Evening star., 1925-03-01
CONTINUED from Yesterdays starr


the sudden dazzling heat of mid
April. In the walled garden the
south border was full of violet
scented yellow tulips, each looking at
this new hot sun with a jet-black
eye. A sheet of forget-me-nots re-
peated the sheer blue of the sky.
Jane picked an armful of tulips and
sheaf of leopard's bane. Strictly
speaking, she should then have gone
In to put the flowers in water for the
adornment of the yellow drawing
room. Instead, she made her way to
the farthest corner of the garden
and asked
At first she looked at the flowers.
but after while her eyelids fell.
Jane mas never admitted that she
went to sleep, but If she was think
ing with her eyes shut, her thoughts
must have been of an extremely en-
crossing nature, for ii is certain
that she heard neither the opening
nor the shutting of door In the
wall beside her. She did feel a shad-
ow pass between herself and the sun,
and opening her eyes quickly she
saw standing beside her the very
man from whom she had fed in ter
ror yesterday.
The sunlight fell full upon him,
showing the shabby clothes, the tall
stopping figure. the grizzled beard,
and that dihguring scar.
With great start Jane attempted
to rise, only to discover that a wheel
barrow may make a very comforta
BILE chair, but that it is uncommonly
difficult TO get out of in a hurry. To
her horror the man, George Patter-
son, took her firmly by the wrist and
pulled her to her feet. She shrank
intensely from his touch. received an
impression of unusual strength, and
then, to her overwhelming surprise,
she heard him say in a low, we'll
bred voice, II have a letter for you,
Miss Smith"
''Oh, hush" said Jane-"oh, please,
hush"
"All right, / won't do it again. Look
here, 1 want TO say a few words to
you, but we had better not be seen
together. Here's your letter. Stay
where you are for five minutes, and
then come down to the pottingshed.
Don't come-in; stay by the door and
tie your shoe-lace."
He went off with his dragging step,
and left Jane dumb. There was
folded note in her hand, and in her
mind so intense shock of surprise
as to rob her very thoughts of eX
preston.
After what seemed like a long
paralyzed month, she opened the note
which bore no address, and read, pen
cilled in Henry's clear and very orna-
mental hand, The bearer is trust
worthy-H. l.. NJ"
When she had looked so long at
Henry's initials that they had blur
red and cleared again, not once but
many times, she walked mechanical
ly down the path until she came TO
the shed. Beside it was barrel full
of rain water. Into this she dipped
Henrys note. made sure that the
words were totally illegible, poked
a hole in the border, and covered the
Sodden paper with earth. Then at
the potting-shed door she kneIt and
became occupied with her shoe-lace.
Henry saw me after he saw you"
said George Patterson's voice. He
thought II might be a comfort to
you to know there is a friend on the
spot; but I'm afraid l gave you
fright yesterday"
You did" said Jane, but l don't
know why. I was a perfect fool, and
I ran right into Mr.. Ember's arms"
Did you tell him what frightened
you?" said Patterson quickly.
mo, 1 wasn't quite such a fool as
that. Please, who are your
MY name here is George Patter-
son. I'm friend of Henry's If you
want me, I'm here"
IF 1 want you" said Jane, how
am to get at you?"
Mr.. Patterson considered.
There's a wide sill inside your
window" (And how on earth do you
know that? thought Jane.) IF you
put a big jar of, say. those yellow
tulips there, I'll know you want to
speak to me, and FL come here to
this potting shed as soon as l can.
You know they keep US pretty busy
with roll calls and things of that
sort. 1 only got back yesterday by
the skin of my teeth had to bolt"
Did you-you didn't pass me-"
mo, didn't pass you" There was
just a trace of amusement in Mr..
PatterSon's voice.
Jane pulled her shoe-lace undone,
and began to tie 1t all over again
Hush T. she said very quickly and
low Some one is coming"
Just where the path ended, not
half a dozen yards away, the red
brick wall was pierced by a door.
Two round, Scotch rose-bushes, all
tiny green leaf and sharp brown
prickle, grew like large pin-cushions
on either side of the interrupted bor-
der. Bright pink nectarine buds
shone against the brick like coral
studs The ash colored door, rough
ly, and into the garden came Ray
mond Heritage, pushing the door
with one hand and holding a basket
of bulbs in the other. She was look
ing back over her shoulder, at some
thing or some one beside her.
From inside the potting shed came
Patterson's. voice-just breath:
"Who?'
Lady Heritage"
r. 1o1y MN
ing away. She reached the door just
as Raymond closed it and, turning,
saw her
"Oh, Miss Molloy-I was really
looking for you. Is Garstin any
where about"
II haven't seen him." murmured
Jane, as if the absent gardener might
be blooming unnoticed in one or the
borders.
He's not in the potting-shed? I'll
Just look in and see. I want TO stand
over him and see that he puts these
black irises where I want them to
go. They come from Palestine and
the last lot failed entirely because
he was SO obstinate. III get troWel
and mark the place | think she
moved forward as she spoke, and
Jane, horror-struck, stammered:
Let me look It's so dusty in
there"
She was back at the door of the
shed, but Lady Heritage was beside
her. 81 want a trowel, too" she said,
and Jane felt herself gently pushed
over the threshold.
They were both just inside the
door. It seemed dark after the strong
light outside There was row of
windows along one side, and a broad
deal shelf under them. There were
piles and piles of pots and boxes.
There were hanks of bass and rows
of tools There were water cans.