Show e B SKEW W J t n OF O T U C 1 CD A THE I AMERN CO n sh t n d th h c o of nf t the A r in th the e eC C Country 0 l n try and n ct Its Sequel Patience Amherst who S SYNOPSIS possesses great natural talent as a painter is invited by Sir Hilary Marlow a distinguished portrait painter to pay him a visit ill in London Loudon Vernon 17 emon Ramsey a rising young barrister who loves mId and is loved by Patience tries to dissuade her from undertaking art as a career but is is cess f ul Sir Hilary tries to force her into an artis artistic tic compact that is to last two years and then thel throws her in contact with his nephew a flippant flip pant young Frenchman Her impulse is to leave his home hilt but she remains largely out of o f for Lady Marlow whose personality per personality he has completely overridden Her artistic work under Sir direction is extremely successful and as size she is is coming into prominence she sTze receives receives a call from f rolls her former suitor who has been through a severe illness of o f which size she knows nothing Yet through a misunderstanding they drift f apart than ever Then Theil size she finds fillds that Lady is probably her Izer mother and that Sir Hilary takes pleasure it in tormenting the broken brokett spirited woman CONTINUE CONTINUED FROM LAST SUNDAY AY CHAPTER XVI Pati Patience n l Tells a I Lie Lil 1 1 i left the boudoIr with flushed cheeks She felt as It if her mother had betrayed her and she blamed herself hersell for hav havIng having Ing acted the cowards part She ought to have de defied fled fied Sir Hilary HUary to his face She ought to have bave told him In no measured terms exactly what she thought of him and de declared Glared that he had no rIght to assert any au authority authority over her any control Such behavior would have forced his hand she reflected He would have been compelled either to acknowledge his paternity pater or to own t that hat pa Bence was right that he could not coerce her In any W way y that she was free free as the air But then on the other hand suppose he had h d boldly Wh What t could she be father her I be declared hl himself sett to could she have done under these have done She was only 19 and there were two long years year to be got through l she would be her own mIs mIstress mistress could domineer r tress Yes for two years Sir Hilary chose could tyrannize over her over her life it if he spirit For the law would give him full f l control ove over his daughter the the law would uphold ld that he his own child chUd Yes and should have the h custo custody that was the right word Patience de after a moments that that she had done well or the whole to with the situation Whatever she might do Inthe f fd ure it Was better to go quietly no now to do nothing In II a hurry But the longIng was n herthe passionate shake e ot the ara Gray House her ber shoes and fly back to those dear who had adopted her In Inthe inthe the past and had given her of at their love of their kindness Oh how bitterly she regretted now how intensely she regretted ever eer having left home the pleasant house just on the outskirts ot of gray Everything had seemed to go wrong with Patience since she had come to She entered the drawing room and Lord Ralph saw at one once that something had happened that she was upset Besides the wild screams he had heard pro proceeding ceding from the boudoir before Patience rushed away to find out what was the matter had vaguely alarmed te young m min n He had an uneasy convIction that something was wro wrong g He dimly suspected sus the presence ot of a skeleton In the cupboard a carefully guarded skeleton 11 dear MIss Amherst he exclaimed I do hope nothing Is the matter look dread dreadfully tully startled and upset Is anything wrong with Lady Mar Marlow 1 low Patience looked at him keenly She liked Lord Ralph She knew that he was lazy and that opportunity In his hands of doing a great t deal ot of good goodIn In the world he had been content to remain a mere idler nut But she believed him to be kindhearted and she wondered for a second whether she dared tell him the truth and ask his help But she conquered the impulse tellIng that she had bad no right to betray the secret that Lady Marlow had confided to her ears Besides she knew very f ry little of Lord Ralph after all very ery little Indeed She leaned her ller hand op the Lack of a chair one of the tle old French chairs that always commanded her admiration ad and Imd then for the first time In her honest girlhood Patience spoke opt a lie Lady Marlow is not very well I 1 am afraid she said her eyelids quivering a little her voice unnaturally low Is subject to fits of hysterIa at times and she Is s just recovering from a very bad at attack tack taek But her husband Is with hershe will be better soon She spoke In a dry mechanical fashion repeating her lesson like a parrot and as Lord Ralph looked at ather ather her he suspected that she was not tellIng the truth but he hesitated to put this thought Into words I thought I 1 heard her scream out you know he said slowly and that was why you left the drawIng draining room was it not a mInute or two ago to Inquire Into the reason of those strange screams Yes Patience answered slOWlY and I discovered what was Lady Mar Marlow ow was suffering from vIolent hysteria She hesitated for tor a second then added quickly Will you forgive Sir Hilary for asking you to forego the sitting for your our portrait this morning and to come at the same time tomorrow He like to leave his wIfe while she Is so upset You dont mind do yours ou Of course courso not the young man answered guard guardedly guardedly edly then as ho he looked at patiences troubled face tace a abright bright Idea struck hima bold Idea You really look awfully done uP Amherst I 1 expect you ou feel shaky hysterics are never very pleasant pleas pleasant ant to watch Ive got my motor outside What do y you u say to letting me take for a spin In the open aIr for an hour or so I believe It would do you no end of you up Patience hesitated Of a sadden It seemed that she would give anything In the world to get away from Ue the blue drawIng room It seemed as 9 l if she was In a brIsk motor drive exhilarated her It would be grand It would be great to flash along to breathe the pure pureair pure pureair air of heaven to feel For as she stood inthe in inthe the blue drawIng room it seemed as If she was In a aprison aprison prison and she sh yearned earned for freedom for space She hardly thought of Lord Ralph in connection w with th the drive AU All she could appreciate was the fact that Instead of sitting in her bedroom In disgrace she shei i had the cha chance ce of enjoying a brief t spa spelt 11 of f o n a f fresh air Ir and an sunshine d iV She realized t that h t 5 she e Could be no go good od to 4 i Lady Marlow by remaining re Indoors s for Lady Lidy Marlow arlow who would Id not suffer a a wo word to be raid r against the b man who had bad so brutally tally a ted 1 l lher Od her was not likely to 10 send for her hor daughter under circumstances And nd so 0 on the h sod den impulse r ot of the Iha moment t she accepted e Lord La Laher i Ralphs p In invitation II n Yes Tes Id 1 d like a drive she h said 1 really i would a and I wont be a m minute n getting ready raad for I want to O got get away from this house hous fO fora o 7 I little I I feel freeto breathe fresh h a air 1 i Sh She e saId t the e last words d then hurried id idI out of the room oom t to a dress for tor the motor O drive t little guessing guess ng what strange stra ge resu results Its were to t follow from It what dram dramatic tlc results t I h hl l r 1111 4 L If i iii yd y c ii I I 11 75 1 25 1 t G 1 1 tTe 1 r T l lr f jt r G S SA L A 1 l TI h r 1 J T V d f r rA 0 A Amos most t 1 meeting I CHAPTER Patience Disobeys Sir Hilary H A sPIN through ugh the air IS gt rl us tl Is C iii drIve Is doing me good Patience P drew a long deep breath as she spoke She he was sitting by Lord Ralphs side and his motor a D big white open car was flying ng along at a good pace Patience had noticed that the the chauffeur had been dismissed and that she and her com companion panion were driving alone together but she did not mInd In the te least all she felt was Intense relief at having escaped from the Gray House for a little while II a vivid Intoxicating sense of freedom She did not care for tor the moment what happened when when phe pe got ot back to the Gray House though she was sute sure that there would be a stormy scene between her hersel herself self sel and Sir HUar Hilary Well let hIm storm Her blood was up and she was no l longer nger afraid of this man who called himself her father She was ready to make a scene it l he tell the whole world how brutallY he treated his poor unhappy wife Yes she could point to the bruise on Lady arm and explain who had marked the white delicate flesh so cruelly with such rough violence And It if Sir Hilary liked to lock her herup herup up In her bedroom and teed feed her on bread and water he was at lIbert liberty to do so 80 For people would have heard the truth about a man who had imposed upon his world and as is II not generally approved of In England Patience reflected that Sir Hilary HUary would have an uncommonly poor time ot of Ita very poor time Umu indeed And then with regard to Vernon Ramse Ramsey Well when Vernon knew as he might soon learn that Pa Patience Patience tience was in the power ot of an unkind and unscrupulous father tather perhaps he would be so sorry for her that all his old love would return and he would be ready to marry her as soon as she had reached the legal age of 21 As to poor Lady sighed somewhat hopelessly as she thought of the unhappy woman for It seemed so after what Lady Marlow had said that morning so Impossible It was beaten insulted wife would resent any attempt to sep separate arate tier ner from her and brutal though he was Had she not said as much in fact These thoughts passed rapIdly through Patiences brain as the motor dashed on steered by the skilful hand of Lord Ralph For the young man was an experienced motorist just as Is ho he was an excellent whip His long fingers were curiously strong when anY work had to be as It was quite possible that Lord Ralph Ralp for all his apparent laziness and studied Indolence might develop real strength of char character character acter it if the situation ever called for It It He was one of those men who do unexpected thIngs at unexpected moments You are enjoyIng our drive You dont know how pleased I am to have you with me Lord Ralph smiled as he addressed Patience II Ho was vaguely puzzled by her behavior for he had never expected th that t she would agree to come for this drive when he had invited her nor could ho he understand why she had done so unless she had made up her mind to marry him and was anxious to give him an early op to propose Clow lovely she amazingly love lovely I He liked the effect ot of her blue motor cap around arond which which a long white chiffon motor veil ven streamed for somehow without In the least Intending to Patience had pressed down the cap and given It the effect of a medieval l headdress and the floating veil completed the illusion Lord Ralph felt as 18 If some beautiful UmbrIan VIr VIrgin Virgin gin had suddenly elected to step from and go for a drive with him and he experienced an ex sense of at pride as he gazed at for he told himself that he was quite sure this lovely creature wanted to marry him himI I 1 dont think I 1 have ever apprecIated a motor m tor drive so much before Patience spoke jn In low tones but it was evident that she meant what she said Doo Do you know I was feeling suffocated d nervous nervous oh dreadfully nervous she continued when we were were In the drawing room at the Gray House and now I an ani myself old self and afraid ot tn in the world He eyed ey her c curiously What did she mean b that last sentence and why had the a whole expression or oC her fa face changed so suddenly For notwithstanding her brave words strained a look had come coma Into her eyes and he could see that her lips quivered r x MIss addressed he herfor her for the then thet th n t first time In the hIstory or of theIr acquaintance by y h her r ChrIstian name I do wish you could tell me what has been happening I 1 can see see that you have had a shock sho k kor or of some me sort and I want yoU to tell me what the IS for tor Im sure sure you Y ar are worrying fiver something sOme sOmething thing There Is something that tro troubles bles me murmured Patience but I 1 speak of It II say a word She set her lips tightly and clenched her hands as they lay tay In her lap Lord Ralph looked at her Then a bold thought struck hIman audacious Idea crept Into his brain This Is too fine a day to spend In town he said There never was a more glorious June morning and it would be a shame to waste it in stuffy London L Let t me take you right Into the country as far as Oxford shire I want you ou rather a pretty place I 1 own Radford we can get there and back easily In the dM day Ive got an old aunt stayIng there just now to whom I 1 have lent Radford for tor the summer as the poor old soul Is rather stony and has been obliged to let her own home Shell give us some food tood when we arrIve though I expect we shall be rather late for tor lunch And then after after we have had something to eat Ill show you the picture gallery which Is the joy of m my heart Ive got one or two early Italian pictures whICh will make you almost weep with delight so beautiful In their cool mellow ineffably calm and restful Patience hesitated The idea of prolonging the motor drive was yer very pleasant but she did not know what to say about going as far as and back Yet the prospect of f getting right into the heart ot of the country countr and visiting a beautiful house and see seeing seeing ing lovely pictures was cert certainly exceedingly attract attractive lye ive and she was too young oung to realize properly the of such proceedings Nor did it occur to tobel her bel that Lord Ralph would ask her to do anything at atall atall all Patience was of a singularlY unsuspicious temperament and had no real knowledge ot of the world Besides It must be owned that It rather pleased her to set Sir Hilary at defiance by spending Lord after atter he had a a long day In Ralphs company ordered her to have hae as little to do with the young man as possible She liked to think she was throwIng down the gauntlet asserting her het Independence It never neer struck Patience that perhaps she might not be acting fairly toward Lord Ralph b by taking this drive with him It did not occur to her that she was war giving him intense encouragement She felt so convinced that ho he must realize from her manner by now that she did not care for him I You are willing to agree to my suggestion You are arC going to let me motor you to Radford Towers Be kind Miss Amherst be kind His voice olce the very look In his eyes mIght have warned Patience tiFt she would do well not to accept Lord Ralphs Invitation but she did not notice anything any anything thing unusual in his manner she was too far lost ort In her own thoughts and reflections so she merely an answered answered a faint smile lighting up her face Well Vell If you can cab get me back to town by 6 quite by 6 she said s id I really dont see why I t say Yes to your our suggestion It would be lovely loeb to get Into the thc country agaIn for a little while the real green country countr and see your beautiful plc wn tures Then all right A taint faint smile stole over overLord overLord Lord Ralphs face the smile of a man who thinks he has won an easy victory CHAPTER A Motor Drive and Its Sequel art n D you like 1110 my pictures reallY like A them Ulem Lord Ralph glanced at Patience ery intently as he asked the question They wore were in the lung long picture gallery that was one of the specIal |