Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-27

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looked at Lady Doucester with wide,
s:YcS have Il. come to tAr. him away, J"
she said, q II ststins dreaded truth.
She moved noi3elessly toward q door
and opensd Il. He ID here. \, s Z y
N Lady Doucsster moved forward into
. spacious, comfortable bedroom. A IrN
burned IN the. crate, although the day
| wae warm howere and books gave grace
to the severe appointments. A big chair
was drawn up to the window, and
turned q such an angle that for mo.
me msnt Lady Doucestsr could not not Be sure
e RON y 80 shs ssd With sud
den timidity. .' Nm /.
\ The chair was pushed abruptly back.
There was the sound OF sti6ed exclam.
alton and Lady Doucester found her.
self staring into the sonnber eyes Of
Henry Jarroman.
She heard the door click. softly shut
behind her, and. though she had insisted
on private speech with this strange man,
she struggled with sense Of helpless.
ness verging on panic. To cover 1t she
asked IN her criSpest tone
well aren't you ashamed Of your
Jarroman laughed, and the laugh
broke the tension.
s'Eor keeping you standing--yes," he
returned with the old confident awk-
wardness that she had always suhcon-
sci0usly admired. He waited until she
had seated herself and then drew up y
"I am intensely surprised to see
you,' he said.
Lady Doucester leaned back in the big
chair and closed her eyes. The events
of the afternoon flashed before her men
tai vision; her renewed attack with
Claudine Crayne. And now she found
herself onAthe edge Of the most din.
cult task of all. She was conscious OF
intense exhaustion,
II usually dine somewhat early"
she heard Jarroman say. II should be
honored II you would join me. There
10 naturally much want to ask you,
and you look-forgive me--worn out.
II have had an exceptional after
the bell: ''Some sherry and biscuit
need. ! don't think ] want to dine
with you. for 1t is quite possible that
we shall pnrt sworn foes"
II see,' said Jarroman gravely.
''But you forget that shall, not be your
host. This Is not my house. Her lady
ship is dining with me-" he added to a
servant, also Japanese. who had
slipped into the room.
That woman who met ME as I came
up" said L&dy Gloucester dreamlly,
her eyes etill shut--"I have seen her
before somewhere. She recognized me.
too. What is her nane!"
"She is known to the household as
Mademoiselle, " replied Jarroman. After
moments hesitation. he continued :
Though she has taken excellent care OF
me since the departure Of tho. trained
nurse, / really know little about her
save that she Is not a French woman
and that she is, or has been, married
Also, that she has some duties con-
nected with the gaming that goes on
downstairs two or three evenings a
week"
Nam 'selle X'!" exclaimed lady
Doucester, reused from her fatigue.
"Mollcntrave has mentioned her to me
more than once. She and her liqueur
glass are notable feature Of the place,
but nobody" 'T 81 '-'~
Lady Doucester Breaks In
She broke of as the woman under
BY the servant bearing the dinner tray.
| Mademoiselle shot one OF her dark.
| troubled looks at the two people BY the
window, but she said nothing. She su-
perintended the laying Of small table
and serving the soup, and then with.
drew with the servant.
As she took her seat opposite Jarro-
man at the little dinner table, Lady
Gloucester became convinced that the
whole situation was one in a dream,
She looked at Jarroman. Although
daylight still fingered outside, Made.
moiselle had drawn the curtains and
upper half Of Jarroman's face was in a
shadow, through which his eyes glowed
with that same fire that had fingered
in her thoughts Of him since the day
OF their first meeting. Yet-was 1t the
same? Was it not softer. happier.
more-more human? ~
cts horrible the difference food
makes to me" said Lady Doucester. as
she finished her soup. "At. Nadia's
age could have conquered the world
on half a digestive biscuit and a couple
Of dried figs, and now
"How-how Is Nadia?'' asked Jarro.
man. crumbling his bread.
''Well and busy" 49, ..a
"And-happy?"
,,,.tsnd "And happy" .sp;I,, said Lady Douee'ter
WlIuOuC y tTcIuOTs
The servant entered again and Jarro.
man said no more on the subject: Dur
ing the rest Of the meal he talked in
his >laborious way Of such topics as In.
terested both his visitor and himself.
Lady Doucester listened with genuine
attention, and watched him unobtru-
sively. I'D
"The evening Is chilly" said Jarro-
man as they rose from table. "Let me
draw this chair up to the fire." He es.
tablished her comfortably, with ciga.
rettes and her coffee cup within easy
reach, and took up his own position on
the other side of the hearth.
my curiosity can no longer bc re.
strained, Lady Doucester," he re.
marked. "How did you manage to
discover my whereabouts" '....
~ guessed" returned Lady Douces.
"Ah! But how did you force your
way in here? l have tried to force
my way out on two occasions, and both
times was Obliged to retire grace
fully before the stolid incorruptibility
Of two Of the heaviest ex'pusili'ts
~ induced their employer to call
them off," explained Lady, p,oucester.
''She was-not incorruPtible.'
"You mean my wife," said Jarroman
grimly. Lady Doucester nodded and he
went on. "Your words imply that she
betrayed an accomplice when she ac'
cepted your bribe. Who was that ac'
complice1" ar
"Theed."