Evening star., 1926-05-20
The Lam of the Talon
Aee y 3
"A'eHt OMea

read she went to- his private suite and
knocletM sofrly on the door.
Why's there" came surprised
query.
It. EHeen." she answered.
Comes in. What is the
matter"
It was. .well understood by every
member ~ the household that when
the Laird ~ Inverlochtie retreated 10
his den hs' was not to he disturbed
without ur;usnt cause. So she hega n
by apolosi1 ing for the intrusion
''Mv dear girl" said he. ''H0a are
always welcome. But has anything
gone wrong | thought YOU would
be in bed an hour ago.
Il, is no, rery la!s, Uncle Hector,
she said II have come to ask a
favor. You lizard from John inns
evening. So die alstair. He showed
me his letter. VIII yea lei me see
yours
"IIow do YOU know received any
letter.
brought them.
Lord Oman was seated in com
Portable chair with a. reading lamp on
~ table close TO his shoulder. Eileen
perched herself on cEe opposite arm
OF the chair. For d lttle while each
looked at the other stea dily. The man
was troubled the Woulan quietly in
sistent. A minor duel was fought be
tween them then amt there. Evi
IDENTIFY no display of weakness would
he fort booming or eitfNer side
why do YOU persist i'm mixing
Yourself up in a family suuabble
which does not concern ,yon greatly
said Lord Ohan at last, II think
sense YOUR tempera mend well enough
ia believe that vou ares not pafticn-
larlv disturbed by the fatt that while
John lives .AliStair cannV succeed to
the title and estates. .tt.any rate, he
cannot assume the title. AS Tor IN
verlochtie. once my unhappy son Sc
cures his aupt's money | shall IN
struet my legal representatives 10
approach him with a view toward the
breaking of the entail He cannot
nnssihly wish rc live here In the fu-
ture. Where he is concerned II
should he a mere matter of compen-
Sation.
rs that what John wrote about
No. am teIlinG ycu my plans.
not his
DO YOU refuse, my request"
~ do not wish to pain YOU.
"E,vervbodv seems very anxious
now to spare me the slightest form of
SUFFERING. NO SuCHt 'uHSIuSfdCiou "4S
shown when | was1coarced into mar
rytng Alistar."
Pardon me-.
Lord Oban felt he.must stand mp.
He literally could no, endure the girls
candid ewes staring into his AT Such
close quarters. But fw gained no ad-
vantage bv this ruse. Eileen rose.
too. and faced him sguareN.
You have taken me at II disadvan-
tase." he went or rather angrilN. II
have not given this difficulty. for it
Is one SUFFICIENT thought. ~ this
moment I think il best to decide not
to produce any letter.
Very we'll" said Eileen. My only
alternative is to communicate with
John on my own account. He seems
to have forgotten my existence. hut
he can hardly decline TO answer il
write.
But what do vou want to know!
THE truth. whatever il may be.
You. and my father, and Alistair. of
course. have conspired 10 keep it from
me | refuse to he cajoled any longer.
But that is my affair. much more
than Yours I came here tonight he
cause ! have always regarded you as
An eminently straightforward man.
If. for reasons which seem good to
YOU, the conspiracy must so. on, I
have nothing more to say. Good
night, uncle
She made for the door. Oba n threw
out his hands in gesture of help
lessness. ABB 81
How could foresee this wretched
in,passe?" he cried. How could any
of us-after seven years-when the