Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-05

Of a dog which had come to lie at her
feet.
"He seems 70 be making a good
deal Of STIR" she observed.
The young man frowned.
You know am not unsympathetic
little awkwardly, "but l don't mind %
admitting that II I had a big stake
In the country I should be afraid Of
Tallente. No one seems to be able to
pin him down to a definite program
and vet day by day his influence grows.
The Labor Party Is disintegrated. The
best Of all its factions are joining the
Democrats. He is practically leader Of
the Opposition Party today and
don't zee how they are going to stop
b, his being Prime Minister whenever he
Don't you think he'll make a good
Prime Minister?" Jane asked.
"No, I don't" was the curt answer.
He is too dark horse for my fancy"
II expect Mr.. Tallente will be ready
with his program when the time
comes," she observed. "He is a peo-
pies man, of course, and his proposals
will sound pretty terrible to good
many of the old-school. Still, something
of the sort has to come"
The butler brought in the postbag
while they talked. Segerson, as he
rose to depart, glanced with curiosity at
half n dozen orange -colored wrappers
which were among the rest of the let
ters.
Fancy your subscribing to a press
cutting agency, Lady janet" he ex-
nj md hov tlnn
q novel under a pseudonym. have you?"
She laughed as she gathered up her
correspondence in her hand.
Don't pry into my secrets" she en-.
Joined. "We may meet in Barnstaple
tomorrow. If the weather clears,
myself"
The young man took his reluctant
departure. Jane crossed the hall, en-
tered her own little sanctum. drew the
lamp to the edge of the table and sank
into her easy chair with a little sigh
of relief. All the rest Of her corre-
spondence she threw to one side. The
orange colored wrappers she tore Of,
one by one. As she read, her face
softened and her eyes grew very bright.
The first cutting was report Of Tai
lente's last speech in the House, n
clever and forceful attack upon the
Governments policy of compromise in
the matter Of recent strikes. The next
was speech Mt the Holburn Town
Hall on workmen's dwellings. another
thoughtful appreciation Of him from
the pages of great review. There was
also n eulogy from an American jour-
nal and gloomy attack upon him In
the chief Whig organ. When she had
finished the pile, she sat for some time
gazing at the burning logs. The little
epitome Of his daily life-there were
records there even of many Of his social
engagments-seemed to carry her into
another atmosphere, an atmosphere far
removed from this lonely spot upon the
moors. She seemed to catch from those
of the more vital world of strife in
which he was living. For a moment
the roar of London was IN her ears.
She saw the lighted thoroughfares, all
crowded pavements, the faces of the
men and women, all little strained
and eager, so different from the placid
immobility of the world in which she
lived. She rose to her feet and moved
rcstlessly about the room. Presently
she lifted the curtain and looked out.
There was pause in the storm and a
great mass Of black clouds had just
been driven past the face of the watcry
moon. Even the wind seemed to be
holding its breath, but so far as she
could see, moors and the hillsides We're
wrapped in one unending mantle of
snow. There was no visible sign Of any
human habitation, no sound from any
of the birds or animals who were COVER
Ing in their shelter, not even sheep
bell or the barking of n dog to break
the profound silence. She dropped the
curtain and turned back to her chair.
Her feet were leaden and her heart was
heavy. The struggle of the day was at
nm end. Memory wns asserting itself.
She felt flushed in her cheek, the quick
ening beat of her heart, the thrill of her
pulses rs she lived again through those
few wild minutes. There was no longer
any escape from the wild, confusing
truth. The thing which she had
dreaded had come.
To be continued tomorrow