Show M r ach A a e n 0 I 1 KO W W jmj MW JW afu A JW yv i CHAP 1 ER XI continued A man has no right to build such ruch a boure as this and impoverish his family ty by so BO doing unless be has means sufficient to leave them comfortably fort ably provided for 11 he muses impatiently this house must be a white elephant to mrs airs wilden and yet she eho cannot bear tho the idea of letting it and moving into a place more suited to her deanal means well I 1 ran can sympathize with her weakness tor for though the country round looks upon her late husband in tho the light of a selfish spendthrift I 1 dare say eay she still contemplates him as it a departed saint then no answer having come to his summons ha be rings again wondering vaguely at the great stillness which pervades tho the house presently however thit that stillness Is broken by the sound of hem heaby y bolts boing being with withdrawn dravin ending wah a grating turning ot 0 the iron key hey then the door la Is opened and susan stands revealed I 1 knowel it was you sir air through peeping beside the window blind she explains with a slow broad smile or else elge I 1 t ha ba opened quite right susan agrees mr air champley stepping into the hall without waiting halting for an invitation quite right to be cautious I 1 want to speak to miss shell for a la Is she in I 1 eh asks susan suean putting her band behind her lar car and assuming a list ening attitude tor for she Is a little hard of hearing bearing and the question Is uttered rapidly robert champley again expresses his wish for an interview with shell and what K hat Is more the old woman a eyes being fixed ily ly on him as aa he makes his demand he feels himself glowing red as he be makes it when susan a face finally relaxes into a broad smile he ha feels feela that it would afford him infinite relief to box her ears aleso shell the old woman repeats still smiling at the joke her ten tau t here her vi went ent an aay ay two hours ago went away went where do mands manda her visitor looking bewildered hero gone to join her ma and miss ruby suie explains susan in it a tone which denotes that such a question almost merits contempt hera main fanciful la Is miss beell and this morning she took it into her head all of a hop bop as herd berd go to the moor and earry carry along her the wraps as was wanted so bo nothing would do but she had mo me up a helping pack at six rix and running erlanda for books to the tha town till I 1 in fair off my legs oh indeed gone to the moor has she aho well I 1 am very glad to hear bear it answers robert champley with it a strange and table feeling of keen disappointment MIB alto wilden I 1 know was feeling anxious about her this house Is so BO lonely I 1 no I 1 shant be lonely remarks susan buean who only catching the list last word applies it to herself and her own affairs I 1 ve got permission from miss shell to have up my married niece and I 1 her baby to keep me company A very good arrangement remarks robert champley in a slow thoughtful voice then he be slips a halt half crown into susans hand band and reluctantly retraces his steps down tho the weed grown drive what a willo will o 0 th tb that girl ll in 11 I 1 be muses a little resentfully she sha might have told me she was waa going and so BO saved me ma the trouble ot of thia most moat unnecessary walk alk manlike man like he does not pause to con odder aider that shell unless gifted with second tight sight could have known nothing whatever of hla his intended visit seeing that he himself hl decided on itoney it only lu in the early morning ile he finds ands hla his brother still sprawling on the grass still halt half hidden beneath the times so soon boon cries ted emerging with a tragic air 1 I opine that your reception was not sill all your fancy painted it and yet let MO me investigate ing up one eye la in a way you look intact there doean t seem to be a bite out of you probably because miss shell was n not ot at home retorts robert with a lazy yawn ilow how providentially all if I 1 had known that I 1 might hae baas gone but where his has the blid flown I 1 trust not in this direction N no 0 fear of laughs robert a little sorely she has flown to oate oak moor what a blessing she take wing before we e bettt muses ted what has bag the poor girl done to you that you should hate her so sot asks aska robert with a sudden burst of wrath ted raises himself on his elbow and stares at his brother in solemn wonder 1 I say any the morning air dreint seem to agree ath you old boyl boy I 1 he remarks in a meditative tone 1 I dont hate shell I 1 know she la Is a brick to the children they adore her but seeing that she h does doaa nothing but me when we meet well I 1 dont adore horl it la is of no use tc it waste isora words on thi subject says robert amp impatiently we aro are neither of use likely to see her again for a month or so taut ini euill remarks ted placidly it if I 1 couldn coulden t pronounce french bet abst fershan you do id stick to Engl Engli lahl j said 11 obert in a tone of irritation t fj tj ai never mind I 1 shall set that all right when we he are on the other side of the channel returns ted with comic confidence how la Is a fellow to speak french it he has never been abroad 7 lie ile needa t attempt it says bays robert severely hm I 1 think I 1 will retire behind the newspaper till the wind has changed quarter remarks ted in loud confidence to the world in general well I 1 do feel out ot of temper admits robert in a self depre deprecating catling voice as he turns and enters the house I 1 |