The Washington times., 1919-08-31
CHAPTER XI. (Continued.)
n Held Thee BY Too Many Bands." "

drive in the park; she wished to
make her excuse of a busy after
noon quite genuine. It was as well
not to leave anything to chance;
she must safeguard every position
as much as possible.
As she drove away she wondered,
with bitter self-contempt, how she
could ever have fancied herself in
love with this man. He seemed so
shallow and meretricious; so un-
satisfactory altogether. not to use
q harsher word.
It was little wonder if Delacour
had chmged. He had been through
a terrible ordeal. which he could
never forget He had seen him
self an outcast. scorned and shun-
ned by all decent men and women;
he had had nightmare visions Of
broken, banished life. He had suf-
fered all the tortures Of a suspense
which fears the worst.
The next morning he was riding
il the park as usual. where he was
welcomed by a host Of acquaint-
ances. Miss Lethbridge, who never
missed her early ride, looking upon
1t more as a duty to her complexion
than as an enjoyment, was quite
pleased and excited when she saw
him. She refined up as he ap-
preached and he was obliged to
stop and speak to her.
Good morning" she said, speak
ing with unusual cordiality. "This
IS a pleasant surprise. Everybody
has been wondering what had be-
come Of you. First and foremost
what took you abroad SO suddenly?
t vas quite a shock to your friends
% End you had gone"
Affairs Of State" he answered,
lightly, turning to ride beside her.
However, have settled every
thing now, and am a free man"
what do You mean?" she in
ouired. He intended that she
should ask. He knew it would be
best to make the announcement
himself, as though it were entirely
a matter Of his own arrangement,
and trust to luck that he was not
contradieted. His superiors had
been defeated, and he thought they
would not want to talk about their
defeat.
7 have given up diplomacy. Ny
country must do without my Yalu-
able services in future. ! am too
fond Of your great city to wish to
leave II; you viii have me for a
permanency now. 1 hope / shall
not suffer the fate of most perma-
nent things and lose any attraction
may possess. Uncertainty counts
for so much" And he laughed.
You are giving up the service7
What pity! Why, you have hard
" started yet" To herself she
was saying:
Then lie was away on his own
affairs; he had nothing to do with
Lady Estcourt's journey. But why
has he thrown up his career Sc sud-
denly? Can it be to be near herr"
7 have been long enough under
orders to find out that it does not
suit me-" he replied. 81 do not
care to be sent hither and thither
without any choice Of my own.
have no great liking for change"
4 should not have imagined that
constancy was one of your special
virtues" she said, with a laugh.
Does It control all your actions?
What a faithful friend you must
bel"
What does she know or sus.
pect?" he wondered, for he did not
trust her careless tone. He knew
she vas a woman who generally
had an object in what she said or
did. But his diplomatic training
stood him in good stead, and ap-
she had noticed nothing.
I am afraid I do not take exist.
ence as seriously as you do" he
answered lightly. 4 am a thing of
shreds and patches, a mere ianeur.
am not great enough for virtue
or vice. All I ask Of fate Is to be
happy in my own way"
But that very often includes
somebody else," she said, shrewdly.
Naturally" with a smile. at. Is
% difficult TO be happy alone"
And Miss Lethbridge was Obliged
Q leave on unsatisfed.
$50 DelacoUr has returned for
yood?" Lady Sarah said when she
,alled to see Norah a few DAYS
ater Have you and ne metz"
Yes" And Lady Estcourt told
Ter what had passed. 'G hope I am
lot doing wrong In promising to
De friends with him." she eonclud-
d, hut really ] had very little
hoice. He did not exactly threaten
ae, but he let me see that 1t would