December Love

ral years, and had plenty of interesting friends and acquaintances, when one autumn day, in a club, Francis Braybrooke, who knew everybody, sat down

in social matters, was a perpetual cause of surprise to Braybrooke, who nevertheless was always ready to do Craven a good turn, whether he wanted it done to him or not. Indeed, Craven was indebted to his kind old friend for various introductions which had led to pleasant times, and for these he was quite grateful. Braybrooke was much older than most people, though he seldom looked it, and decades older than Craven, and he had a genia

appened to mention Lady Sellingworth-"Adela Sellingworth," as he ca

ow Lady Sel

nce looking at Craven over his care

range!" he s

s it s

London and not know

emendously prominent in society after he came to the throne. But I have never seen her about since I have bee

ingworth a

right hand. His small, observant hazel eyes rebuked Craven mildly, and he sl

t surely she long ago retired fro

ty. But that is n

e had a terr

do you mean exac

ed and smart and all that sort of thing. But I understood that she suddenly gave it all up. I remember

ld you that

ink it was

hing

f the old guard, whose motto is 'never give up,' that she went on expecting, and tacitly demanding, the love and admiration which most

ere is some

ed medi

have often thought so. It came about after her return from Pa

ey?" sai

e th

en really did rather sugg

were, to the tune of abo

business! Did s

ed to. But, of course,

said Craven, with perhaps rather youthful cynicism. "But surely Lady Sellingworth must ha

red why-often," said Braybroo

that such an indulgence is apt to lead to permanent lines,

hat anyone knows what it is unless-" he paused meditatively

our, the

red for her when she was a girl, through both her marr

jewels stolen?

wels worth fifty thousand pounds, and made no effort to

of a first-class compartment reserved for Adela S

thing w

istically when the story came out. She said the jewels were gone long

-about suc

ore, she got r

ry

living, gave up society, let her hair go white, allowed her face to do whatever it chos

she ch

e char

thick eyebrows and l

ry many people. Still, I think she might like you. You have tastes in common. She is interested in everything that is interest

is because she

at Craven with rat

oung girls are very fond of elderly women who

A

. Then, lighting a ci

but one must say that it

ut the old guard?" Craven asked

ard" of men, and that undoubtedly Braybrooke belonged to it; a