Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-03-03
CHAPTER XIV.

was no sooner there than It
came into her mind to wonder
whether she had put away the
files which she had been working
on just before she went into the
garden. Think as she would, she
could not be sure.
She ran down again and went
quickly along the corridor to the
library The door was Unmatched.
She touched the handle. pushed 1t
little. and stood hesitating. Lady
Heritage was speaking.
It's a satisfaction to know just
where one is. Sometimes I've been
convinced she was a fool and then
again well, I've wondered. ]
wondered this afternoon in the gar
den. That man on the headland gives
me to think furiously. Who on earth
could it have been?'
II don't know"
But I don't believe she saw HIM
I don't believe she saw anything or
knew why she was frightened. She
inst got a start a shock
began to run without knowing why,
and ran herself into blind panic
She looked quite ldtotlc when was
questioning her.
ooh" thought Jane Its horrible
10 listen at doors. but what am I TO
do?"
What she did was to go on listen
ing. She heard Lady Heritage's rare
laugh.
Then this afternoon-my dear
Jeffrey, il would have convinced you
or any one. The friend-this Daphne
Todhunter-well, only fool could
have made a bosom friend of her, and.
as told you, even she had the lowest
oniuion of her adored Renata's brains"
81 don't know" said Ember again.
You say she's a fool, I say she's a
fool, her friend says she's fool, but
something, some instinct in me, pro-
tests"
"Womanly intuition said Lady
Heritage. with a mocking note.
There was silence; then:
These girls-were they alone to-
gether?"
NO. They conducted what ap-
peared to be a curiously emotional
conversation at the other end of Mrs.
Cottingham's dreadful drawing-room,
which always reminds me OF a parish
tumble sale"
Ember's voice sounded suddenly
much nearer, as If he had crossed
the room
Emotional? What do you mean?"
he said quickly. Lady Heritage
laughed again.
"Nean?'' she said Does that sort
of thing mean anything"
What sort of thing? Please, it's
important
"Oh. hand-holding, and ca fearful
embrace or two. The usual accom-
paniments of schoolgirl schwarmerei."
Jane could hear that Ember was
moving restlessly. Her own heart
was beating She knew very well
that in Ember's mind there was just
ono suppose she has told
Daphne Todhunter-
which of them cried?' said En-
Der sharply.
Il think they both did-Miss Tod
hunter most"
And you couldn't hear what they
were sayingf
Not a word
II must know VIII you send for
her and find out? It's of the first
Importance"
she may have told this girl what
we've been trying to get out or her.
/ must know. Look here, III take
book and sit down over there. She
won't notice me. Send for her and
begin about other things, then ask
her why her friend was so dis
Jane heard Ember move again and
knew that this time it was toward
the bell She turned and ran back
along the way by which she had
come Five minutes later she was
entering the library to find Lady
Heritage at her table and Ember at
the far end of the room buried In a
book.
II want the unanswered-letter fiie,'
Lady Heritage'S voice was very busi-
nesslike.
Jane brought it over and waited
while Raymond turned over the let
tiers. frowning.
ter"
You answered 1t yesterday"
so 1 did. Miss Molloy-why did
your friend cry this afternoon?
"Daphne?'
Eyes. Daphne. Why did she cry?''
"Oh, she does, you know"
But I suppose not entirely without
come cause"
"she was angry with me-" said Jane
yes? I noticed that she did not
kiss you when you went away"
NO, she's angry. You see"-Jane
hung her head-"you see, she thinks
Pm afraid she thinks that 1 didn't
treat her brother very we'll.
Her brother?'
Yes. She wanted me to be en-
gagged TO him, but he's married some
one else, so think it's rather silly OF
her to be cross with me, don't you?
IT really don't know"
Out of the tail of her eye Jane saw
Mr.. Ember nod his head just per-
ceptibiy. Lady Heritage must have
seen it too, for she pushed the letter
file over to Jane.
Put this away. No, don't want