Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-02
CHAPTER XVI

morning. I waited in till IL o'clock, !,
longing, yet dreading that Richard
would come, but he did not. put on
my hat and went out, but I hardly
walked beyond the longth Of the road,
expecting every moment I should see
him coming along.
But he did not come. I made q
pretense Of eating my lunch. My
father watched me anxiously. HI
hardly spoke, but knew that hii
mind must be IN almost 40 great an agi
tation a. my own. At 3 o'clock ]
threw all prudence to the winds and
went to the address Richard had given
me.
A pleasant. faced woman opened the
door. She seemed concerned when ]
asked for Richard. She said he had left
her house that morning. She believed
no had gone to Southampton, but could
"He didn't leave an address," sh.
from abroad.''
! echoed her words stifhy.
"From-abroad?"
eyes, miss. He's gone to Austria.
lia."
did not faint. but I felt a. II every
bit Of life had gone from my body; my
limbs felt 40 II they did not belong to
me. and my head swan.
The woman's kind face grew con.
cerned. She asked II could come
in. She said she would get me drink
Of water.
I obeyed dumbly. She took me into
the front room, and sat down in q
chair. -
cL. ..s,> l.>,- I'LL A. .
made me drink. She told me that tnrs
h. had m.n.s'sh.|p' and pointed to something on the
That's his pipe" she said with q
must have gone of and forgot It. He
gentleman he was"
listened to her words a. II from
great distance. Presently I asked
her q question.
DO you know II he had a letter
hand.
She shook her head.
II couldn't say, miss; my daugh.
ter always answers the door. III ash
her i you like?"
"Plcnye." said.
She went away and came back after
a moment.
Lizzie says there were two letters
for Mr.: Tempest last night" she told
me. Both BY and"
Thank you," said duly.
He was down very early this
morning. she went on as II she were
sorry for me. and anxious to tell me
everything she could remember. "He
kent aak{n0 ma onykvos. A.I
been. and seemed bitter disappointed
when told him there was no letters.
nice young gentleman he was, miss. "
She ratified away. giving me details
and incidents OF his life during the
four months he had lodged with ser.
She went off to bring a signed pho.
tograph he had given her.
Oh, how jealous I was.
1t was an excellent portrait Of him
taken full. .faced--and his eyes seem.
ed to be looking straight at me with
condemnation IN their directness.
l gave It back to her hurriedly. I
felt as II I should burst into tears II
looked at 1t any longer.
When yshe had carried It away, /
took Richards old pipe OF the mantel.
shelf and hid It in the folds Of my
dress.
- oS"tA"eutai TuUOleu, you Will say.
Perhaps 1t was, but I would rather
have had Richards pipe than a dia.
mond necklace from any other man!
CHAPTER XVII
Well. that was the end, 50 far as
l was concerned. I went back home
and told my father that was willing
he liked.
shall never forget bis extrava can't
Joy. He called me his darling daugh.
ter; he said that I had saved his de.
clining years from ruin and shame He
kissed me again and again; he seemed
beside himself with delight.
Furnival came to dinner that night.
We had an extra special dinner in honor
OF my engagement. and my health was
drunk and silly speeches made. And
] sat and listened to It., feeling as i'll
some ono had taken my heart out Of my
body and given me stone in its place.
f'urnival presented me with a mag.
nificent diamond ring. He admitted
that be had carried it about with him
for three months.
Il always knew that you'd change
your mind. Marjorie" he told me, grin.
ming.
] might have said truthfully that it
had been changed for me, but what was
tho use?
My father came with US. He had
been curiously ap0logetic to n,e ever
since my engagement; he hardly ever
ordered me about or complained. and
once or twice ! caught him looking at
me rather wistfully.
The sun was shining ns We walked
up the long drive to Mascot House.
My father looked about him nervous.
ly. wondered II 1t were still peopled
tor him with my mothers beautiful
ghost; II he could still see her tending
her roses, or romping with me under the
trees. or riding down the drive in the
sunshine on the gray mare that had
thrown her to her death.
The house was empty and looked |
cheerless. but Furnival was full Of
plans for Its refurnishing and redecorat.
Ing. There were q few pieces Of oak
belonging to my father still in some
Of the rooms, and a good deal Of arInor.
NIL OF which ! could remember in the
wide hall when I was a child.
"iou will Ike coming back?' Fur.
nivnl asked me a. We stood in the long
drawing room. looking out across the
lawn and rose garden. Are you glad
You will come back. Marjoriey'
"Of course, ! am" ! said. But my
thoughts had been miles and miles
away.
He kissed me now as we stood there,
and ] bit my lip till the blood came to
keep from shuddcring.
lie took his arm away impatiently.
How cold you are" be said. Some.
lines ] think they gave you ice In your
Gins instead ~ hlOod ~