The Holly chieftain., 1923-03-15

had attracted her friends to Eaton
was their recognition of his likeness
to themselves: but what had i'm
pressed her In seeing him with them
was his difference. Was 1t some MEM
ory of his former life that seeing
these people had recalled to him,
which had affected his manner toward
herr
Again she looked at him.
Were you sorry to leave the cIubf'
she asked.
Il was quite ready to leave" he
answered inattentively.
ut must have been pleasant to you,
though, toto be among the sort Of
people again that you-you used to
know. Miss Furden"-she mentioned
one Of the girls who had seemed most
interested In him, the sister Of the
boy whose place he had taken In the
polo practice-"is considered very
attractive person. Mr.. Eaton. have
heard It said that man-any man
not to be attracted by her must be
forearmed against her by thought-or
memory Of some other woman whom
he holds dear"
I'm afraid don't quite unden
stand"
The mechanlcalness of his answer
reassured her. Il mean, Mr.. Eaton
she forced her tone to be llght-'Miss
Furden was not as attractive to you
as she might have been, because there
mas been some other woman in your
life-whose memory-or-or the ex.
pectation Of seeing whom again-pro-
tected you"
HAS been? Oh. you mean before"
Yes, Of course" she answered has.
tily.
"No-none," he replied simply. cts
rather ungallant, Miss Santolne, but
I'm afraid wasn't thinking much
about Miss Furden.r
She felt that his denial was the
truth, for his words confirmed the im-
preston she had had Of him the night
before. She drove on-or rather let
the horse take them on-for few
moments during which neither spoke.
They had come about bend In the
road, and the great house of her ia
ther loomed ahead. A motor whizzed
past them, coming from behind. 1t
was only Avery's car on the way
home: but Harriet had jumped little
in memory of the day before, and
her companions head had turned
quickly toward the car. She looked
up at him swiftly; his lips were set
and his eyes gazed steadily ahead
after Avery, and he drew little away
from her. A catch in her breath
almost an audible gasp-surprised
her, and she fought a warm impulse
which had all but placed her hand
on his.
"Will you tell me something, Miss
SantoineY he asked suddenly.
"What?"
: Il suppose, when l was with Mr..
Avery this afternoon, that If had
attempted to escape, he and the chauf-
feur would have combined to detain
me. But on the way back here-did
you assume that when you took me
in charge you had my parole not to
try to departT'
She was silent for moment
thoughtful. 'Do you mean that Won
have been considering this afternoon
the possibilities Of escape?"
ut would be only natural for me TO
do that, would 1t not?" he parrled.
mo"
why not?"
Il don't mean that you might not try
to exceed the limits Father has set for
you; you might try that, and of course
you would be prevented. But You will
not" (she hesltated, and when she
went on she was quoting her father)
your position here"
"Why not?'
Because you tried to gain It-or-
II not exactly that, at least you had
some object In wanting to be near
Father which you have not vet gained"
She hesitated once more. not looking
at him. What 1t was that had hap.
pened during the afternoon she could
not make out; instinctively, however.
she felt that 1t had so altered Eaton's
relations with them that now he might
attempt to escape
They had reached the front of the
house, and groom sprang to take the
horse She let Eaton help her down :
as they entered the house. Avery
who had reached the house only a few
moments before them-was still In
the hall And again she was startled
in the meeting of the two men by
Avery's triumph and the swift flare
of defiance on Eaton's face.
She changed from her afternoon
dress slowly. AS she did so, she
brought swiftly In review the events
of the day. Chiefly 1t was to the polo
practice and to Eaton's dismay at
his one remarkable stroke that her
mind went. Had Donald recognized
In Eaton something more than merely
good player trying to pretend igno-
rance of the game? The thought sud.
denly checked and startled her. For
how many praof polo plovo xroro