, 1924-04-09
BY
E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
copyrish, BY Little, Brown and como.nv

went round to the garage for his car.
The butler met him as he drove up be-
fore the porch.
"Sir Timothy begs you to excuse
him this morning. SIR" he announced.
His secretary has arrived from town
with a very large correspondence,
which they are now engaged upon"
And. Mrs. Hilditch?" Francis ven-
tured.
II have not seen her maid This
morning, SIR" the man replied. "but
Mrs. Hilditch never rises before mid
day. Sir Timothy hopes that you slept
well, sir, and would like you to sign
the visitors book"
Francis signed his name mechan-
ically, and was turning away when
Lady Cynthia called to him from the
stairs. She was dressed for travelling
and followed by a maid. carrying her
dressing-case.
"Will you take me up to town, MIR.
Ledsam?" she asked.
Delighted" he answered.
Their dressing-cases were strapped
together behind n Lady Cynthia
sank into the cushions by his side.
They drove away from the house,
Francis with a backward glance of re-
gret. The striped sun-blinds had been
lowered over all the windows. thrushes
and blackbirds were twittering on the
lawn, the air was sweet with the
perfume Of flowers, a boatman was
busy with the boats. Out beyond,
through the trees, the river wound Its
placid way.
quite "A little paradise" Lady Gym
thia murmured.
"Delightful," her companion assent
ed. 81 suppose great wealth has it's
obligations, but why any human being
should rear such n structure as what
he calls his Borghese villa, when he
has a charming place like that to live
In, | can't imagine"
Her silence was significant, almost
purposeful. She unwound the veil
from her motoring turban. took 1t off
altogether and attached it to the cush-
ions Of the car with a hatpin.
There" she said, leaning back. "you
can now gaze upon a horrible ex-
ample to the young women of today.
You can see the ravages which late
hours, innumerable cocktails, a thirst
for excitement, a contempt of the sim
pie pleasures of life, have worked
upon my nee comely features. l was
quite good-looking, you know, in the
days you first knew me-"
You were the most beautiful debu-
tante OF your season." he agreed
what do you think of me now?'
she asked.
She met his gaze without finching.
Her face was unnaturally thin. with
~disfiguring hollOws underneath her
cheekbOnes: her lips lacked color;
even her eyes were lusterless. Her
hair seemed to lack brllliancy. Only
her silken eyebrows remained unim-
paired. and a certain charm of express
sion which nothing seemed able to de-
stroy.
"You look tired" he said.
B honest, my lear man." she re-
Joined dryly. ~ am a physical wreck,
dependent upon cosmetics for the looks
which I am still clever enough to
palm of IN the uninitiated."
"Why don't you lead "A %quieter life?"
he asked. "A month or so In the coun-
try would put you all right. If you
were my sister. I'd take you away for
a fortnight and put you on the road to
being cured"
Then l wish / were your sister,"
she sighed.
Don't think Tn unsympathetic," he
went on, because I'm not. Ii Is Just
you people who are cursed with n
restless brain who are in the most
dangerous position, nowadays. The
things which keep us healthy and nor
NAL physically-games, f%arces. dinner
parties of young people, fresh air and
exercise-are the very things which
after a time fail to satisfy the perso:.
with Imagination. You want more out
OF life, always the something you don't
understand, the something beyond.
And so you keep on trying new things,
and for every new thing you try. you
drop an old one. Isn't 1t something
like that7"
II suppose It Is" she admitted
YEARLY.
II could point put the promised land.
hut how could ! lead you to it7" he
answered.
You don't like me well enough"
she sighed.
II like you better than you believe"
he answered her. slackenlng his speed
a little. 1--WE have met, ] suppose, n
dozen times in u lives. have
danced with you here and there. talked
nonsense once. | remember. ut a musi-
cal reception"
II tried to ilirt with you them" she
interrupted.
He nodded.
II was In the midst of n great case.'
he said. 'and everything that hap
pened to me outside II was swept out
of my mind dny by dnY. Whnt l Mns