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

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CHAPTER IV-Ailsa Lorne.
Alsa Lorne, with Mrs. Raynor and Lady
kathedine Fordham at Wuthering Grange,
was called to the telephone. She had bare
ly spoken three words into the receiver
when she gave little start, eyes and lips
were involved in radiant smile, and her
face became all red and warm with sud-
den bushes
eyes. yes, of course | recognize your
voice!" she said. "How wonderful you are!
You find out everything. l had meant to
write and tell you, but we came up SO I'M
expectedly and ''Yes, 1 am listening"
Then she stood very, very still, with ever
widening eyes, lips parted, and look OF
great seriousness steadily settling down
over her paling countenance.
She had said that she would be absent for
but minute or two; it was five or six, how
ever before she came back, to find Lady
Katherine and Mrs. Raynor just as she had
left them.
at was dear old misunderstanding
rosiiy-''a Mr.. Philip BaIch, whom / first
met through my uncle, Sir Horace Wyvern;;
Mr.. Barch has asked if he may be permitted
to call this morning, and 1 have taken the
liberty Of saying that he may
''Take further one, dear, and ask him to
stop to luncheon when he comes" said Mrs
Raynor.
Miss Lorne's only response was another
blush and an immediate return to the side
of the slim, dark girl standing in the recess
of the window.
'Kathie, you are positively lazy" she
said. "Let us go out"
Reluctantly Lady Katherine let herself
be piloted through the open French win
dows and out into the grounds.
81 should think Godfrey would be here"
said Ailsa with swift glance at her com
panion's pale face. "He must have heard
the news by this time"
wave of scarlet surged into Lady hath-
arine's face.
ooh, if only he would" she muttered. 81
am so tired"
81 dare say, DEAR" said Ailsa sympa-,
thetically. "You did not sleep we'll, dar-
ling, did you?"
eyes, but 1 did-that's just the strange
thing" said Lady Katharine quickly. what
made you think not, Ailsa?"
"Well, for one thing, I thought heard
your door open and shut in the night. L
came within an ace of getting up to see
whether you were ill, but fell asleep again
myself"
Her companion looked puzzled. at must
have been a mistake on your part, Allsa:
fell asleep almost directly my head touched
the pillow, and slept like log until morn
ing. But don't lets talk about last night"
She turned impulsively to Ailsa, her voice
thrilling with emotion. ''It's no use" she
said. 1 simply can't feel sorry over it. !
know ought. Death is always horrible, and
such death!" she huddered involuntarily.
But you don't know what release it is to
me. If this had not happened, I think
should have died"
1t was some twenty minutes later that's
taxicab halted at the lodge gates.
Ailsa, with a face like a rose, went to
meet the newcomer and was greeting him
as a woman greets but one man ever. OF
course, it was Cleek.
''Let me thank you," he said, ''for adher-
ing SO closely to all that asked over the
telephone. didn't mean to at first. My
original idea was to come here unknown to
all, even to you; but when 1 came to think
over it, it seemed so disloya1, SO under
handed, as if l didn't trust you in all things