Show 00 45 Y q W 0 r i nr v w 9 international PRESS f SOCimO I 1 CHAPTER IV CONTINUED I 1 can do a mile on the cinder track in 4 50 and across country in 5 0 but how Is s tl ti at to help r re e T might be a cricket professional but it is not a very d position not that I 1 care a straw about dignity i 3 ou kno v but I 1 should not 1 ke to I 1 urt the old lady s feelings your aunts sa yes my aunts my parents mere in the mutiny you know vlen 3 1 was a baba bab and she has looked a after me ever since she has been very good to me I 1 in sorry to leave her but why should you leave hefa thy had reached the th garden ga e and ard the girl leaned her racket upon tl e top of it looking up with grave interest at ber her big white companion its it s browning drowning said he what don t tell my aunt that I 1 said it he sank his voice to a whisper I 1 hate browning walker rippled oft off into such a peal of laughter that he forgot the evil things which he had stiff suffered ered from the poet and burst out laughing too I 1 cant can make him out said he I 1 try but I 1 e Is one too many no doubt it Is very stupid 0 of me I 1 don t deny it but ae as long as I 1 cannot there Is no use Tre pretending tending that I 1 can and then of course she feels hurt for she Is very fond of him and likes to read him aloud in the evenings she Is reading a piece now pippa passes and I 1 assure you miss walker that I 1 don t even linow what the title means you must think me a dreadful tool fool but surely he Is not so In compre hen sible as all that she said as an attempt at encouragement he Is very bad there are some things yon know which are fine that tide ride of the three dutchmen and herve juel RIO and others they are all right but there was a 6 piece we read last week the rhe first line stun ped my aunt and it t takes a good deal to do that for she rides very straight and sete bos and that was the line it sounds like a charm no it Is a gentleman s name three gentlemen I 1 thought at first but my ai at nt says one then he goes on think thin k eth he dwell eth in the light of the moon it was a very trying piece clara walker laughed again you must not think of leaving your aunt rhe he ald qaid think how lonely she would b be without you well yes I 1 have thought ot of that but you must remember that my aunt la Is to all intents hardly in addle aged and a very eligible person I 1 don t think that her dislike to mankind extends to in dividu alg she might form new ties and then I 1 should be a third wheel in the coach it ras as all very well as long as I 1 was only a boy when her first husband was alive but good gracious you don t mean that mrs Westma cotts going to marry gasped clara the man glanced down at her with a question in his eyes oh ob it it Is only a remote possibility you know said he still of course it might I 1 ap pen and I 1 should like to know what I 1 ought to turp tur my hand to I 1 wish I 1 could whelp you said clara but I 1 really kno v very I 1 atle about such things homeier I 1 could talk to my fati fall er who knows a i ery great leal deal of the world I 1 wish you would I 1 should be so glad it if you mould w then I 1 certainly will and now I 1 T I 1 must say good night mr for papa will be mon wondering dering where I 1 am arn good night miss walker he ile pulled off his flannel cap and talked away through the gathering darkness clara had imagined that they hal been the last on the lawn but looking lookin back from the steps which led up to ohp th french windows she saw two dark figures n oving across toward the house bouse As they came nearer she could distinguish that they harold den ver and her sister ida the eurmar of their voices rose up to her ears and th then ri the musical little childlike laugh ach which she knew so well I 1 am so de lighted she heard beard her sister say so pleased and proud I 1 had no idea of it your words were such a surprise and a joy to me oh I 1 am so glad Is that you ida idaa oh there Is clara I 1 must go in mr air denver good night there were a few whispered word a laugh from ida and a good night misa miss walker out of the daran darkness ss clara took her ber sister sisters s hand and they passed together through the long fold ing window the doctor had gone into big hi study and the d ning room mas a empty A single small red lamp upon the sideboard was reflected tenfold by the plate about it and the mahogany beneath it though its ingle wick cast but a feeble light into abe large dimly shadowed room ida danced off to the big central lamp but clara put ter 1 er hand upon her arm I 1 rather I 1 ke this quiet light said she why should we not have a chato chat she sat jn in the doc doe tor 8 large red plush cha r and her sister cuddled down i apon pon the footstool at her feet glancing up at her elder with a smile upon her lips and a mif mis ch chievous levous gleam in th her eyes there was a shade of anxiety in clara s fac which cleared away as rhe gazed into her sister a frank blue eys ays have you anything to tell me deara ehe she asked ida gave a little pout and shrug to her shoulder the s licitar general then opened the case ease toi fol the pro acu ecu lion tion said sl st e you are going to cros ec examine amine we clara so don t deny it I 1 do wish you would I 1 ave that gray a alln tin foulard of yours done up imah ith a I 1 atle ig and a new i vest est it woud would loo as goo gool I 1 as i ew and it is really very dowdy you mere w era quite late upon the lawn said the tle inexorable clara les I 1 was wag rather so were you hale hane you anything to tell mea she broke away into her merry mus cal laug I 1 was cl chatting acting atting mr V estma cott and I 1 mlis chatting with mith mr D den n ver by fe te f e way cl clira tra row tell me truly v it do yo c of mr den nerl er do you ike him honestly now I 1 like I 1 ampi lin veri much indeed I 1 think that he Is one of the most gentlemanly nodest n narl at ii oung men ti that at I 1 hive ever known so no v dear have you nothing to tell me mea clara Amoo smoothed thed down her sister sisters s golden hair with a motherly gesture and stool stooped ped her face to catch the expected confidence sl e could vish nothing better than that ida should be the wife of harold den ver and from the words which she had overheard as they left the lawn lavin that evening she he could not do bt that there was some understand ng between them but there came no confession from ida onla on the same mischievous smila smile and amused gleam in her deep blue eyes that yay jray foulard dress she began you little tease come now I 1 will ask you what you have just asked me do you I 1 ke harold denver oh he s a darling ida well you asked me that s what I 1 think of him and no ou dear old inquisitive you will get nothing more out of me so you roust must wait and not be too cullous I 1 ira in going off to see what papa Is doing she sprang to her feet threw her arms round her sis ter s neck gave her a final squeeze and was gone A chorus from olivette sung in her clear contralto grew fainter and fainter until it ended in the slam ot of a distant door but clara walker still sat in the dim lit room with her chin upon her hands and her dreamy eyes looking out into the gathering gloom it was the duty of her a maiden to play the part of a mother to guide another in paths which her own steps had not yet trod den sine sinca her mother died not a thought held had been given to herself all was for her father and her aster in her own eyes she was herself very plain and she knew that her was often ungracious when she would most wish to be gracco s she saw her face as the glass reflected it but she did not see the changing play of expression which gave it its charm the infinite pat pity the sympathy the sweet bomani ness which drew toward her all who were in doul t ind nd in trouble even as poor slow boving charles had been drawn to her that night sl e was herself she thought outside the pale of love but it was ras very d efferent with ida merry I 1 atle quick iv witter bright faced ida she was born for loe love it was her in herl tance but she vas young and in she he must not riot be allowed to venture too far without help in those dangerous some understand ing there was between betm een her and harold denver deriver in her heart of hearts clara like every good komari was w as a match maker and already ere ste had chosen denver of all men as ie te one to whom she could most bonide ida he had talked to her tl an once on the perlous topics of life on his ashira eions 0 i what a man could do to lea leav e the worl 1 tetter letter tor for hi presence she knew that he be was a man of a noble na ture high bigi rn need and earnest and yet she did not I 1 ke this secrecy this s upon the part of one so frank ard ho hoet hoiet iet as ida to tell her what was pas ng she would mould wait and if sie si e got tre opportune opp ty next day she would lead harold demer denier himself on to this topic it was possible that she sh e in learn from him w at her s ster ftp r had refused to tell her CHAPTER V I 1 A SAVAL CO T T VAS AS the habit of the doctor and the admiral to ac company each oth er upon a morn int r ramble a in b I 1 e between breakfast and I 1 rich the dw dwell eis in those quiet tree lined r roads 0 a d s v ere accustomed to see gee the two IlEr flexures ures the long th n austere seaman and tl e short bustie g tweed clad pass and repass vi th such regularity that a stopped clock has been reset by them thern th admiral took two steps to his compan companions fors three but the younger man was the quicker and both were equal to a good tour four and a halt half miles an hour it was ras rt lovely summer aay which followed the tie events which I 1 ave been de scribed the sky was of the deepest blue ith a few white fleecy cleouls drifting bizily across it and the air tir was filled with abe he low drone of insects or ditl a sudden sl arper note as bee or bluffly hot past with mith its quivering I 1 ng dra hum 1 ke an insect tuning fork As the fr ends topped each rise which leads up V to the crystal they could see gee the dun do clo ds of lon don stretching along the northern sky I 1 ne with spire or dome breaking through the low lying haze the ad miral n m as in high spirits for the morn ing post had brought good news to his ills son it was wonderful walker he was saying po alth ely wonderful the way that boy of mine has gone ahead dur ing the last three scars ears we heard from pearson today pearson is the senior partner you know and my boy the junior and denver the firm cunning old dog Is pearson aa as JL aa cute and ani i 1 5 greedy as a rio 1 shark set yet he goes off foa foran a leave and puts my boy in full charge witt all that immense business in his hand hands and a tree free gabd to do what he likes with it how s that for confidence and he only tl ti ree years upon cl angea any one would confide in him H s face Is a surety said the doctor go on V 1 I alker the admiral dug his big elbow at you know my T eak alde still it s tr ith all the same I 1 ve been blessed with a good wife and a good son and maybe I 1 relish then them ta more tor for baving been cut off from them so 0 long I 1 have much to be thankful for ard so lave ave I 1 the best two giresi that ever stepped there s clara who has learned up as much ne dicine a would mould give her the L S A simply in order that sl e may sympathize with mo m in my work but hullo what Is thi coming along all drawing and the wind astern cried the admiral 1 bour burteen teen knots if s one why by george it Is that woman al S A roll ng cloud of yellow ellow dust ina hat I 1 s reamed round the cure curve of the road and from tre tile heart of it had emerged a high tandem tricycle flying aora it a breakneck pace in front sat mrs airs clad in a heather tweed pea jacket a skirt which just pa sed her knees and a pair of thick gaiters of tl ti e same material she had a great bundle of red papers under her aim while charles who sat be ind her cla caal I 1 in norfolk jacket and knickerbockers bore a similar roll protruding from either pocket even as they watched tl e pair eased up the lady sprang off impaled one of her bills upon the gar den railing of an empty house and then jumping on to her seat again was about to hurry onward when her neph ew drew her attention to pie the two gen flomen upon the footpath oh now really I 1 notice you said she taking a few turns of the treadle and steering the machine across to them Is it not a beautiful morn ing lovely answered the doctor you seem to be I 1 am very busy she pointed ta to the colored paper which was still flutz dering from the railing we have 1 been pushing our propaganda yau see charles and I 1 have been at it since seven 0 clock it Is about our meet ing I 1 wish it to be a great success see she smoothed out one of the bills and the doctor read his own name in great black letters across the bottom we don t forget our chairman you see everybody Is coming those two dear little old maids opposite the wll wil held out tor for some time but I 1 have their promise now admiral I 1 am sure that you wish us well hum I 1 wish you ho no harm ma am you will come on the platforms 7 9 be no I 1 don t think 1 X can do that to our meeting then no ma am I 1 don t go out after din per oh yes 3 iou ou will come I 1 will mill call in if I 1 may and chat it over with you when you come home we ve have not breakfasted yet good bye there was a whir of wheels and the yellow cloud rolled away down the road again by some legerdemain the admar found that he was clutching indol la alj tight hand one of 0 the obnoxious bills he crumpled it up and threw it into the roadway I 1 II 11 be hanged if I 1 go walker said he as he resumed hia his walk I 1 ve never been hustled into do ng a thing ye yet t whether I 1 y woman or man I 1 in not a betting man answered the doctor but I 1 rather think that the odds are in favor of your going the admiral had hardly got home and had just seated himself in his din ing room when tl e attack upon him was arenen renewed ed he was slowly ly and lov toy angly unfolding the times preparatory to the long read which led up to lun cheon and had even got so far as to fasten hia his golden pince nez on to I 1 la Is thin high bridged nose when he hear hearl a crun hing of gravel and looking ov 0 er the top of h s paper he saw mrs corning up the garden garden walk she was ras still dressed in the singular costume which offended the sailor s old fashioned notions of pro briety but he could not deny as he looked at her that she was a very fine won an in many climes he had looked upon women of all shades and ages ageg but never upon a more clear cut hand some face nor a more erect supple ani womanly figure he ceased to glower as he gazed upon her and the frown smoothed away from his rugged brow may I 1 come in ina said she framing herself in the open window with a background of green sward and blue sky I 1 feel like an invader deep in an enemy s c country TO I 1 BE CONTINUED |