The Red Bicycle

l fashion. All his restlessness seemed to have departed since the failure of his scheme to marry Claudia to Sir Hector, and he was content to live a listless existence devoid of exciteme

her soul in patience until such time as Edwin would be able to help her. Everything was as dull as ditchwate

getting on his nerves, and he felt the need of change and fresh air. Claudia suggested that she should go with him, as she felt hipped herself. Lemby, however, roundly said that he wished to be by himself, and therefore went off alone. But he was punished for his selfishness, for during his absence Lady Wyke paid her promised call. She sent in her c

me?" questioned La

y. "I am surprised to re

explained everything to your father a week ago in

ing about the matter, L

said the visi

ou Lad

a

know there was

know

in for the title, and are you his wife?" Cl

has kept you quite in the dark. Why, I don t know." Lady Wyke laughed in an amused manner, and

o greatly by surprise that she was unable to stand. "Are you in earn

andal, who will show you my marriage certificate, and will tel

ed to marry me," stammere

was free to marry again. I learnt from a society newspaper in America, that such was the case, and came

ged her elegant shoulders--"it might be that he hoped to gain time and think matters over. Perhaps he wou

ery badly!" cried the gir

s Sir Hector is dead, suppose we say no more about the matter. After

assured her. "I neve

title and the mo

d by my father in

You love

d to a side table, on which stood a silver

he photograph. Then her face changed, and, a variety of emotions displayed themselves rapidly. Love, j

n Craver, to wh

hrew down the photograph to face The g

, I do not see why you should speak in

ll him that to myself, although until now I never heard his nam

en Lady Wyke announced who she was, and the other on hearing about the recognition of the photo. Dange

not know his name, as I never asked it. It was another man who attended to me, and I only saw Mr. Craver at a distance. But he was so very handsome that I admired him exce

Claudia, hardly relishin

g lover I should be jealous of everyone who looked at him. However, I was beginning to for

dia, excitedly. "Edwin doe

ade me so giddy that I had to close my eyes. But when he came down safely I went up to his machine and congratulated him on his courage. Then, my

, in a disturbed manner. "Edwin certainly is in a motor factory, and you might have seen him in

I fancy, and perhaps he did not tell you what he was doing, lest you should worry. I know it w

lk of Mr. Craver in that way,

ime being,

dare you hint a

, impertinently, "you took my husband,

, heatedly. "So far as I am concerned, I did not wish to marry your husband, and I never knew that he had a wife already. My father forced me

aved you from a mar

Sir Hector was murdere

ion which sent Sir Hector down to Hedgerton to consider matters. Had he not gone t

rton to got him murdered?"

and rose indignantly. When she got it again i

re you come here and tell me that yo

accuse me of mur

each trying to bear the other down. The widow felt her inferiority

our quarrelling like two fishw

dia, refusing to obey, for by this time s

side for the time being. I told your father tha

y. And

sband's death you have lost a title an

allow you to

in--"I am not surprised. But your father wants money to

you will make an appointment you and he can talk the matt

get the whip hand of this haughty girl and make her pay for such insolence. The little woman liked no one to be insolent but hersel

promisingly. "We part as we m

don t see why you should not like me. And you know, Miss Lemb

ing to live th

ector of Hedgerton. Mr. Sandal told me so, amongst other matters, when I made inquiries about the dea

id Claudia,

his parents. And I shall be in the parish also

iss Lemby look

the spot, in order to search for the murderer of my late husband. We were not particularly good friends; but I owe it to his memory to ave

dia turned cold as Lady

use when my husband was killed. Think it over," and with a