Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-12
Must
the
Woman
AlUays
Payf

them In her lap. She knew suddenly
acute fear. That in itself did not sur.
prise her.. She had foreseen the possi-
biIity of fear .when she had read "In
re Camden and Jarroman' on Thced's
card But this panic was different; IL
was born Of her Misunderstanding.
Why was Jarroman's blow aimed also
at her? She had incurred his con.
tempt. she knew. but his attitude to.
ward her had been clear. "Welcome
Nadia as your daughter in law and the
past shall be buried forever" SO the
tacit understanding had run. She had
bartercd her consent .for his silence
She disliked Jarroman thoroughly, but
she had believed him capable Of straight
dealing.
Conjectures whirled up and retrcatcd
again. She must play for time.
do I understand. this is where you
do me q favor, Mr.. Thced?"
Theed looked profoundly hurt.
ALAS, dear Lady Gloucester. I am as
helpless in the matter as yourself--that
Ia to- say he added, that neither you
nor can do anything to avert n terri
bic catastrophe-I might almost say O
national disaster, when one considers
that the career Of SO enterprising a
young politician is inextricably involved
In the scandal. can do nothing with
out. your hclp--and possibly little with
| it,
The wry thought flashed TO Lady
Doucestcr's mind--"If Theed had run
,,,traisht he might have had "A, career"
Then again the tumult Of her mind
surged around her memories of Jarro.
man. She had thought him heavy.
rather brutal. unimaginative now. in
the light Of Theed's revelation. he be.
came mass of contradictions. For in.
stance. he showered luxuries upon
girl he appeared to love and respect
now he threatened that girl with most
drastic penalties for an innocent i'm.
posture.
She caught at the solicitors last in
SinuatiOn.
MY hclp:"' she echoed.
~ am in moral quandary." Thecd's
voice was almost t"emulous. "Jarro.
man gave me his instructions in the heat
OF the moment. The poor fellow was
then stricken-he is helpless as an in.
articulate babe. Lady Gloucester. He
mas no chance to revise or modify what
might well have been hasty decision.
IL am torn between my duty as
solicitor of literal obedience to nv client
and my wider duty as a humane man.
| am thinking less of Mrs. Stranack
than of .Ia"roman himself. Is it fair
to him--is At right. that 1 should pre-
ripitate this terrible scandal. with all
IT'S attendant misery. when at this mo.
mpnt his dearest wish may be TO rescind
his own orders? He may die before
ever he RECEIVERS the power of speech.
| cannot bear to think he would die
IN the act Of causing pain to others. !
AS yet" he added slowly. just a.
Lady Doucester's endurance was giving
way. ITO the best Of .niy belief no ont
cut myself and you know the true state
If Affairs
Lady Gloucester leaned carefully back
~ her chair and her eyes searched ,
Theed's with intensity. She measured
her words.
'Is it necessary that any ono else
should know the true state Of affairs?"
Suppressing the Facts
Strange that you should say that. !
dear Lady DouccStpr.' said Thced. !
For that idea had occurred to me"
Their gaze still held.
II suppose there are practical diff
'ulties in the way of complete sup. !
preston of the facts. But-----''
There are many most practical diff /,
r.ulties In the way said Theed. There /,
is. for instance. the question Of Jarro- !
mans real daughter. She Is Il girl in |
II humble state of life. and | am bound !,
TO say it could not be in her own best !
interests for her to come to sudden .
wealth. Comfort--yes. The provision .
Of every necessary and n few pleasure. /
by all means. But riches-twenty ,
thousand year. Believe me. dca, ,
Lady Gloucester. it would be nothing !
but a curse to the young woman. If
were given a free hand | would make
u gradual and mutually equitable ad-
iustment-by which no one would suf.
fer.
"lf poor .Iarroman were to recover,
| feel sure that he would say we had
done the best possible thing. that we
had carried out what he would really
have wished had hc-----''
what about my daughter in law:
She can t be bought off like this Jarro.
lOdT'
II fear so. | much fear so. Ana
here is no knowing how 1t may affect
her. | am privileged to have known
her from infancy, Lady Gloucester, and
| can assure you that she is a spirited.
independent young lady. 1t is most pos.
sible that she might upset our plans by
positively cOurting publicity"
Nonsense - said Lady Doucester
lnickly. THAT would injurc her hus-
band"
"rruc. You and ! know that. LADY
Gloucester. But will Mrs. Stranack
recognize it: For myself. | am by no
means confident of my powers to per- =
suade her."
II see." said Lady Douccster grimly.
You want me to tell her,
II thank You thousand times for
said Theed. I'm the in
terests Of your son, In the interests of
Mrs. Stranack herself, above all. in the
interests Of poor Jarroman-'
You might as well say in the inter-
nsts of myself interrupted Lady Dou-
ester, for we both know that Is what
you mean
At 10 o'clock the mex, morning Lady
Doucester passed on to the departure
platform of the Great Southern railway
terminus. She was peculiarly long
sighted, and the figure Of Thecd, wait.
ing beside the open door of compart-
ment, leaped instantly to her view She
drew herself even more erect and ad-
vanced to meet him.
BY the time Thced had greeted her.
Installed her in a corner, placed himself
opposite her. and made every ncccssar.
and unnecessary arrangement for their
Joint comfort. the train had begun to
glide from the platform.
ment of the window Lady Gloucester
leaned back in her corner and closed
her eyes.
Her life had been a full one. In a
sense even an adventurous one. and on
the whole the adventures had been
worth while.
Her mpthO,ls wprp entirrly hcr own