New-York tribune., 1918-02-24
CHAPTER VII
A. Nioht

WITH a curious sense of excitement |
w crossed the room. l opened the door
and there stood Eileen. She had taken
off her hat, and without it looked even
more beautiful for what hat could rival
her masses of dark hair, so artfully ar
ranged and yet with ripping wave all
through them that utterly defied restraint,
"May l come in for little?" she said
She asked in such a friendly, smiling
way, SO modest and yet so unafraid thai.
even the greatest Don Juan could not havs
mistaken her honest intention.
II shall be more than charmed to have
your company" / said.
''I'm afraid we soon forget the convenl
tionalities in our service" she said simply1
"Tiel has gone out and | was getting very
tired of my own company"
Imagine how tired | get of miner i
cried.
She gave little understanding nod
at must be dreadfuly duh for you," shell
agreed with great sincerity, and she added,
as she seated herself in my wicker chair:
Il have another excuse for calling on YOU,
and that is that the more clearly we alb
three understand what we are doing the
better. Don't you think so?"
"Decidedly. In fact, l only wish we all
thought the same"
She looked at me inquiringly and yet as
though she comprehended quite well.
"You mean''-
"Well, to be quite frank, | mean TieL
He is very clever and he knows his work
Mei1e Gott, we can teach him nothing. {
And perhaps he trusts you implicitly and {
is quite candid. But he certainly tells me
20 more than he can help
"He tells nobody more than he can help E
she said. you are no worse treated than )
any one else he works with But it is
little annoying sometimes I
"For instance, do you know what he Is &
doing tonight" I asked.
There was no mistaking the criticism s
IN the little shrug with which she replied;
Il half suspect he is walking about in
the dark by himself just to make me think
IN ID DOoy Oli SOiiic StSIlOUS Glldu- E
"Do you actually mean that" eS
claimed.
"No, no." she said hastily; mot really
quite that! But he sometimes tempts one B
to say these things"
Have you worked with him often be.
fore?"
Enough to know his little peculiar.
ties" SAe smiled suddenly. "Oh, he isl
very wonderful man, is my dear brother &
Again I was delighted i confess
shamelessly!-to hear that unmistakaS' (
note Of criticism n
Wonderful may have several mesr
ings," l suggested.
ut has in his case" she said frankly
HE really is extraordinarily clever"
She added nothing more. but the impr
cation was very clear that the other mean
lngs were not quite so fattering. | tel
already that this strange little househoh &
was divided into two camps, and thS' 81
Eileen and We're together in one. E
But we have talked enough about Her 81
Tiel!' she exclaimed in different voice
Because we really can get no further.
is like discussing what is inside a locSe'
box. We can trust his judgment in tas g
business; | think you will agree to that
"Oh, yes" I said; Il have seen enouga S.
to respect his abilities very thoroughly. #
Then said she, 'let us talk Of some M
thing more amusing" M
YOURSELF l said frankly. though per NJ
haps little too boldly, for she did not ~ BE-
spond Immediately. I felt that I had ps'
ter proceed more diplomatically. b