Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-17
CONTINUED from Last Issue)

oNA yOu dle.
you will tell him, won't you. how
dreadfully sorry 1 am about-about
what has happened? 1t seems so
hopeless to say anything; so hope
less even to believe it. If 1t is true
what we've heard"
Bill repeated the outline Of the
events of yesterday.
Yes . And Mr.. Albeit hasn't
been found YETI"
NO"
She shook her head in distress. ut
still seems to have happened to
somebody else; somebody we didn't
know at ALL" Then, nth a sudden
grave smile which included both of
them, But you must come and have
some tea"
Its awfully decent of you," said
Bill awkwardly, but we-er-"
You will, won't you" she said to
Antony.
THANK you very much.'
Mrs. Norbury was delighted to see
them, as she always was to see any
man in her house who came up to
the necessary standard of eligibility.
When her life work was completed,
and summed UP in those beautiful
words: "A marriage has been ar
ranged, and will shortly take place,
between Angela. daughter of the late
John Norbury 80" then she would
utter a grateful Nunc dimittis and
depart in reace-to a better world.
If Heaven insisted, but preferably to
her new son-in-law's more dignified
establishment.
But it was not Is "eligibles" that
the visitors from the Red House
were received with such eagerness
today, and even If her special smile
for "possibles" was there. it was in
%stinctive rather than reasoned. All
that she wanted at this moment was
news-news of Mark. For she was
bringing it off at last; and, if the
engagement columns of the Morn
ing Post" were preceded as in the
case of its obituary columns, by a
premonitory bulletin, the announce
ment of yesterday would have cried
triumphantly to the world, or to
such part of the world as mattered:
"A marriage has very nearly been
arranged (by Mrs. Norbury). and
will certainly take place, between
Angela, only daughter Of the late
John Norbury, and Mark Albeit of
the Red House."
The girl was often amused by her
mothers ways; sometimes ashamed
of them; sometimes distressed by
them. The Mark Albeit affair had
seemed to her particularly Distress
ing, for Mark was so obviously in
league with her mother against her.
1t was a pleasure to turn to Cayley,
that hopeless ineligible.
But alas! Cayley had misunder-
stood her. She could not imagine
Cayley in love-until she saw it, and
tried too late, to stop it.. That was
four days ago.. She had not seen him
since, and now here was this letter.
She dreaded opening it. 1t was a
relief to feel that at least h had an
excuse for not doing so while her
guests were in the house. :
Mrs. Norbury recognized at once
that Antony was likely to be the
more sympathetic listeners: and
when tea was over. and Bill and
Angela had been dispatched to the
garden, dear Mr.. Gillingham found
himself on the sofa beside her, lis
tening to many things which were Of
even greater interest to him than
she could possibly have hoped.
ut is terrible, terrible" she said.
"And to suggest that dear Mr.. Abb
lett"
Antony made suitable noises.
you've seen Mr.. Albeit for YOUR
self. A kinder, more warmhearted
man.
Antony explained that he had not
vet seen Mr.. Albeit.
"Of course, yes, / was forgetting
But, believe me, Mr.. Dillingham;, you
a trust a woman's intuition in
these matters"
Antony said that he was sure OF
this.
mother"
Antony was thinking of Miss Nor
bury's feelings as a daughter, n
wondering if she guessed that her
affairs were now being discussed
with a stranger. Mark engaged, or
about to be engaged! Had that any
bearing on the events of yesterday?
What, for instance would Mrs. Nor
bury have thought Of brother
Robert, that family skeleton? Was
/. this another reason for wanting
brother Robert out Of the way?
IT never liked him, never!"
s.Never liked" said Antony, be-
wildered.
saThat cousin of his-Mr. Cayley."
SHOW did Miss Norbury get on
with him ?" Antony asked cautious
'.There was nothing in that at ALL"
said Miss Norbury's mother en-
phaticaIly. Nothing. I would say
10 to anybody"
"oh. I beg your pardon. I never
meant"
Nothing. I can say that for dear
Angela with perfect
whether he made advances" She
broke of with a shrus Of her plump
shoulders.
Antony waited eagerly.
sHyaturally they met. Possibly he
might have-I don't know. But my
duty as a mother was clear. Mr.. Gill
hngham."
Mr.. Gillingham made an encour-
aging noise.
4 told him quite frankly that
how shall I put it?-that he was
trespassdng. Tactfully, of course.
But frankly"
ArYou mean" said Antony, trying
to speak calmly, that o told him
that-er-Mr. Albeit and your
daughter"
Mrs. Norbury nodded several
t,i EXACTLY. Mr.. Gillingham. I had
my duty as a mother"
There must have been a certain
awkwardness about the next meet
ing" suggested Antony.
NATURALLY, he has not been here
since. No doubt they would have
been bound to meet up at the RED
House sooner or later"
"Oh, this was only quite hkely?-
aT - -.-AIr NJ nil1in 0ha m