Thurston of Orchard Valley

and. A pale moon had climbed above the high black ridge of moor, which shut in one end of the valley, and the big beech wood that rolled down the lower hillside ha

ost in the air. It was very still, though now and then the harsh call of a pheasant came up faintly through the murmur of the river from the depths of the wood.

the hall, for, although Millicent would have preferred to avoid that particular place, Leslie had said he did not know of any other place where one could obtain rough shooting, as well as a more or less congenial c

slie had informed her that reverses were not uncommon in his profession, and he had appeared quite convinced of his ability to recover his losses in a new venture which had something to do with South African gold or diamonds. Of late, however, he had grown dejected and moody. On the previous evening she had seen his face set hard, as he read a l

nwise choice then. Leslie had changed since their marriage. He was harsh at times, and though he had, even in their more humble quarters, surrounded her with a certain amount of luxury, there was a laxity in his manners and conversation that jarred upon her. Geoffrey, she remembered, had not been

he North Country, and in the daylight it was more or less dim and forbidding, but with the lamps lighted and a fire blazing in the wide, old-fashioned hearth, the place looked invitingly comfortable. When she entered, Millicent was not altogether pleased to see another woman there. Marian Thwaite,

d. "I haven't seen you since your marriage, and to tell the truth, you're not looking by any

hat her comment was justified. Millicent's face was pallid, there was a certain

ing to-night," said Millice

ne as I came down this way. He said somebody would drive me home, if I'd stay. You

e up here," said Millicent with the candor of an old acquaintance. "You were not very cordial

with the Thurstons, and I've no doubt we make rather intolerant partisans. After all, it's only natural that we sympathize with Geoffrey

ve expected h

dian tourists stayed a night at the Ghyll, two or three months ago, and it seems they met him in British Columbia. I understand he is by no means prosperous,

eyes. With assumed indifference in her voice M

ce in the place she came from. She would pass in any circle that you or I are likely to get an entry to. I don't know w

licent was pleased with this or not.

eoffrey had been doing?"

idently been what they call 'up against it' until lately when he seems to have got upon h

hed. "It wouldn't have c

beyond making me more sorry for him, but, as it happens, he never did anything to encourage vain ideas of the kind in me." She changed the subject with the abr

, he would take the stereotyped view that it was all m

with his rather primitive notions of delicacy and what is due to us, it's very much what one would have anticipated i

a point which concerns nobody excep

inion is that the question whether either of you ever gets a penny of the property depends a great deal on the view he continues to take of the matter. Any way, that's not the least con

ich was evidently in Marian's mind. "Geoffrey insisted on giving up the mine when he could have sold it, and g

d was one of the men who were willing to take the mine over. There are

utside, and Marian rose. A murmur of voices and laughter grew clearer when the outer door was opened, and t

ough we were a little more fortunate when we got up onto the higher land. It's my candid opinion that we shou

icent as a rather strained laugh. "I was right off the

the sounds outside they seemed to be waiting while coats or cartridge bags were handed dow

the smoking-room on the previous night,"

usiness, the state of the

usband's expression when he had read his letter on the pr

man from telling the difference between a hare and a dog. I've a suspicion that if Tom cares to look he'll find one or two nu

eplied: "He should have kept the brute in hand. The difference isn't a big one when you

cried somebody.

a second one and ripped it across the fold in his clumsy haste. Then as he put the pieces together his face grew suddenly pale and haggard. Nobody else, however, appeared to notice him, and he leaned with one hand upon the table for a moment or two with his head turned away from her. She felt her heart beat painfully fast, for it was clear that a disaster of some kind had befallen him,

t, Harry?"

"There's a dinner to be got through, and it will be a big enough effort to sit it out. Slip

ards the little dressing-room. When she came out again he ha

when it seemed necessary, she noticed the trace of unsteadiness in his voice. At last, however, the meal, which seemed to drag on interminably, was finished and as soon as possible she slipped o

impatiently. "C

ence to-day, and as there's 5 shillings a share not paid up, it's very probable th

ll me that they were worth sixteen shillings no

it may seem-I believed in the thing. That is why I let them send out their independent expert, and held on when the stock began to drop. At the worst, I'd good reasons for believing Walmer would let me see the cipher

t her husband was ruined. "Then what are we to do?" she asked. "Is there

least, to keep their mouths shut, he can find a field for his talents when he wants it, but once he makes a false move or comes down with a bang, they get their claws in him

ironical bitterness, but Millicent, who was se

answered my o

Pacific Slope of North America. I may save enough from the wreck to

ered her. She had known only the smoother side of life in it, and nobody could appreciate the ease and luxury it could offer some of its inhabitants better than she did. Now, it seemed, she must leave it, and go out to s

bout the land-agency bu

d me it doesn't seem very different from the business I have been engaged in. Success evidently depends upon one's ability to sell the confiding

years. It's unthinkabl

oked hard at her. "You can't reasonably rue your bargain. You knew when I ma

t command of money that she had discarded Geoffrey. Now his riches had apparently taken wings and vanished,

shall not make it any better by complai

ony Thurston is well off and you were a favorite of his," he sai

her reasons that course is impossible. He meant me to marry Geof

at it was Geoffrey who threw you over? That would, no doubt, be too much to expect of you, and, after all, when you get to the bottom of

d she turned her head away. "Why should you make yourself intolerable?" s

ped. We must face the thing! And now I don't want to set the others wondering why

number of stories with force and point, and when at length two of his companions went u

in the line from him to-morrow," he said. "If his nerves aren't unusually