Evening star., 1927-05-05
Red Head |
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Star)
TWENTY.FIFTH INSTALLMENT.
CHAPTER XXXVIII-fCOntinu

"IE half hour that followed af
forded two members of the
party an opportunity which one
Il at least desired. Bill had
strolled a little way along the
dark road when he heard footsteps
behind him, and, turning, discerned
khe figure Of the girl.
'Mr, Holbrook," she called, ST want
to speak to you. Have I offended
1 "Offended me-" said Bill in amaze
.anent. why, no, Miss Carew.'
"Or is it your natural repugnance to
compromised"
He did not see her smile. but he
heard the laughter in her voice.
You aren't very friendly, are you?
] remember not so long ago, when l
walked a long way to avoid her. l
am more shameless now. Are you
very angry at me?"
"Why should / be?"
''Why won't you come to America?
NY uncle would have really liked to
ask you; it was / who stopped him
writing you an invitation. You see,
Mr.. Holbrook," she said as she walked
by his side, II was rather scared of
you; / couldn't understand what part
yoI were playing in that horrible
scheme to put me in a shop window
L
"Shall we leave Lord Lowbridge out
of account" he said, with inexplicable
eXasperation.
She was silent for awhile.
You don't like Lord Lowbrfdge?"
ST like him, all right" said Bill.
sI'm sorry L was so irritable"
why don't you like him?" she In
sisted
II don't know. Does anybody like
perfect man-any other man, /
mean?"
He heard her soft laughter and
grinned little sheepishly.
You're jealous"
The astounding charge took his
breath away.
"Jealous?'' he stammered. What
do you mean? How can be jealous?"
''-vu're Jealous" she said again;
is, if you're human"
He had no words to answer her.
i've been on the stage-lived in
an atmosphere where love and infatu-
alton and the other pleasant mysteries
of life are discussed so naturally and
so persistently that even I can dis
cusS them without-without embar-
rassment. A woman loses a great deal
when she becomes sophisticated, but
she gains in knowledge. Mr.. Hol-
brook, you're falling in love, and you
mustn t.!
Never before in his life had he felt
at such a disadvantage, so incapable
! OF pert rejoinder. She was telling him
something that consciouslv he had not
known.
"Why mustn't II" he said. His voice
was husky as he went on quickly:
cot course, 1 know you're frantically
rich, and you're in love with another
man, but they're the merest items,
and anyway, there's nothing to pre-
vent my loving you-if l want"
Except that I'm married" she said.
He stopped dead
'To Lowbridge?" he asked, scarcely
recognizing his own voice.
mo. to DIR. Latin. I think you
ought to know this. l am married in
the sense that / have been through a
ceremony before the registrar. / don't
know why he did it, but-yes, do"
Does Mr.. Stone know?"
NO" she said in a low voice. "I do
not wish him to know-yet."
They were nearing the hotel again
when he halted.
Suppose you weren't married?" he
asked, and it required all his courage
to put the question. Would that
make a whole lot of difference TOTO
me, or to Lowbridge?"
Let us go on in,' she said, turning.
"I thought I heard the inspector call, "
But he would not move.
''To whom would this make most
difference"
ITO both of you, think" she said
lightly. and then her arm was in his.
81 shall never marry Give" she said.