Evening star., 1926-05-16

Eileen sped back into the still empty
dtaWinG room. ran down the magniti-
cent oak staircase which formed one
of the treasures of InVerlOchtle, and
opened the door before the postmaster
could touch the bell. And he actually
carried lettersa dozen or more.
"Why. what has happened, Don
ald?" she cried. "A mail at half
past -"
"Ay, ma leddie," said the old man,
smiling at the girl whom he had
known during all the years of her life.
Its no an ordinary deleevery. We ken.
An engine bruk doom yon side o Fort
Weelliam. an there wass a delay o
five hours SO a bit ladde on a bicycle
KEN peltin wi special bag frae Nal
laig, an All thocht the folk up here
Wad like to hae their correspondence
the nicht."
It's very. very good of you. Don
aid Don't go yet. III r.nG, and the
butler will entertain you for a while.
"Weel. Ahll no be st.vin' it's not a
har-r-d pu' agin the collar up til In
verlochtie. But Ah'm thenkin' some q
they letters may he important.
Eileen was already anxious enough
to glance through the packet: her old
friends mysterious air implied that he
knew more than he said. Then she
understood. After all these years he
had recognized Johns handwriting. 1t
was not any desire To serve strangers
frae the SOoth that brought him up
The hill with their letters, Like every
other resident in the district. he took
q keen interest in the popular John
Panton's homecoming.
Sure enough, she found two letters
from John. one for his father and one
for her husband. Some nerve of irri-
tatiOn tWitched because she herself
was still ignored. But the excitement
Of an actual reply being to hand soon
liSpelled that minor ache. She thought
1t best to let the butler or a footman
act as postman.
The Hon. Betty Bridgnorth, cousin
of both John and .AliStair, was in the
drawing room when Eileen returned.
She was 80 and unmarried. The Pan
tons were a GoOd-looking family, but
Lord BridGnorth. long since deceased,
favored the prize herd of polled Angus
cattle to which he had devoted all his
attention. Unfortunately, Betty re-
Sembled her father. She was heavy
of feature. heavy in weight. but sur
prisingly quick on her feet. Points
which are excellent in Il polled Angus
are not so allurine in woman, how
ever.
The men are just coming through
the wood" she announced. They
have taken their time. Mary and /
would have dawdled, too had we
known"
NO matter what we knew, l don't
believe YOU could possibly dawdle.
Betty"
Lady Lansing. wife of a successful
Speculator in oil with whom AliStair
Panton was closely associated. floated
gracefully into the room. She revealed
every essential feature of an aristo-
Crat, though her father had been an
illpaid city clerk for many a year.
He and his wife managed somehow to
feed, Clothe and educate four children
in a tiny house at footing Bee. When
Mary, the eldest. was fifteen, she had
to help financially by bringing in some
few shillingS IL week earned as copy
ing typist While she was learning
shorthand. In the office was a smart
young clerk, Reginald Lansing. When
the two got married, Mary being then
nineteen. there was CONSERVATION at
footing Bee. How could they possibly
start housekeeping on thirty-tive shil.
linCs week?
Then came the war. Mary carried
on her work with a rubber importing
firm. Reginald got himself shot early
in 1915, ana was honOrably discharged
from army and hospital with a short
ened leg. Within five years he was a
rubber magnate - two years later a
knight, and what is known as an "au
thority." Mary had helped, too. A
sister and two brothers were started
in life; father and mother were pen
stoned off: Mary herself became as
delicately graceful and languidly self
pOSSeSSPU as anV duchess.
NO" snapped Betty, Il haven't got
the repose of We're de We're. Neither
have l the nerve to keep people wait
ing for their dinner"
"Rnt Betty dear" said Eileen