Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-04-06
CHAPTER XVI
MThev Must Be roId."

Mr.. Lambe's serious eyes 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 Torque-
mada's court.
you are Mr.. William SpencerY'
said Alexander icily.
"That's so. You don't know me?
guessed you wouldn't. But l remem-
Der you very well, though l never O
nected your nan till now" said Billy
calmly. you were chaplain to the
Tenth Rutlands, in 1918. Came from
China to join 'em, l heard"
Mr.. Lambe was silent.
at was a sub in the N~inety-seventh
Of the line, lying next the British
Seventeen division at Arras," added
Billy. 81 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..
s Lambe impatiently. "We are not deal
ing with the war. 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, land a parson. 1 guess
I'll take lying down, from you, my
thing you choose to say or do. OF
course 1 realize it, and it's why Pm
here. I've been a fool. I didn't seem
to know. But 1 ought to have known"
He sighed.
Things are so different, where i
belong. An they were different in
France-mighty different. But that's
no excuse. l wish I'd broken my neck
before l did such a fool thing. And
here we are in the soup. 1 don't mat
ter. And you don't matter either,
parson. All that matters is Miss
Scroope. Get meT
"Come here" said Alexander.
He took Billy by the arm, led him
10 the window, and turned hin 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, Il will see 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-
deHness through the window. AleXan-
der came slowly up to Aimee.
THAT young man." he said, "has the
}cart of a child. 1t is a good thing
to have. And rare, at his age. That
Gees not alter the fact that your stu
aticl is dangerous, and even terrible.
Ny decision is final" he said earnestly.
There is but one thing to do. The
Rain, honest course. Aunt Erythea
rr1gt be told Immediately. Then you
VIII be safe"
"And l 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. My father. He
doesn't belong to our time. He'll con-
slider only one thing-that his daugh-
ter has been disgraced before all the
county. Her name a by-word among
the rabble. That's how he'll take it.
Il viii simply De Dads finish"
Aimee shifted miserably.
ST never thought about it. But
George told me what it would mean
10 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.
"It is some years since l have seen
your father. But I knew him very
well. And 1 believe you are right.
This would be a heavy blow to him.
Butt has got to be faced
"And I viii not let Dad face i'll"
said Aimee holly. 81 don't care, for
myself. But I'm not going TO have
him made Imiserable-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 overcome!"