A Modern Chronicle -- Volume 04

ch with the Banbury Hunt Club -Quicksands's greatest rival. Rival for more reasons than one, reasons too delicate to tell. Long, long ago there appeared in Punch a cartoon

go back to Babylon and the days of King Nebuchadnezzar. (Who turns out to have been only a regent, by the way, and his name is now said

two of the larger buildings was wedged a room dedicated to the worship of Bacchus, to-day like a narrow river-gorge at flood time jammed with tree-trunks-some of them, let us say, water-logged-

five on Q

k isn't wo

ne to Sou

y become distasteful to her. Perhaps it would be fairer to look at them through the eyes of Lily Dallam, who was in

ch of colour and movement to the scene. Amongst them, Trixton Brent most frequently caught the eye and held it. Once Honora perceived him flying the length of the field, madly pursued, his mallet poised lightly, his shirt bulging in the wind, his close-cropped head bereft of a cap, regardless of the havoc and confusion behind him. He played, indeed, with the c

ity of Banbury in coaches and even those new and marvellous importations-French automobiles. When the game had ended, and Lily Dallam was cajoling the club steward to set her tea-table at once, a group of these visitors halted on the lawn, talking and laughing gayly. Two of the younger men Honora recognized with a start, but for a moment she could not place them-until suddenly she remembered that she had seen them on her wedding trip at Hot Sp

" she whispered to Honora. "He's never been near

the group, in which there were two women of

so superior," Mrs.

r leaves her side. I knew her when she first married John Kame, the dearest, simplest man that ever was. He was twenty years older than Abby, and made his money in leather. She took the first steamer after his funeral and an apartment in a Roman palace for the winter. As soon as she decently could she made for England. The English will put up with anybody who has

ora had

me, Lily," she said

r the Banbury match. The fun has just begun, and we're all to stay here for dinner and dance aft

. I-I don't feel up to it,

counted on you! You look

g groups of people who stared after her. Her colour was high, her heart beating painfully; a vague sense of rebellion and shame within her for which she did not try to account. Rather than run the gantlet of the crowded ve

ty-toity! Where are we

essly, and added for his deception, "the

d to gaze at her penetrating

flushed partridge?-no reference to y

just-tired. Pl

tion for that kind of weariness," he said smilingly. "I-anticipated

onora. "You are always imagining all sor

faithfully to do a favor for certain friends of mi

"I really don't feel like-meeting peopl

s already moving towards them-with the exception of Mrs. Shorter and Mr

et me introduce Mrs. Spe

Mr. Cuthbert. Mrs. Spe

thought Quicksands people nev

gh," replied Honora, "to have acqu

sn't that Mrs. Dallam you were with? I used to know h

s you've forgotten

e to forget Mrs. Dalla

have thought,

and Mrs. Kame, too, aft

d familiarly on

ve been here at Quicksands, stewing in that little packing-cas

school with my sister

sed. "I caught a glimpse of her once, in Ne

laimed Mr. Cuthbert, "but I can'

d not enl

nce," said Cecil Grainger, who had not

her the embarras

here and play brid

u call it," said Brent, "but the dining-room ceiling fell down Wednesday

anyway. Neither Jimmy nor Toots plays

ht, help us out,

Mrs. Kame, in a voice of

, "she can teach Jerry

nto

nnounced Cecil Grainger

nn

ry well," Honora interru

Mrs. Spence's house," T

e to have us wouldn

idea, Trixy!" ex

ade her glance toward the veranda, and for a fraction of a second s

ert, "I don't play-but

," chimed i

d have made themselves so free with another house. When tea was over, however, and the bridge had begun, her spirits rose; or rather, a new and strange excitement took possession of her that was not wholly due to the novel and revolutionary experience of playing, for money-and

hose to ridicule Quicksands Honora was silent, so keenly did she feel the justice of her guest's remarks; and the implication was that Honora did not belong there. When train time arrived and they were about to climb into Tri

I must get Trixy to drive you over some day for lunch. We've had such a good time

in town this winter?"

for the moment taken aback, altho

orward to seein

e party waved her a cordial good-by as the carriage turned the circle. Trixton Brent,

?" he

repeated

le," said

a bri

think it, was rather -presumptuous. And you've

held open the scr

good angel was ever

epeated, smiling at h

uicksands-I'm trying to make it easy for you. Before you leave you have to arrang

they're so-so sordid." She looked searchingly in

der the influence of the excitement which t

extraordinary part of it. The trouble with you, Honora, is that you wa

," he added, "until you

ood Samaritan, or

with startled eyes

is so!" she said

red. "Out of the mouths of men of the world occasionally issues wis

thropic mood a little

velties," he answered. "Perhaps t

nd yellow bills that Mr. Grainger had deposited in front of the place where she had sat. Her sensat

rather to herself than to Br

ood policy, I should suggest giving it to Mrs. Grainge

a sta

esn't come she exclaime

ut full hands and flushes," hazarded Mr.

le are clamouring

so," h

to the Club," said Hon

then he explained that if Honora didn't object, he was going to

id, I-I wanted you pa

g to dine with Lily Dall

ou al

brought over some Banbu

've

idn't know you were going to be home, and I'

ly, paused a moment, and went back

said, "wa

s to be right,"

rug over Honora's knees, for the ocean breath that stirred the leaves was cold. Across the darkness fragments of dance music drifted fi

baffling, individual lion. She liked him best, she told herself, when he purred platonically, but she could by no means be sure that his subjection was comple

le husband of yours

particularly good judge of husbands," s

a laugh the justice

eans a remarkable husband. Permit

so?" asked Honora, c

rent. "Of course he got you before you knew what you were wo

sist replying, "perhaps he did

ere now, where I am, instead of playing poker. Although there

horrid, cynical re

ur experiences-that is, if we're not incl

cigar, and she could no longer see his f

ur husband president of a tru

of a trust compa

And added enigmatically,

dn't joke about

ds a mile-stone on a back road; another toy to break; husband a big man in the community

you could be br

me what you thou

nsible once in a wh

Company!" he recited. "I suppose no man is a h

Honora did

" she asked, in pardonable

ness by the ears, alter the gold reserve, disturb the balance of trade, and nobody ever suspects it. Old James Win

ra s

e 'back out'?"

" replied Brent, in another tone. "The point i

o

anything about your husband. He'll do as well as t

er a moment dropped back in h

aid; "I can't think why I le