Show liTHE LAW LAWE I ool BY R BER T W. W CHAMBERS CH AM B E R S S I I. I uJ II J INSTALMENT INSTALMENT 69 It was barely daylight daylight when Valerie aw awoke ke She lay perfectly sti still 1 listening listening listening listen listen- ing remembering her eyes wandering wandering wandering wander wander- ing over over th the dim unfamiliar room Through thin silk curtains a little of the early light penetrated she heard the ceaseless chorus of the birds cocks crowing near and far away the whimpering flight of ot pigeons around the eaves above her windows and ang their low Incessant cooing Suddenly through the of her bed she caught sight of Stephanie lying sound asleep on the co couch ch and she sat up swIftly up-swIftly swiftly noiselessly starIng starIng staring star- star Ing at her out of wide eyes from which the last trace of dreams had fled For a long while she remained upright up upright upright up- up up- up right among her pillows looking at Stephanie remembering considering then with decision she slipped sUpped silently silent silent- ly Iy out of bed and went about her dressing without a sound In the connecting bathroom and dressing room she found her clothing gathered in a heap evidently to betaken be betaken betaken taken away and freshened early In the morning She dared not brush It for fear of awakening Stephanie her tol toilet toi to- l let t was was s swift and simple she cloth clothed d herself rapidly and stepped out into the ha hall hail her rubber soled walking shoes making no io noise Below the the sidelights ts of the door made unbolting and unchaining easy it would be hours yet before even the thes s servants were stirring but she moved with Infinite caution stepping out onto the veranda and closing the door behind her without making the slightest slight slight- est eat noise Dew splashed her shoes as she hastened hastened has s across the lawn She knew the road even if there had been no finger posts to point out her way The sun had not yet risen woods were foggy the cattle in the fields stood to their shadowy flanks In the thin mist and everywhere like the ch cheery ery rush of a stream sounded sounder the torrent of bird music from bramble patch and ald alder r swale from hedge and orchard and young woodland It was not until she had arrived in sight nt of Corners that she met the first farmer afield and as she turned into the drive the edge of the sun sent a blinding searchlight over over a dew soaked world and her long shadow sprang into view streaming away behind her across the lawn To her surprise th the front door was open and a harnessed buckboard stood at the gate and suddenly she recollected recollected wi with h a hot blush that the household must have been amazed and probably alarmed by her nonappearance ance the night before Helenes Helene's farmer and her maid came out Dut a as she entered the front walk and seeing her stood round eyed and gaping I got lost and r remained over night at Mrs Collis' Collis she said smiling Now Id I'd like a bath if it you please and some fresh tresh clo clothing hing for because I 1 am obliged to go to the city I and I wish to catch the earliest train When at t last It was plain to them that she he was alive and we well Helenes Helene's maid sti still trembling hast hastened ned to draw drawL a L bath for her and pack the small steamer teamer trunk and the farmer sat down sown on the porch and waited still stillmore more nore or less shaken by the anxiety I which had sent him pottering about the neighboring woods wooda and fields fields with witha a lantern the night before and had aroused him to renewed endeavor before before be before be- be fore sunrise Bathed and freshly clothed Valerie hastened Into the pretty library seated seat seated seated ed herself at the desk pushed up her veil and wrote rapidly My Dear Mrs Collis ColUs My gratitude to you to Mrs Neville and to Miss Swift is none the less real because Iam I Iam Iam am am acknowledging It by letter Besides Besides Besides Be Be- sides I am very certain that you would prefer it so You and nd your family have been kindness S ss itself to me in my aW awkward yard and painful dilemma you have sheltered sheltered sheltered shel shel- me and provided medicI medical attendance at attendance at- at t- t and I am deeply in your debt Had matters matters' been different I need scarcely say that it would have been beena a pleasure for me to personally ac acknowledge acknowledge acknowledge ac- ac knowledge to you and your yourl family my ray grateful appreciation BUt Bu Bill I am v very ry sur sure that I 1 could show my gratitude in iii no jo more welcome welcom welcome wel wel- come com mann manner r than by doing what I 1 have done this morning and by ex cx expressing ex pressing that obligation to tu y you u inI in writing I Before I close may I 1 ask you to believe that I had no Intention of seeking shelter at your your house bouse Until I 1 heard Mr Neville's Nevilles voice I h had hd d no I idea where 1 I was I merely r made e my ray my way toward the first lighted windows that I saw never nover dreaming that I l had ad come to elyn Tarn ram sorry that my stupid misadventure misadventure misad misad- venture has caused you and your famil family so much trouble and annoyance annoy annoy- ance I 1 feel it very keenly more keenly more keenly because of ot your your kindness In inI making the best of what must have I been t to you and nd your family a most I disagreeable episode t I May MayI I v venture to express express to you my ray thanks to Miss Swift who so generously generously generously gen gen- remained In my room last night I am deeply sensible of her sweetness to an unwelcome stranger and and of Mrs Nevilles Neville's gentle manner toward one who I am afraid has caused her much anxiety To the very amiable physic physician an who did so S1 much to calm 3 a. a foolish and Inexcusable in inexcusable In- In inexcusable excusable nervousness I am genuinely genuine genuine- ly grateful If I 1 knew his name and address I 1 would write and properly acknowledge my debt There is one thing more before I close I IBm am sorry that I wrote you ou so ungraciously after receiving your last letter It would have been perfectly easy to have thanked thank d' d you courteously whatever private opinion I may spay have entertained concerning a matter abo about t which there may be bem bemore m more re than my myown myown myown own opinion And now please believe that I J will never again voluntarily cause use you and your family the slightest uneasiness or Inconvenience and believe me too if you care to Very gratefully yours VALERIE ALERIE V WEST She directed ted and sealed the letter leHer then drew drw toward her another sheet heet of paper paper paper- Dearest r I I could die of ot shame shanie shame for having blundered into your faI family circle I dare are riot not gt even consider what they think of me now You will wUl know know how Innocently and nd it Jt was done done how how utterly Impossible impossible Im im- im- im pos possible ible It would have been for me to have voluntarily committed such ch an act act even In the l last st st. extremity But what they will think of ot my ray myat app appe at your your do door r last night I don't dont and I dare not surmise I have hav r raU all aU I could I have rid them of ot and I have written to your sis aIM thank hank her and your family fo tori very real kindness to the last win W Win win in the world whom they would I. I willingly chosen to receive a an ana dJ gj Dear I didn't k know ow I had n but this experience seems to have havi J vel them I am perfectly ly but the country here has become tasteful to me and nd I am goi going town In a a- afew few minutes I wa get away awaY I I want to get ba back I k t. t work work earn earn my Y living again again li blessed self-respect self where as at alg alger er r I have the right to live Dearest I am ani sorry about meeting you at the station andl andr back to town with you But II ply ply cannot end endure ute staying staying- here bereT II last night I 1 suppose it Is la weak silly of me me rae but butI 1 feel now as astl t your tam family ny ivo would Id never be per pei tranquil f again Until I am out ut of of fi Immediate vicinity I cannot c to you you or to them how sorry an sac distressed I am that this thin occurred But ut I can perhaps make yo yoi that J i love you dearly dearly- you enough to give myself to toj 1 love bye ye you enough nough to give yo you forever l M MAnd And it Is to consider what Is what 1 to do that I am gong going quietly somewhere by myself to tol it it- all aU out once mor morand m more and re-and and to co coa a final decision before the f fi fr June JuneI I wan want to search h. h my heart a God search It for any secret 5 sec e eness n ness ss and unworthiness that sway me in my choice choice any any ov love for you that might me When I r know mys myself l you know me Until then I shall shan not not you but sometime before the the- ri fl June June or or on that day you shall shaUl and I I. sha shall know mow how I have d 0 dej wherein I may best serve YOU yoU- m er by giving or withholding withholding-wi by accepting or oJ refusing fOfe that I F care care for In the w Louis and the love lov you haeme ha e havel me mel VALERIE WE WEI She sealed and directed this beside the oth other r. r and summon maid M Have Hpe these sent at once toM toMlyn ii f lyn she said let Jet Jimmy Timmy gO goT gola 1 5 bicycle Ar Are my m mv things read readi the bucl buckboard board still there Then Thea leav leave leavea a note for the countess t tAnd And she scribbled hastily 1 Helene Dear Ive I've got to tol town In a hurry on matters of U tance and so I am taking a a- avei ae vei ve le leave ve of ot you and ando o oj delightful 1 house ous tell you I 1 go gJ Io lq woods last night and nd I did I fl j M too stupid of me but no harm I of It only It-only only a little accepting a nights night's shelter at j lyn among people who were thing that was hospitable but must have been anything n but d ded ded de' de deed ed to entertain meIn me meIn In a few we weeks l s I r shrill fa f j a again I I- I have I-have have not exactly d what to do this summer I m abroad for a a. a catlon vacation v as s I haveS 4 enough nough t f to do so in an econ manner and I 1 should love to to S 'S French cathedrals Perhaps if i id d decide elde v you vou u might b be ba persuaded I with me However J we r it It is too early t to yet A matter of utmost imp is is' is going to keep me busy and s ss q for fora a a. week cr or so After that I Ij come t to some definite decision then yo you shaH hear from meIn meIn me In th the me meanwhile meanwhile-I 1 I have hava e ei ci and you Immensely 1 kind and dear of you to ask shall sha never forget my visit Good Goodbye ye Helene Helen dear VALERIE ALERIE V Wl WE This note she left on Helenes Helene's er then ran downstairs and into Into- the buckboard They had plenty of ot time to tol the train and on the train s 8 fit U plenty of or leisure for reflection she could not seem to fused sensation of excitement i li her mind and she sat in her herd e armed chair alternately the memory memory of Cardemon's v vand and q quivering under the recal of her night at Rita was was was' not at home wh WIll came int Into their little apartment j p parrot greeted her flapping flapping- hi bis llant wings and shrieking fr perch the goldfish goggled hi and swam swain round and round stood still In the center of 1 her r looking vacantly about her Iter m mense nse overwhelming sense on ness ness cam came over r her she turned I N rush of tears tears' blinded her an arid and J herself lt full fun length among the tle of or her of-her her bed T To b bo ho continued o |