The Washington times., 1919-08-24

a very difficult position. Only the
greatest care can save me from
ruin"
Gould you not have left me q
little illusicn?" she said, bitterly.
Gould you not have left me a
shadow of excuse for my mad
folly? Must you prove yourself
quite unworthy? You have put the
finishing touch to my shame and
humiliation"
Don't iuige me too harshly," he
pleaded. "Try to understand how
hard pushed am. must get all
the support I can, and yours and
Lord Estcourt's win be lnvaluable.
My position is very shaky. A touch
would send me down into the
depths from which there Is no re-
turn. Have you not a little fellow
feeling for met"
what do you want? You must
speak plainly"
Plainly. then" he said, with an
effort, at depends on how my
friends receive me now whether I
shall be able to keep my place in
society or be put beyond the pale.
The charge brought against me in
Paris OF having tampered with mil
itary secrets was not proved. but
we'll" bitterly. Il vas recommend
ed to resign my position, and did.
am no longer N the diplomatic
service and I have no chance Of
serving my country in any other
way. 1t is like your aecursed
Scotch verdict OF Not proven
which the world .Pads, Guilty, but
cannot be proved"
Il am sorry" she said, more kind
ly. NYOu must try to establish your
innocence; then, surely, you win be
reinstated2 ?"
-The best way to meet the
charge Is to show them that my
friends do not believe II" he said.
when people find out that am no
longer attached to the Embassy,
Of course they viii talk and won
der, and IL am once shown the
cold shoulder it win be all up with
me. Though it is not likely that
any definite information viii leak
out, there are sure to be rumOrs.
Now, If my friends stick to me; Il
| am still asked everywhere, those
FumOrs viii be discredited and die
away. IL not" He shrugged his
shoulders expressiveIy.
1t would have been more diffi-
cult for me in Paris than here he
went on, after a moment. Il am
well known and liked in London,
and 1t seemed to me that I should
do best to make IL my permanent
abode. II ! were 10 try any other
foreign capital / should not have
the same entree into society as
formerly, and rumor might do me
more mischief. No. my place Is
here. VIII you help me to stOp?"
What can I do?''
BE my friend. Contradict any
whispers you may hear against my
good name; or, better still, laugh
at them. Receive me in your house
on the old terms, as though nothing
had happened
Il told you that / would permit
no return to our former friendship,
that I can never be on terms Of
confidence with you again. re-
fuse absolutely to deceive my hus-
band with regard to our future re-
latiOns; / deceived him in the past,
to my cost"
Very WelI'-harshly-'1et us
put sentiment on one side and treat
the matter from a business point
OF view. 1t is WonderfuT"-With a
sneer-"hOw a woman turns with
the tide! / promise to say no word
that Lord Estcourt might not hear,
never to refer to that bygone cpl
sode in our lives, If you viii con-
tinue to treat me nominally as a
friend. will make no demands on
you in private, If in public you viii
afford me your help and counten-
ance."
Norah hesitated. She distrusted
DelacOur; but at the same time she
was little sorry for him, and more
than a little afraid of him. Fate
seemed to have turned on him al
most as venOmously as it had
turned on her. She did not under
stand very well of what he had
been accused, but she could not be-
leVe that he was unfit for the so
c1ety Of honorable men and women.
She would gladly never have looked
on his face again, but she did not
wish that he should be ruined and
disgraced.
Il don't want to threaten" he
said, more gently, cor I might re-
mind you how easily could ruin
your life; that / could do you far
more harm than you can me. have
given up a great deaI-you know
how much was nearly mine but a
little while ago-and I had hoped
10 save something from the wreck
age; but you have done with me,
you say. Very well, let US draw q
veil over the past; / make no claim
on 1t. l ask a little help Of your
kindness-that is all. Can you re-