The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-14
CHAPTER XVI
"They Must Be Told.v

MT. serious eye had be-
come hard and penetrating as a pair
of crystal lenses. They gave the i'm
preston of piercing the exterior of the
man before him, and reading his mind.
Alexander looked, at that moment.
rather like an inquisitor of Tongue
mada's court.
you are Mr.. William Spencer?'
said Alexander Jelly.
THAT'S so. You don't know me? |
guessed you wouldn't. But / remem-
Der you very well, though l never con-
nected your name till now" said Billy
calmly. you were chaplain to the
Tenth Rutlands, in 1918. Came from
China to join EN-, l heard
Mr.. Lambe was silent.
81 was a sub in the Ninety-seyenth
of the line, lying mex the British
Seventeen division at Arras," added
Billy. II remember you because you
brought In six wounded who got left.
after the raid on the pillboxes. Two
of them were ours. You got the mill
tary brass"
Aimee stared at Alexander in blank
amazement.
"That will do" interrupted Mr..
Lambe impatlently. "We are not deal
ing with the a Do you realize he
said in his grimmest tone, "the posi-
ton in which you have placed this
lady?"
Billy looked straight at him.
"You are Miss Scroope's cousin" he
said quietly, "and a parson. l guess
I'll take lying down, from you, any,
thing you choose tt say or do. OF
course / realize It, and It's why I'm
here. I've been a foof. l don't seem
to know. But I ought to have known"
He sighed.
"Things are so different, where /
belong. An they were different in
France-mighty different. But that's
no excuse. 1 wish I'd broken my neck
before l did such a fool thing. And
here we are in the soup. / don't mat
ter. And you don't matter either,
parson. All that matters is Miss
Scroope. Get me?'
1Ollt Ieit, SdlQ ai6AdIuPT-
He took Billy by the arm, led him
to the window, and turned him so that
the sun shone full on his face. Mr..
Lambe looked at Billy for some mo-
ments in silence, with a peculiar in
tentness.
"Mr. Spencer said Alexander, re
leasing him, II will e you presently.
I shall have something to say to you.
For the moment, leave me with my
cousin. Amigo quickly"
Billy nodded. He turned to Aimee
with a smile.
Don't you worry" he said quietly,
"the padres white"
Billy disappeared with extreme sud
denness through the window. Alexan-
der came slowly up to Aimee.
THAT young. man." he said, has the
heart of a child. 1t is a good thing
to have. And rare, at his age. That
does not alter the fact that your stu
alton is dangerous, and eTen terrible.
My decision is fnal," he said earnestly.
''There is but n thing to do. The
plain, honest course. Aunt Erythea
must be told Immediately. Then you
will be SAFE
"And I repeat it's impossible" re-
turned Aimee quickly. Cant you see?
You understand. And George under
stands. But there is one who will
never understand. Ny father. He
doesn't belong to Il time. He'll con-
slider only n thing-that his daugh-
ter has been disgraced before al the
county. Her name a by-word among
the rabble. That's how he'll take it.
It will simply be Dads finish"
Aimee. shifted miserably.
81 never thought about it. But
George told me what it would mean
to my father. And she's right. You
don't know Dad"
Alexander had turned rather white.
He walked to the door and back, in
some agitation.
at is some years since l have seen
your father. But l knew him very
well. And l believe you are right.
This would be a heavy blow to him.
Butt has got to be faced
"And will not let Dad face it"
said Aimee holly. 81 don't care, for
myself. But I'm not going to have
him made miserable-for all the par
sons in the country"
"You have no choice. You do not
suppose for a moment this thing can
be concealed and overcomei'
Aimee turned TO him with supreme
confidence.
"of course l DO. Billy will see it
through ~ she said triumphantly.
Alexander gasped.
81 cannon countenance deceit. The
whole thing is known to me-my po-
sition is impossible" he said. Il
should be abetting a lie"
''There's no need for you to do any
thing at all. Nobody wanted you to
butt in, Alexander. The secret is