Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-02-24
CHAPTER S

CHAPTER
Matresser fingered, although he
found conversation with Elisabeth
somewhat difficult.
sDo you ride great deal when you
are homer" he asked her.
81 have no home nowadays" she
told him. "Both our winter and sum-
ner places were given up for hos
pitfalls and then convalescent homes
and finally those in the cities for Blu
reaus of Public Works. 1t was
great thing for me that although my
uncle is, of course, a Royalist, the
government always keeps him work
ing for them. That is why am able
to travel, why was in Paris when l
met your mother and Ann
"You have been here long?" he ask
ed.
"Here and in Paris. My uncle's
French is not very good and owing to
the frequent changes of government
we are never properly represented In
any place. My uncle has often been
sent to France on special missions
and then I go with him. Those are
not very often joyous expeditions
Paris is less like itself since the war
than any other city,"
"It is unfortunate he agreed, "but
it is very true. At the present mo-
nnent there is no country which is ex-
pressing itself so feebly as France"
"It brought me one happy adven-
ture at any rate Elisabeth said with
! smile. 81 met your mother there
and she asked me to come and stay
with Ann for time. That has been
altogether delightful"
"You will find it restful here, at
least. You are young, though, to
need rest
"If am sometimes fatigued," she
answered, looking upwards through
the stark branches of the leafless
trees, sit is because spend myself
in useless efforts
"You should avoid that at all costs"
he told her. "There may be great
work to be done before very long but
lust now one needs to be very care
full. To help France especially is ex-
traordinary difficult. France is like
. hydra-headed monster. It is so
easy to pat the wrong head and to be
utterly destroyed by such a mistake"
She leaned towards him.
"You are not talking" she said,
like the Earl of aMtresser of the
Great House, Chief of the Bench of
Magistrates and soon to be Lord Lieu
tenant of this Country!'
81 am not" he admitted, "and /
have said more to you than I would
say to any other person alive. Is
there any return you can make me?"
She waited, but purposely he asked
no more questions. She leaned for
ward and patted her mares neck,
bringing her to standstill for a mo-
ment. She pointed down one of the
cross drives.
"Your woods are so beautiful" she
said, "even now in winter when the
trees are bare and one can see so
much of the sky. In spring they tell
me the underground is full of blue
bells and primroses. That must be
lovely
"You will be here to see them, I
hope"
"Do you really hope that, Lord Mat
resser?" she asked, a faint wistful-
ness in her tone.
81 do" he answered. II think that
you are much better here than in
Paris, for example"
81 am not sure" she murnured.
Just now the whole world is so un-
settled. England alone remains calm
and composed. It rests one to be here.
Germany terrifies me. My own coun-
try is country of sadeyed toilers
with broken ambitions and broken
hearts. France, still powerful, is like
a mighty ant hill of nerves. Oh, I
do not know! I think England is the
most peaceful country
II suppose that depends upon what
one seeks in life. You have, should
imagine" he meditated as they round
ed a corner and came within sight of
the others, "a somewhat restless dis
position"
"Do not tell your mother that" she
begged. 81 think that was her only
fear when she brought me here. Of
course it is true. I cannot help feel
ing the fever sometimes. You, too
yes? You are what they call in your
own language something of fraud.
You do not lead the quiet life of the
Englishman nobelman who loves only