to Arlington's newest outbreak. Eleanor in these days avoided the
morning papers.

"It's very modern, and I suppose very clever," she observed.

"Of course it's clever," said Gertrude; "all Lady Isobel's sayings
are clever, and luckily they bear repeating."

"Are you sure it's one of her sayings?" asked Eleanor.

"My dear, I've heard her say it dozens of times."

"So that is where he gets his humour," said Eleanor slowly, and
the hard lines deepened round her mouth.

The death of Eleanor Stringham from an overdose of chloral,
occurring at the end of a rather uneventful season, excited a
certain amount of unobtrusive speculation. Clovis, who perhaps
exaggerated the importance of curry in the home, hinted at
domestic sorrow.

And of course Arlington never knew. It was the tragedy of his
life that he should miss the fullest effect of his jesting.




SREDNI VASHTAR