The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-23

find me either at the stables or in the pater's
blessed rum
The place which he spoke of as "the
pater's ruin," was little fad of the gen.
erals.
Ancient ruins had always been a pas
sion with him, but as you can't have ancient
ruins in modern Wimbledon the general had
had a ruin built for himself, modelling it
after the crumbling remains of an old Scot
fish castle.
Lady Katharine lowered near Cleek, doing
all in her power to ease his suffering, and
this naturally brought Godfrey to the
little group surrounding him, and enabled
him to study his attitude at close quarters.
The more he saw of Sir Philip Clavering's
son and heir the better he liked him; but,
although the young man occasionally turned
an adoring look upon Lady Katharine, and
appeared to be doing his best to share her
evident high spirits, it was apparent that
his attitude was for the most part assumed.
He made no attempt to get away from the
others and have the lady of his heart all to
himself, and whenever he and she were for
a moment separated from Mrs. Raynor and
Ailsa Lorne, he was nervous and distressed.
Then suddenly, as if struck with sudden
thought he whipped out notebook and
began shuffling the pages nervously
through his fingers.
"Pd nearly forgotten, Kathie," he said
alphabetically; "my mother asked me if you
would lend her these books" He handed
her a torn leaf with something scribbled
upon it.
But" she commenced.
81 don't want them now; in fact, can't
stop even now; just wanted to know that
you were all right
softly, a-erting her head, while her lips
trembled, and her hand clntched painfully
on the leaf Of the notebook.
I'm afraid l must, dear"
mi@.e or two later, young Clavering
having taken his departure, Cleek was re-
joined by Ailsa Lorne.
''What do you think about it," she asked
abruptly. "What is it that is wrong? On,
Mr.. Cleek, do you think"
"I'll be beyond thinking, before the morn
ing l shall know" he interposed. Now,
point out the way to that ruin, please. Down
that path, is it? Thanks, very much"
A brisk two-nlinute walk brought him to
the picturesque ruin with its ivy-wrapped
walls, its gaping Gothic windows, and its
fern-bedded battlements.
He faced round suddenly to see young
Raynor moving quickly toward him.
81 say, Barch,'' he sang out, I'm afraid
we shall have to give up our little lark for
this evening, after all. I've just got mes
sage that will call me towel, somewhere
else; and I've got to go at once, but If you
don't mind prolonging your stay and max
ing it two nights instead of one"
'.Not in the least. Delighted, old chap"
"Oh, well, then, that's all right. Have
our night out tomorrow instead-eh, what?
Look here, Barch, blest if / don't like you
immensely. Let you into the secret. It'll
be with Pink Gauze.
'Pink Gauze? Don't mean the little
Frenchy, do you-the little beauty of the
"The very identical. Be good boy,
Barehie, and I'll take you to see her to-
morrow night. What do you think-eh'
va" And with wave of the hand he was
gone.
Cleek walked on into the ruin. The
general had done the thing web. Half
defaced armorial bearings, iron-studded
doors, winding staircases; even donJon
keep. The sight of 1::usted iron ring; IN
the floor tempted Cleek to pull up and lay
back slab of stone that appeared centuries
DID, and to expose stone steps leading down.
ward. t.I!t
Well, he had time to spare; he'd go down
and have a look. And, leaving the stone
trap-door open, he went down the black
Al Oh dnpfh hollow flick