Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-26

Elizabeth walked away from hin
and stood looking into the street
She knew he was right, knew that
the only other work she could dc
would be . distas,sful drudgery. and
yet she hated the though, Of owing
anything 10 this man. even u !, Was
only for . time.
Farmer thought he read indeeision
in her silence. and he said again
urgently. II, Is not only who VIII
be disappointed: there IS Nine,
Senesiis. She has built 50 much on
what she Is sure YOU can do.
ayes, | know" Elizabeth said. but
II Was no, the though, OF madam
iha, influenced her so much as the
memory OF what Royston had said
only last night. "You'ye got 10 be
happy; you've got 10 be a success,
IL would please him. she knew; aud
,ha, was all she cared for.
She turned around and looked At
Farmer; his handsome face was
flushed and eager. but il was OF the
look in Pat Roysion's eyes that she
thought as she said with sigh;
Every. well-ii you wish II, ! will
so on
"And-I am forgiyen''
She said yes" because Il was
such . small thing TO her.
Neil Farmer took her hand and
raised il gently 10 his lips. You
will find that | am your devoted
iriend-always." he said.
But his humility left Elizabeth un-
moved; she merely tolerated him
when he came TO the house.
For a week she struggled against
the despair in her heart She elung
TO the belief that something would
happen to pu, things right, though
wha, could happen she did not know.
She wrote dozen letters 10 Roy
s,on and tore them all up: some
times at night she cried herself to
sleep, and at other times nothing
seemed to matter She was swung
hclplcssly first this way, then that
by the pendulum OF her emotions. =.
Neil Farmer was, as he had said
he would be, her devoted friend.
She knew that he must have
spoken to Nine. Senestis about her.
for all at once the rigorous treat
mcnt to which the French woman
had subjected her relaxed: she was
allowed to 60 out alone whenever
she liked and she wa. not worked so
hard.
And slowly the week dragged to
a fortnight, the fortnight to three
weeks, and all hope left Elizabcth's
heart.
She wrote to Meta, and a short,
hurried answer came: Il am very
busy. as we are leaving London next
week. My foot is ever so much bet
ter. Excuse short note; I'll write
again when we are settled down and
tell YOU all about il" :.
But no further letter came, and
once again Elizabeth was conscious
of the forlorn feeling that she was,
indeed, cut out Of both Nctta's lie
and Royston's forever.
Perhaps it was only natural that
in the circumstances she should turn
to Neil Farmer. =.
He was so often at the house and
so attentive; he seemed to guess her
wishes beforehand, and yet he never
presumed on her half-heaNed for
giveness or made her regret it.
Unconsciously she had begun to
call him by his Christian name: un-
she was gradually adopt
ing the Bohemian ways of Madame's
set. The irregularity Of the life no
longer annoyed her, perhaps because
she had begun to realize that it isl
always easier to let oneself go with
the tide.
Preparations for her debut were
proceeding apace; Madame talked OF
else.
A certain duchess with a penchant
for discovering" people was giving
an entertainment at her house for
some convenient charity, and Eliza
beth was to appear.
MADAME thinks it will be better
than a public appearance" Farmer
told Elizabeth. Apparently the
duchess in question was an adept at
advertising. and Elizabeth did not
know whether to be amused or an
noyed at the subtle booming"