Evening star., 1922-01-15

"THE BALEFUL, PROTRUD
leaving me standing looking after
him in blank wonderment,
n UBREY WALES stayed to dinner,
and since he had no opportunity
of dressing, his presence afforded a
| welcome excuse for the other men,
bers of the party. The night was
appallingly hot. The major was an
excellent host. but l could see that
the presence of the younger man irri-
tated him. and at times there was an
gether. 1 was not sorry when Mrs.
Dale left the table and the quartet
was broken up.
Ere long Wales left Mai. Dale and
myself for the more congenial society
of the hostess, SO that, shortly after
ward, when the major, who took at
least as much wine as was good for
him, began to doze in his chair, I
found myself left to my own devices.
quilted the room quietly without
disturbing my host. and strolled
around on to the lawn smoking a
cigarette. and turning over in my
mind the matters responsible for my
presence at Low Fennel..
With no definite object in view. I
had wandered toward the orchard.
when I became aware of a whispered
conversation taking place somewhere
near me, punctdated with little peals
of laughter. l detected the words
Aubrey" and Marjorie" and impa-
tiently I returned to the house, in
tent upon arousing the major and
terminating this tete-a-tete. That it
was more on Mrs. Dale's part than a
harmless Irritation I did not believe,
but young Wales was not safe type
of man for that sort of amusement.
The major, sunk deep in his favor
ite chair in the study, was snoring
loudly, and as stood contemplating
him in the dusk / changed my mind,
and. retracting my steps. Joined the
two in the orchard, proclaiming my
arrival by humming popular melody.
"Has he fallen asleep asked Mrs.
Dale. turning laughing eyes upon me.
studied the piquant face ere re-
plying. Her tone and her expression
had reassufed me, If further assur-
ance were necessary, that my old
friends heart was in safe keeping,
But she was young and gay. 1t was
a case for diplomatic handling.
"India leaves it's mark on all men"
I replied lightly. but have no doubt
that the major is wideawake enough
now"
Ny words were an invitation, to
which. was glad to note, she re-
sponded readily enough.
Lets come and dig him out of that
cavern of his" she said. and, linking
her right arm in that of Wales and
her left with mine, she turned us
toward the house.
Dusk was now fallen, and lights
shone out from several windows of
Low Fennel. Suddenly an upper win
dow became illuminated and Mrs. Dale
pointed to this.
"That is my room," she said to me.
isn't it delightfully."- situated? The
view from the window is glorious"
"I consider Low Fennel charming
in every way" Ireplied.
Clearly she knew nothing Of the
places sinister reputation. 1t was a
tribute to the reticence Of the serv-
] ants that the story had spread no
further, but the broken study window
and the sadly damaged Airedale al
ready afforded matter for whispered
s~Ao<n or,ono fheno az had not ed
with displeasure.
The digging out" Of the major did
not prove to be an entire success. He
was in one Of his peculiar moods,
which I knew Of old. and rather surly,
being pointedly rude on more than
one occasion to Wales. He had some
accounts to look into, or professed
to have, and the three of us pres
emily left him alone. 1t was now
about 10 o'clock. and Aubrey Wales
made his departure, shaking me
warmly by the hand and expressing
the hope that we should sec more OF
one another. He could not foresee
that the wish was to be realized in
q curious fashion.
Mrs. Dale informed me that the
major in all probability would remain
fimmured in his study until a late
hour, which took to be an intima-
ton that she wished to retire.
therefore pleaded weariness and went
Up to my room. i opened the two
windows widely. and the heavy per-
fume OF some kind Of tobacco plant
growing In the beds below grew Al