The Washington times., 1922-08-13


2 "He was--he was" said The
siger slowly, "the chap who Is 60
ing to take on your work since
you have determined to leave me-"
II came with a small shock that
he was filling her place SO quickly
and so casually.
"But II you reconsidered I
should send him away tomorrow"
She rose and hastened out. To
packH To lie upon her bed and
cry fiercely. The room was filed
with Injuries; q bright fire blazed
In the CRATE, cheering the Nevem-
Der afternoon, the quilt beneath
her trembling body was satin and
down. She caught her breath sob
bingly, saying: "Could I--could
I ="
At four o'clock the tea tray was
brought up to her. She supposed
Thesiger had sent It. She need
not, then, appear till dinner. The
tray held more luxuries-rare
china and silver, delicacies not
chosen by a servant, fragrant tea.
II was like a little offering Of old
Thesiger's affection, and It whis-
pered to her craftily: "Could you
not = The cage is SO big
you'd hardly feel it IS. Think
Of this, all your own. This room
that park-a full purse--frocks
travel :" until she stop
ped the small voice, crying to II
vehemently: "Nop and mo"
and Mop =. H.. ..
It was a quiet dinner presently.
Whenever she looked up she
caught the old mans eyes watch
ing her across the table. After
ward she sat for a while as usual
In the drawing-room, longing to
hide away; and, without waiting to
smoke his customary cigar,
Thomas Thssiger followed. The
memory of that low-voiced eve
ming never left her. He sat by her
and talked TO her, his face and
voice very quiet and tender. She
was SO oppressed by his quietness
and tenderness, fearing that they
would be her undoing, that soon
she rose to say goodnight. For
the first time that evening he
touched on the subject she dread
ed. Holding her hand:
= "Well, my dear" he asked, his
face as white as paper, "have you
reconsidered?"
81 can'tw she cried almost vio-
lently.' A curious wave of incon-
gruous relief seemed to sweep
over his face; there was great
light in his eyes.
"Mr. Thesiger," she said very
humbly, 81 do thank you from my
heart for your affection, but |
have no other than a friends af-
fection to give you in return"
Goodnight, then," he said.
"And so-we will let things re-
main-as they are"
"And that is, l go tomorrow"
"You 20 tomorrow"
So they parted. When she had
gone the old man passed his hand
over his face, AS il brushing away
the ghost of some recent fear, and
smiled, murmuring to himself.
At eight o'clock the next morn
ing the household at Thesiger was
thrown into 2 sudden panic by
Thomas TheSger's valet flying
down stairs and calling for help.
Old Thomas Thesiger lay dead
in bed. The ferryman, crossing
silently for him in the darkness of
night, had carried him sleeping
across the river. So he made the
journey in perfect peace.
Meg Morton, then, could not
leave Thcsigcr that day. When,
crying bitterly, she had told the
servants to draw the blinds and
summon a doctor and send-she
said vaguely-to poor Thesiger's
lawyer, there were all his papers
and the accounts to set in order.
So much she could faithfully ac-
complish for his memory.
Her departure must be delayed
for a few hours. After lunch
or, rather, after the hour at which
she should have eaten lunch-she
went into the darkened library,
lighted candles and seated herself