The Washington times., 1918-08-04
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Theodora's He dared not look ahead. All
he was conscious of was the absolute de-
termination to protect her from Wensley-
down-to keep her for himself.
And fate was gathering all the threads
together for an inevitable catastrophe. or
so it seemed to the Crow when the long,
2quisite June Sunday evening was draw
ing to a close and he looked back on the
day.
He would have to report to Anne that
the two had spent it practically together;
that Morella had a sullen red look on her
face which boded i'll for the part she would
play, when she should be asked TO play
some part; that Mildred had done her
best to render Theodore uncomfortable
and unhappy. and thus had thrown her
more into Hectors protection. The other
women had been Indifferent or mockinG
or amused, and Lady Harrowfeld had let
it be seen she would have no mercy. Her
comments had been vitriolic.
Hector and Theodore had not gone out
of sight, or been any different to the
others: only he had never left her, and
there could be no mistaking the devotion
in his face.
For the whole day Sir Patrick had more
or less taken charge of Josiah. He was
finding him more difficult to manipulate
over money matters than he had antici-
snub nose gave no index to his shrewdness;
with his mutton-chop whiskers and bald
head, Josiah was the personihcation OF the
SNUG grocer.
As she went to dress for dinner it
seemed to Theodore that her heart was
breaking. She was only flesh and blood
after ALL and she, too, had felt her pulses
throbbing wildly as they had walked along
by the lake, when all the color and lights
ia sr,,,.
ination and exalt her spirit. They had
been almost alone for the other pair we're
several yards ahead of them.
Each minute she had been on the verge
of imploring him to say good bye-to
leave her-to let their lives part, to try
TO forget, and the words froze on her lips
In the passionate, unspoken cry which
seemed to rise from her heart that she
loved him. Oh she loved him. And so
she had not spoken.
There had been long silences, and each
was growing almost to know the others
thoughts-so near had they become in
spirit.
When she got to her room her knees
were trembling. She fell into a chair
and buried her face in her hands. She
shivered as if from cold.
Josiah was almost angry with her for
being so late for dinner Theodore hardly
realized with whom she went in; she was
dazed and numb. She got'through 1t some
how, and this night determined to go
straight to her room rather than be treated
as she had been the night before. But one
of the women whom the intercourse of the
day had drawn into conversation with her
showed signs OF friendiiness as they went
through the anteroom, and drew her
toward sofa to talk. She was fascinated
nv
wanted to know, too, Just where her
clothes came from, as she did not recog-
nize absolutely the models of any of the
weIlknown couturieres, and they were GER
tainly the loveliest garments worn by any
one in the party.
One person draws another. and soon
Theodore had three or four around her
all purring and talking frocks. And as she
answered their questions with gentle
frankness, she wondered what everything
meant Did any of them feel-did any, OF
them love passionately as she did?-or
we're they all dolls more or less bored and
getting through life? And would She too,
grow like them IN time, and be able to
play bridge with interest until the small
hours?
Later some of the party danced, in the
ballroom, which was beyond the saloon
the other way, and now a definite idea
came to Hector as he held Theodore in his
arms in the waltz. They could not possibly
bear this life. Why should he not take
her away-away from the SNUG grocer.
and then they could live their life in a
dream of bliss in Italy, perhaps. and later
at Bracondale. He had a great position,
and people soon forget nowadays.
His pulses were bounding with these
wild thoughts, born Of their nearness and
the long hours of strain. Tomorrow he
would tell her of them, but to-night-they
weuld dance.
And Theodore felt her very soul melt
within her She was worn out with con-
ficting emotions. She could not fight with
inclination any longer. Whatever he
should say she would have to listen to
and agree with. She felt almost faint
And so at the end of the first dance she
managed TO whisper:
Hector. | am tired. / shall go to bed .
And in truth when he looked at her she
was deadly white.
She stopped by her husband.
-"Josiah," she said, will you make my
excuses to Lady Ada and Uncle Patrick;
do not feel we'll; / am going to my room.
Hector's distress was intense. He could
not carry her up in his arms he would
have wished. he could not soothe and pei
and caress her. or do anything in the world
but stand by and see Josiah fussing anC
accompanying her 10 the stairs and on Il
her room She hardly said the word good
right to him. and her very lips we're white
'WeusIeydown's face. as he stood with Nil
dred. drove him mad with its mocking leer
and if he had heard their conversation
there might have been blOOdshed.
Josiah returned TO the saloon. and mad
his way TO the bridegroom to Sir Patricl