Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17

But Sweeney did not regard 1t as I'M.
pudence. He regarded her move as
one which, according to theecode 10
which he was accustomed, she was
quite entitled to make.
| cts all very simple" said he coldly
and resentfully. II should have told
Usher straight off, If his manner had
been different. I was just driving TO
Brighton and I lost my way. That's
ALL" -,
| thought Cora. AS for kearns, he felt
that Sweeney was lying and that grave
and sinister things were hidden from
himself. But he kept silence.
"Well," said Nick rudely to Swee'
ney, my advice is to get on to Brigh'
tom"
'Nickv Cora protested plaintively.
''Nick! Surely there's no need to talk
like that"
Don't let that trouble you. Cora"
| Sweeney staggered. 1T doesn't trou-
Bile me a bit" And he walked on.
The male portion of the group made
a poor spectacle. Cora, on the con-
trary, continued to dominate. She
murmured to Henry Kearns. Don't
breathe word to Nick. He might
kill me-"
| her QSIn6dUOT DIS sue Sdlu ItIlS was
magnificent. She seemed to be warn
ing her uncle against the temptation
to commit blunder, an act of base
ness. a fatal crime. 1t was she who
was the innocent and Kearns the pc.
tential miscreant. Kearns wondered
| if she did fear death at the hands OF
a raging husband. He could not credit
| that she did, yet her manner nearly
convinced him against reason of her
sincerity. He muttered an "Of course,
| I sha'n't.'
''Nick!' she cried. "Nickr A heav.
emily, irresistible appeal was in her
| voice.
Nick swung around. She advanced
and threw herself upon his neck. He
could feel his anger melting, and de.
feat was delicious to him, though he
was rather ashamed that any third
person should see the display. Cora
did not mind witness at all, and es-
| pecially sympathetic uncle, for he
was a witness Of her triumph. She
was still sovereign queen, and
Kearns knew 1t and Nick knew it.
''Nick!' she cried again. How did
you find me? 1t must have been one
of those instincts that nobody under
stands" Nick was not in a position
to contradict her. SIS that your car
know I've not been nice to you lately,
but can't help it sometimes. I've
| only you in the world" She laid her
head on his shoulder and Nick felt vic.
| torious and yet silly.
| Kearns said discreetly, Come to my
place, and go home tomorrow il you
want to. You can't drive back to Lon.'
don at this time of night. Besides, in
that trock! You'd have to change.
And the chauffeur will be tired"
Cora reproached him with look.
| Whatever does it matter? What's a
chauffeur for? Tell him to drive fast
fast"
"All right! Come onr' Nick yielded,
with masculine gruffness.
Cora mounted into the car as into a
| chariot, the chieftainess returning
from some Amazonian campaign. The
chauffeur started the car.
Stop. Cora enjoined him. and lean
ed out. Darling uncle, you've been
frightfully kind. I must kiss you"
The car turned round. 1t was gone.
"MY word" Henry Kearns exclaim.I
~ ed in Cora's bedroom, into
which he had gone for a moment to
see what sort of mess she had left
there. He could almost have wiped
his brow in the tumult of his sensa-
lions. Women
Whom did Cora love. If she loved
any one? He could not answer the
query. Perhaps not Cora herself could
have answered it, if it had troubled
her. But it did not trouble her.
kearns felt very sorry for Nick.
And he kept calculating. in his peace
full solitude. "Women. Women
In his promenade through the house
he encountered the letter from
Cynthia Smythe. 1t seemed to be
lying in wait for him.
"Oh, hang it!'' he muttered, and sat
and wrote the answer: "My dear Gym.
thia Smythe. I am delighted to ac-
cept your charming invitation for Fri.
day :"
Copyright 1921