up old things" said
Teresa suddenly:
"And the Williamson affair."" got in
Venetia. "Oh, ! am the very last to
rake up things, as you call 1t. ]. for
one, VIII say no more of things that
have happened, but l must speak of
things that affect myself"
What Is affecting you?"
Just this. You know quite well the
financial position. You know what
the upkeep of this house means. You