Evening star., 1926-05-03

trustworthy and INSCRIPTIONS. But it
hurts-oh, YES, 1t hurts cruelly-that
my own father should be equally base.
for it is shameful that | should have
been trapped into today's marriage.
I wonder if that clergyman knew what
was going on when he spoke OF the
sacrament of matrimony. Can that be
sacramental which is founded on de.
ceit? On no. no--a thousand times
| No If one thought that, what would
there he left of all that is good and
! noble in life?"
Rv this time the colonel was
thoroughly frightened man, though his
| fear arose from outraged convention
rather than any sense of wrongdoing
Il say. Eileen he bleated, calm
Yourself and stop all this nonsense
If YOU don't, what is to become OF us
with a crowd of people waiting down.
stairs TO. see you off,
But his daughter was by far the
calmer of the two. Her color had re-
turned while she uttered that impas-
stoned protest. and she seemed to
realize suddenly that the situation
called for action. not words.
"Of course" she said with detach-
ment that was phenomenal in the cir
cumStanceS. Il cast off AllStalr ran
ton now and forever as husband. L
refuse to acknowledge myself as MS
wife. All. me. | knew before the vow
was uttered that l could neither love
nor honor him, though | would bave
tried to obey. I would. indeed. for
YOUR sake-for the sake of the family
which ] thought both you and | held
dear. Well, that is done with, ana
she drew her wedding ring off her
finger and flung it in the fireplace. Il
am not Mrs. Panton--not yet. | re-
vert to the state Of single blessedness
whoever first coined that phrase
was, indeed. a philosopher. All i ask
YOU to decide is this: Am l to walk
out Of this hotel under ban, as my
darling Jack left Inverlochtie seven
wears ago. or do YOU permit me to go
home and bury myself in the High
lands until my own true man comes
| to claim me?"
Drowning men, they say. clutch at
straws. The colonel caught at one
now.
something must be DONE" he cried
| in a voice tremulous with anger and
despair. "Oban forbade me to speak,
and / must obey. But you shall listen
to him. Yes, by CAD, you snail:
| Where is Maggie? She must he some
where near Where is she! open
that damned door. or III smash the
|
| kew, unless you want to make me
| take it by force"
Eileen smiled wanly. Her father
was whipping himself into fury, or
he would neither have used bad Ian
guage nor threatened her with physi!
! cal violence.
"If YOU wish to create scene L
certainly shall not stop you. she SAID:
| But please do try and understand
that I am more than ready to meet
! ord Oban and his nephew. Perhaps,
| IL we four get together | may at least
hear something of the truth
She herself unlocked the door, sum-
named the maid, and gave the message
that brought the other men hot-foot
to the. room. Meanwhile. she stood
staring out of the window. In the
street beneath a small crowd had col
lected. A splendid car. Lord Oban's
wedding present. waited near the
porch. Press photographers were
| taking up strategic positions Tor
| Anal SNAPSHOT of the welded pair.
Eileen was not only noteworthy as the
nrettiest bride of the season, but the
| hint of romance about the succession
to the peerage had its widespread ap.
neal. while public interest was greatly
| stimulated by the news from Edmon'
ton published that morning.
She believed her father spoke more
than once. but his reproaches and prot.
estations were meaningless in her
ears. She was neither callous nor
rude; for the time being she was
stunned.
| She had not long to wait. Alistair
entered first. He was a good looking
man of 35, one who wore his clothes
with distinction. The morning coat
striped cloth trousers. glistenlng boots
and exquisite boutonniere or prlde
groom had suited his portly figure bet
ter than the lounge suit of travel now
lie rigaur, hut his appearance was still
that of one born in the purple and
accustomed all his life to be among the
elect. His hair was thinning over a
domed forehead, and his eyes were
slishtlx tao close togethars while his