Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-04-13


cOntrived to chase heaviness away.
His merry, infectious laugh and
quick sallies uplifted the spirits of
the others. He made a deeper i'm
preston than ever on Diana Lambe,
and with the usual p~erversity that
seized her when in mixed company,
she felt it due to herself to become
the more openly hostile.
Il do not understand how you can
defend the spirit Of the age" she said
coldly, in answer to a sally that made
even Alexander smile. "The days Of
chivalry are dead. What omance can
one attach to the modern young man?
But in the days of heraldry, when
men were splendid in helm and gor-
get and camail-ah, then" she ex-
claimed, with a rare touch Of enthu-
siasm, romance flourished indeed"
Talking Of mall" said Lady Fry
thea b%landly, "the ghost always APP
pears in a complete suit of it, though
his coming is noiseless as a breath of
mist. 1 regret to tell you, Vicomte,
that he came to a bad end through a
romantic passion"
"Why regret?" protested Bertrand.
II will wage twas worth It,"
Because he was reputed-or disre-
puted-to be an ancestor of yours a
De Jussac taken as hostage by Sir
Piers Lambe-after a most gallant re
sistance," said Lady Erythea smiling.
"While here he engaged the affections
of a daughter of the house, and being
discovered, was permitted to don his
armor and debate the matter with
Sir Piers. His end was-tragic."
mo end can be wholly tragic, If
reached by the path of a great pas
sion. To every rose it's thorn. l ap-
pIaud himI" Bertrand raised his
glass. ITO you, nameless ancestorI"
He replaced the glass appreciatively,
AMI Mr.. Tarbeaux reflled it. Touch
ing this ancestor, Lady Diana"
But his hostess had given the sig
nal, the ladies rose, and the two men
were left alone-a custom that still
fingered at %Jervaulx. De Jussac did
not find Mr.. Lambe a very exhila-
rating companion, but Alexander,
though drinking only water, kept him
at the table an unconscionable time.
When eventually they reached the
drawing room Alexander departed at
once to his library, and Bertrand
found that Diana had retired.
II must apologize for my niece, Vi
coE1te, but she has gone to her room;
to achieve the proper psychic attitude,
or whatever she calls it, for her in
quiries as to this absurd ghost" said
Lady Erythea. "She can, of course,
do nothing tonight. And as it is late,
and you will not wish to sit up talk
ing to an old woman
"Most spirituelle of hostesses," pro
tested the Vicomte, 81 should like to
sit and talk to you all night, If you
wiz allow me-"
Diana put her head inside the door.
81 told you, Aunt" she said, that
my stupid maid lost herself at the
terminus, and l cannot retire unat-
tended. May l have yours?'
my own i~ncumbrance has been
away for two days." said her aunt,
but we have a parlor maid who really
attends to ones hair very soothingly;
size did mine last night" Lady Fry
thea pressed the bell.
The butler appeared. "Tarbeaux.
you will tell Shocks to attend Lady
Diana in her room"
"Very good, m lady"
hfr. Tarbeaux found Aimee on her
way upstairs to bed, and gave her
tie order. Aimee was astonished,
and secretly panic-stricken.
'tTnis has absolutely finished ity"
40 ~"Ho~tod ST might as well holr
at once" Suddenly she came to a
resolution. "But-Td better go. I
shall run against her one or later.
And anyhow she'll be alone. Dis
such a fool she may not know me-"
Aimee reached the bedchamber,
where Lady Diana had just arrived.
She scarcely glanced at the parlor
maid, and DOMINIC a light wrap, seat
ed herself before the mirror.
''Take down my hair" she said
CURLY, "and If your fingers are cold,
warm them first at the fire. l abhor
being touched by cold fingers"
Aimee's fingers itched to warm
themselves by a totally different
method. But she held them to the
fire, and then set about her task. She
had hardly commenced when Diana's
pale blue eyes, catching sight Of her
MHTNN,