The Washington times., 1918-07-21
Chapter XVIII.
Beyond His Reach.

TEXT day Lady Anningford called, as
M she had promised, at Claridge's,
l and found Mrs. Brown at home, al
though it was only three o'clock in the
afternoon.
She had not two minutes to wait in the
weIl-furnished frst-foor sitting-room, but
during that time she noticed there were
one OF two things about which showed the
present occupant was a woman of taste,
and there were such quantities Of flowers.
Flowers, flowers everywhere.
Theodore entered already dressed for
her afternoon drive. She came forward
with that perfect grace which character
ized her every movement. If she felt very
timid and nervous it did not show in her
sweet face and Lady Anningford perceived
Hector had every excuse for his infatua-
ton.
81 am so fortunate to find you at home.
Mrs. Brown" she said. my brother has
told me so much about you, and l was
longing to meet you. May we sit down on
this sofa and talk a little, or were you Just
starting for your driver"
"of course we may sit down." said Theo-
dora. my drive does not matter in the
least. 1t was so good of you to come"
And her inward thought was that she
would like Hector's sister. Anne's frank
ness was so pleasing.
They exchanged a few agreeable SEN
tences while each measured the other, and
then Lady Anningford said:
You come from Australia, don't you?"
Australia" smiled Theodore, while her
eyes opened wide. "Oh, no! have never
been out of France and Belgium and places
like that My husband lived in Melbourne
for some years, though"
81 thought it could not be possible"
quoth Anne to herself.
Then you don't know much of England
yet?' she said, aloud.
'It is my first visit; and it seems very
dull and rainy. This is the only really
fine day we have had since we arrived"
Anne soon deXterously ELECTED an out
line of Theodora's plans and what she was
doing. They would only remain in town
until Whitsuntide, perhaps returning later
for a week or two; and Mrs. Devlyn, to
whom her father had sent her an intro
duction, had been kind enough to tell them
what to do and how to see little of Lon
don. She was going to a ball tonight.
The first real ball she had ever been to in
her life, she said, ingenuously. And Lady
Anningford looked at her and each mo-
ment fell more under her charm.
"The ball at Horrawfield House, | ex-
pect, to meet the King of Guatemala" she
said, knowing Lady Harrowfeld was Flor
ence Devlyn's cousin.
THAT is it." said Theodore.
"Then you must dance with Hector-my
brother" she said.
She launched his name suddenly; she
wanted to see what effect it would have on
Theodore. "He is sure to be there, and
he dances divinely"
She was rewarded for her thrust; Just
the faintest pink came into the white vel
vet cheeks, and the blue eyes melted
softly To dance with Hector! All! Then
the radiance was replaced by a look of
sadness, and she said, quietly:
"Oh, do not think / shall dance at all.
My husband is rather an invalid. and we
shall only go in for a little while"
No, she must not dance with Hector
Those joys were not for her-she must
not even think of it.
How extraordinarily beautiful she is!"
Anne thought, when presently, the visit
ended, she found herself rolling along in
her electric brougham toward the park
And l feel l shall love her. l wonder
what her Christian name is?"
Theodore had promised they would lunch
in Charles street with her the next day If
her husband should be well enough after
the ball. And Anne decided to collect as
many nice people to meet them as she
could in the time.
AT the corner of Grosvenor Square she
met an old friend, one Colonel Lowerby.
commonly called the Crow, and stopped
to pick him up and take him on with her
He was the one person she wanted to talk
to at this juncture. She had known him
all her life, and was accustomed to prattle
to him on all subjects. He was always
safe and gruff and honest
Il have just done something so interest
ing, Crow" she told him, as they went
along toward Regents Park, to which syl-
van spot she had directed her chauffeur,