Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-16
CHAPTER NXIV.


dogs home near Wardour street. She
listened sympathetically to his de-
scription of the place.
Il had never heard OF it, she &C
knowledged. but I am not in any
way surprised. My father spends at
least an hour of every day, when he's
down at Hatch End. amongst the
horses and every time fresh crock
is brought down. he is Is interested
as though Ii were a new toy
1T is remarkable trait in a very
remarkable character" Francis COM
mented.
Il could tell you many things. that
would surprise YOU" Margaret con-
tinued. One night. for instance.
when we were staying at the Sane
tuary, he and | were going out to
dine with some neighbors and he
heard a cat mewing in the hedge
somewhere. He stopped the car. got
out himself, found that the cat had
been caught in a trap. released 1t,
and sent me on to dinner alone whilst
he took the animal back to the vet
Urinary surgeon at the Walled House.
He was simply white with fury whilst
he was tying up the poor things leg.
J couldn't help asking him what he
would have done if he could have
found the farmer who set the trap.
He looked up at me and was almost
him. he said-and I believe he meant
1t. And. Francis, the very next day
We were motoring to London and Saw
terrible accident A motor bicy-
+clist came down a side road at full
speed and ran into a motor lorry. My
father got out of the car, helped them
lift the body from under the wheels
of the lorry and came back ahso-
lutely unmoved. Serve the silly
young fool right" was his only re-
mark. He was SO horribly callous
that I could scarcely bear to sit by
his side. Do you understand that"
1T isn't easy he admitted.
There was knock at the door.
Margaret glanced al the clock.
Surely dinner can't be served al
ready she exclaimed. Come in"
Very much to their surprise. it was
Sir Timothy himself who entered. He
was in evening dress and wearing
several orders, one of which Francis
noted with surprise. .-<
My apologies" he said. Hedges
told me that there were cocktails
here. and as l am on my way to
rather weary dinner, | thought |
might inf1ict myself upon you for
moment"
Il am shocking hostess" she de-
clared Hedges brought the things
in twenty minutes ago"
She took up the silver receptacle,
SHOOK II vigorously ana nlIeu three
glasses. Sir Timothy accepted his
and bowed to them both.
My best Wishes" he said. Really,
when one comes to think of it how
ever much il may be against my
inclinations / scarcely see how [
shall be able to withhold my consent.
] believe that you both have at heart
the flair for domesticity. This little
picture. and the thought of your tete-
a-tete dinner, almost touches me"
Margaret begged. Tell US where you
are going in all that splendor?"
Sir Timothy shrugged his shoulders.
"A month or SO ago" he explained.
Il was chosen to induct scion of
royalty into the understanding of
fighting as it is INDUCED in at the
National Sporting Club. This. l sup
pose, is my reward-an invita- ton to
something in the nature of a state
dinner. which, to tell you the truth,
] had forgotten until my secretary
pointed it out to me this afternoon.
] have grave fears OF being bored or
of misbehaving myself. / have, as
Ledsam here knows distressing
habit of truthfulness, especially to
new acquaintance. However, we
must hope for the best. Byethe-bye.
Ledsam, in case you should have for
gotten. l have spoken to Hedges
about the SO Cliquot."
shall we see you here later" Mar
garet asked. after Francis had muir
INJURED his thanks.
Hatch End" Sir Timothy replied.
There are various little matters
down there which are interesting me
just now-preparations for my party.
Au revoir. A delicious cocktail but
] am inclined to resent the Angos-
tura.'
He sauntered out. after a glance at
the clock. They heard his footsteps
BE he descended the stairs.
Tell me. what manner of a man is
your father" Francis asked i'm
pulsively.
Il am his daughter and do not
know" Margaret answered. Before
he came, l was going to speak to you
OF strange misunderstanding which
has existed between us and which has
fancy to leave 1t until later. You
will not mind?'
when you choose" Francis as
scented. Nothing will make any diff
ference. We are past the days when
fathers or even mothers count seri-
ously in the things that exist be-
tween two people like you and me,
who have felt life. Whatever your
father may be. whatever he may turn
out to be. you are the woman I love
you are the woman who is going to
be my wife"
She leaned toward him for a mo-
ment.
You have an amazing gift" she
whispered, of saying Just the thing
one loves to hear in the way that
convinces"
Dinner was served to them in the
smaller of the two dining rooms, an
exquisite meal, made more wonderful
still by the wine. which Hedges him
self dispensed with jealous care. The
presence of servants, with its re-
straining influence upon converse ton,
was not altogether unwe1come to
Francis. He and Margaret had had
versation that to discuss other than
personal subjects in this pleasant,
leisurely way had its charm. They
spoke of music. of which she knew far
more than he: of foreign travel,
where they met on common ground.
knowledge of Europe. and each was
anxious for a more individual &C
quaintance with it. She had tastes.
in books which delighted him. "a
knowledge of games which promised
a common resource. 1t was only
whilst they were talking that he
realized with shock how young she
was. how few the years that lay be-
tween her serene schooldays and the
tempestuous years of her married
life. Her schooldays in Naples were
most redoLent of delightful memories.
She broke off once or twice into the
language, and he listened with de-
light to her soft accent Finally the
time came when dessert was set upon
the table.
'T have ordered coffee up in the
little sitting room again." she said.
a little shyly- do, you mind, or
would you rather. have it here?"
II much prefer it there" he assured
her.
They sat before an. open window,
looking out upon some elm trees IN
the boughs of which town sparrows