The Washington times., 1919-08-31

cannot near o. any other man
who has been on. any special terms
Of friendship with Lady Esicourt
Besides. she would not make an
appointment with him n Kensins
ton Gardens in November, unless
they were on an exceptional foot
ing and she had something very
important 70 say
But Miss Lethbridge did not wish
to hurry events. she was quits
content that things should 50 on
IS they we're at present Lady
EstcouFt was beginning 60 feel her
power. to watch Tor her coming
with dread. to listen with strained
nerves for her every word. She
had lost the hope that had buoyed
her up during her holiday in Scot
land She knew that her enemy
hadN neither relented nor lost IA.
terest 10 the mystery.
You are not looking az an
wen. Estcouft said. giancing
across the table az his wife Is
they sat al lunch Give up that
affair this afternoon. You do too
much: you are not as strong a.
voo fhsrt vorrsalf
but I have promised the Ouch.
ess. Norah said Besides. / am
taking a stan; 50 Il Is impossible
for me 10 stop away. I DO not sup
pose. q little YEARLY. -that ] shall
be any more tired doing that than
anything else
When Lady Estcourt drove away
to take part in the charity bazaar
which the Duchess Of Exmoor was
holding At her house "a Piccadflly
she showed little trace Of her pre-
vious wsariness and depression
But her maid knew. perhaps better
than anybody else. that her lady
was not as easy to dress as she
had been. At one time nothing
came amiss; she could wear any
thing and everything Now Marie
had to exercise q certain amount
Of discretion.
To-day, noting the faint honous
in her iadys cheeks, she haa
dressed the plentiful red-gold hair
more loosely than usual and sug
gested a blue velvet gown. which
gave an artificial roundness 70 the
too-slender figure Having added
a sable boa which threw into rs
lief The delicate eoloring. Marie
was satisfied al last win her hand
work
But her clothes are almost drop
ping of her she's got 50 thin.
she said to herself -and If She
doesn't mind shem look hagsard
before she's flYe.and-tWenty
Norah had plenty Of courage
and If she gave way occasionally
IN private she always faced the
world. with a smile Now. con
seious Of looking her best. for she
had heard the little murmur ol
admiration that greeted her en-.
trance and anxious to escape from
her own thoughts. she threw her
self heart and soul into the bust
ness before her Hes stan was
besieged By anxious buyers who
had paid q guinea for the mere
privilege OF coming in-and she
and her helpers had cleared out
half their stock before other stalls
showed any perceptible decrease.
You've simply romped away.
Paul Delacour said to her. during
an interval for tea. "but ] don't
know whether her grace likes be-
ing left so Ear behind. And he
glanced at the wellfilled table
where the Duchess sat enthroned-
large naughty, and severe
But she frightens people away.
Norah said. with a laugh They
havent the courage to ash such
a magnificent person. who looks
as though she ought to be roped
apart from the common herd. to
serve them with one Of those ter
rible woody articles which set your
teeth on edge to look at Be
sides. as the bazaar is for one OF
her pet charities, she ought to be
grateful to me for doing so we'll.
She had met DelaeouT in Ken
sington Gardens. and had an ex-
planation with MIN. Greatly 70
her surprise. he had taken the news
Of her husbands decision much
better than she had expected OF
course, he had been both annoyed
and disappointed. but he had not
attempted to coerce her IN any
way. or even intimated that as she
could not carry out her part Of
the bargain. he was free 10 break
his She. could not but acknoWl
edge that he had taken the re-
buff very well. and she felt more
sOrry for him IN consequence.