New Britain herald., 1922-07-31
CHAPTER I.

T.
 In the drowsy heat of the summer a1ternoon The Red House was takins us siesta. There was a lazy murmur Of bees in the flower borders, a gentle cooing Of pigeons in the tops Of the eims' From distant lawns came the whlr or moving machine, that most restful Of all country sounds: making ease the swecter in that 1t Is taken while others are working.
 It was the hour when even those whose business it is to attend to the wants of others have moment or two for themselves. In the house. keepers room Audrey Stevens, the pretty parlormaid. re-trimmed her best hat, and talked idly to her aunt, the cook k-housekeeper of Mir. Mark Albetts bachelors home.
 Funny thing that about MT Marks brother. Fancy not seeing him for fifteen years"
 As told you all this morning" said her aunt, I've been here five years, and never heard Of brother. l could say that before everybody if was doing to die tomorrow"
 You could have knocked me down with feather when he spoke about him at breakfast this morning. l didn't hear what went before, natur- ally. but they was all talking, about the brother when I went in. Mir. Mark turns to me. and says-you know his way--'Stevens, he says, my brother is coming to see me this af- ternoon; I'm expecting him about hA ht t,fo tln cffice,' he says. just like that. Yes, sir l says quietly but I was never SO surprised in my life, not knowing he had brother. My brother from Australia he has his reasons. And ten that From Australia"
 Well, he may have been in Aus tralia," said Mrs. Stevens iudicially But what do say is he's never been here. Not while I've been here, and that's five years"
 Well, but, auntie, he hasn't been here for fifteen years. I heard Mir. Mark telling Mir. Cayey. Fifteen years, he says. Mir. Cayley having arst him when his brother was last in England. Mir. Cayley knew of him, but didn't know when he was last in 1HSiduu-Scc OO lHdl $ ny lle dTSl MT Mark"
 I'm not saying anything about fifteen years, udrey can only speak for what I know, and that's five years Whitsuntide. If he's been in Australia as you say. we'll, dare Say he's had his rasons"
 What reasons?" said Audrey lightly.
 Never mind what reasons. Being in the place of mother to you, since your poor mother died. say this, 1 a gentleman goes to Australia he has his reaesons. And when he stays in Australia fifteen years, he has reasons. And re- specially brought up girl doesn't ask what reasons"
 Got into trouble. l suppose" said Audrey carelessly. They were say ing at breakfast he'd been a wild one"
 The ringing of a bell brought Au- drey to her feet-no longer Audrey. but now Stevens. She arranged her cap in front of the glass.
 There, that's the front door, she said. That's him. Show him into the office said Mir. Mark l suppose he doesn't want the other ladies and sentlmen to see him. Well, they're all out at their golf, anyhow-Won- der If he's going to stay-P'raps he's brought back lot of gold from Aus tralia."
 Now, now. get on, Andrey.'
 Just going. darling" She went put.
 As Audrey came across the hall she gave a little start as she saw MT. -ayley suddenly. sitting unobtrusively in a seat beneath one of the front reading.
 No reason why he shouldn't be here; certainly a much cooler place han the golf-links on such a day; put somehow there was a deserted air lbout the house that afternoon, Mir. -ayley, the masters cousin, was sur ,rise: and, having given little ex- ,lamation as she came suddenly upon Jim, she blushed, and said, 'Oh, oeg your pardon sir, l didn't see you tt first" and he looked up from his book and smiled at her.
 An attractive smile it was on that hat big ugly face. Such a gentle nan, MT. Cayley," she thought to her