San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-25
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she stepped into taxicab and was
driven away before he could gain
the pavement. He would have fol-
lowed in another if there had been
one available, for it was obvious to
his mind that her purpose in visit
ing Southampton was to get in
touch with Humphrey at the first
possible moment. She was gone
before he could hail a cab and, dis
consolately, he turned back to the
dock in the faint hope that Hum
phrey might have left some word
with the purser-some address to
which a delayed letter or telegram
might be forwarded.
Meanwhile, Lady Pinter hurried
in pursuit of John Humphrey;
woman's intuition is probably
keener than a mans. When she
learned to her satisfaction that he
had not Joined the train for Lon.
don, she hurried from the dock and
told the taxicab driver to take her
to the Atlantic Hotel. She knew
that many business men, crossing
from New York, preferred to have
their urgent correspondence sent
to the hotel so that they might at
tend to it at once. (There was
generally a delay in sorting when
it was sent direct to the Ship
And Lady Pinter was right IN
her surmises. John Humphrey had
gone direct to the Atlantic Hotel
to receive replies to the wireless
messages which he had sent during
the VOYAGE to business associates
in town. He had engaged pri-
vate sitting room and was going
through his correspondence when
the waiter brought word of her ar
rival and desire to see him without
delay. :,
An awful fear that the carefully
guarded truth about his business
affairs had reached and disturbed
Tina urged him to say: I'll see
her ladyship at once"
She came in with the cheerful
ness of a wet wind. Her cheeks
were damp with tears; her voice
broke when she addressed him.
"Heaven help you to bear your
misfortune" she said. There she
paused to marvel at the change in
the man; for John Humphrey had
altered remarkably since last she
saw him. The eyes held an ex-
preston of utter WEAKNESS; he
might not have slept for weeks.
as Tina ill.," he asked in the
voice of one who has become i'm
pervious to further blows.
all health? No, | don't think
So" said Lady Pinter, accepting
the chair he offered and giving
way to a prodigality of signs.
He sat on a chair at the other
side of the Uttered table.
"Have you come from her, Lady
Pinter?" he asked. ''Is it at her
request that you come to meet
me?"
"She would be thrown into a
panic if she knew that l were
here" said Lady Pinter. Again
she sighed, adding to the effect by
dabbing her eyes with a handker-
chief. "John Humphrey" she
went on with the right note of
drama, care you strong enough to
bear heavy blow? l have come
from town to prepare you for it.
/ do not forget that when you al
lowed Tina to come to Portugal
you looked to me to safeguard her
morally"
1t was disconcerting to her lady
ship that Humphrey didn't leap to
his feet and cry out in anguish.
All that he did was to lean back in
his chair and scrutinize her fea-
lures; all that he said was:
"No, you're taking too much on
yourself, Lady Pinter. l looked to
my wife to take care of herself.
Well?"
eve have been deceived" said
Lady Pinter. "This friendship for
Emsley Charlton"
80! Charlton is behind your
agitation, Lady Pinter?"
"This friendship was mask for
something more sinister"
Where is my wife,"
We left her in Lisbon"
with Charlton?"
mo, indeed. He returned after
the cruel deception of his wife had
been discovered"
"Wife?" said Humphrey, pass
ing hand over his eyes, 81 wasn't
aware that he had wife. Per-
haps, I'd forgotten. Had so
many things to occupy my mind of
late" His voice was thin, tired,
unnatural. eyes, Lady Pinter?"
"His wife suspected where we
trusted implicitly, and followed
our little party to Lisbon"
REALLY! What for?"
He might have been listening to
smoking-room bore.
"She suspected them"
"How foolish of her! Tina has
only contempt for the fellow"
"You thought so, John Hum
phrey! So did l. But l was
speedily undeceived when we got
to Lisbon"
"Reallyp
Confound the man! He was still