The Washington times., 1919-08-17
Continued from Page 9.

hers.
'Tn take them ALL" she said
looking across at Estcourt with g
smile as she took both packets
"TIl tell you from the outsides
what is worthy Of your lordship's
attention and what is destined fol
the wastepaper basket"
He watched her idly with happy
eyes. It was so pleasant to be with
her again like this that everything
she did seemed right,
Here is a bill" she said. Don't
1 know the plain commercial hand
writing to my cost?" She slit
open the envelope leisurely. 81 am
shocked" shaking her head at him
reprovingly. '4t says, TO account
rendered. should not have
thought so precise and business
like a person knew the meaning
Of such words, sir"
Like most women, Lady Estcourt
could play a part, and she played
II now with heart and soul, know
ing how much was at stake, though
she was sick with fear and sus-
pense. She had caught sight of
her enemy's handwriting on one. Of
the envelopes, and she could
guess what it contained.
"This is a begging petition"
holding up another letter. 81 know
II by its bulk. There will be pic
lures Of little orphans as they
were and as they are, or something
of that sort. Ralph" with a sud
den break in her voice, whatever
ii is, If any one is in trouble, you
win help them, won't you? l
should like to make somebody
happy to-day" Perhaps she had
a vague idea Of buying fate over to
her side; Of compounding with
Providence.
"As happy as we are?" he said,
tenderly, thinking he understood.
"Of course, sweetheart; I am glad
you thought Of it. l have a big
debt Of gratitude to pay to some'
body"
The paper-knife shook in her
hand as sha opened Miss Leth-.
BRIDGES letter, though she went on
talking nonsense all the time. The
horror she held at bay was ready
to spring on her If she faltered but
a moment, If she made the slight
est mistake. Her husband was
lying back in his chair looking at
her.
"This is from the friend Of your
youth" she said, laughing. 81
should not be surprised if she con-
doles with you just a little for hav-
ing married such feather-brained
creature" She saw that the en-
velope contained two enclosures
and she slowly drew out Miss Leth
bridges letter, leaving the other
(which she knew must be her own
inside.
Miss Lethbridge wrote as fol-
lows, and the trembling woman
read in silence, swiftly, while the
man was hunting for a cigarette:
my Dear Ralph cannot tell
you how grieved and shocked I
am at your terrible trouble, though
[ am afraid I can hardly say that
am very much surprised. No
doubt you will have learned the
truth by this time, though by acci-
dent I have received the letter in
tended for you. It arrived just as
[ was rejoicing over the good news
In your telegram, and I thought
how your joy would be turned into
II is too cruel. That
such a thing should have happened
10 you Of all men! When / think
1f all your tenderness and consid-
grafton for her, it seems impossible
hat any woman can be so base.
cannot write any more; you
know that all my thought and SYM
1athies are with you. When you
EEL able to see any one, remember
)ur old friendship, and come to
ne. OLGA"
In a glance Lady Estcourt had
the contents, but she sat
With the fatal letter in her hand,
Is though turned, to stone. She
.eemed to be looking into the gulf
nto which she had so nearly fallen.
Then a wave Of anger and hate
iwept over her; her enemy was
lnmasked at last. It was easy to
cad the satisfaction between the
ines. Miss Lethbridge discreetIy
ejoiced at the downfall of the wo-
nan who had taken her place.
We'll" Estcourt asked, a little
uriously, what has Olga got to
ay? You don't look quite pleased"
She came back to her surround
ngs with a start and remembered
7hat she had to do.
'It is rather a rude letter." she
aid, angrily, crumpling it up in
er hand. "She expresses so much
surprise at what, after
II, was a very simple accident that
light happen to anybody. I dis
Ike people who never make mis-
axes"
He laughed at her petUlance.
But where is my letter." he
aid. 81 must have that. You have
-ritten me so few that I cannot
ford to part with one" And,
out his hand. he picked