The Man and the Moment

rn was getting on his nerves. At Ostende she, to use one of her own expressions, "was not the only pebble on t

d Germaines and Lolos-were "just crazy" about him. And they mattered to him not a single straw. He laughed-and kissed them when he felt inclined, and then when all had begun to weary him he rode away-or rather sent his polo poni

was closing his letter to Mrs. Howard. Then in his usual whirlwind way, which must be obeyed-he had persu

going to see the lady of my heart-you k

the helpful friend and spin

ion-but with the enthusiasm of a man who

old man? I'll lend you Arranstoun for the honeymoon-damned good place for a honeymoon-" a

has been married to a brute of her own nation out west, whom she has t

he

onderfully well over there though it is only a question of a few mo

k of the lectures you used to give me about women-mere recreations for a man's leisure

Lord Fordyce announced, rather nettled. "

h out there-so she is a Mrs. Howard, is she? I wonder who the husband was-I h

ejoined, "and is in a madhouse or an i

I can to help you through with it. I won't retaliate for your thundering niggar

what I thought a most casual thing, just for your own ends, but I-Michael-" and his cultivated voic

d ringing the bell for the waiter, ordered a

ext day and that night slept at St. Malo-getting t

rd Fordyce at -- where they brea

about it-Michael-" and Henry stammered a little-"you'll promise me as a friend-you

el's heart, his voice was full of cordiality and his b

is hand. "Give you my word as I told you before, I'll not only promise you on my honor that I'll not cut in myself, but I'll do everyth

ed the bargain and got into th

had enchanted them both, i

a young woman knowing and seeing at o

and nearly as old," Michael e

to let the gentlemen drive over the causeway bridge to the courtyard-where they would be told by Nicholas that

as to who her husband really was-for no reason except that the whole subject disturbed her greatly-the very mention of Michael's name or the thought of him always filling her with wild and mixed emotions. She had schooled herself in the years that had gone by since their parting, into absolutely banishing his memory every time it recurred. She had a vague feeling that she must be free of him, and safe before she could even pronounce his name to Lord Fordyce, who naturally must know eventually. There was an unaccountable and

out to the sea and she often had tea there. There would be no use in all her prayers for calm and poise if they should desert her now in this great crisis of her life. She was bound to Henry by her promised word, given of her own free will-and she meant to keep it, and do everything in her power to make herself free. She was an extremely honest person, honest even with herself, and she realized that either her own weakness or inde

ok hands with Henry, and then turned to his friend without

politely. "You are both

er big garden sun-bonnet-and then he stiffened suddenly and grew very pale. He was a little behind the other two, and they observed nothing, bu

, and then pulled himself to

eye with a blank, agreeable want of recognition; while she made som

id not expect you for another hour-what a silent motor

e down from the turret summer-house. She looked the picture of a fresh June rose as she carried her basket full of August flowers-phloxes and penstemons an

what then? What did it mean? He could not claim her-she was engaged to Henry, his friend-to whom he had given his word of honor that he would help as much as he could. I

citement which she had ever known was coursing through her blood. At last she did cat

t you even better th

and on into her own sitting-room where they would find tea. She supposed afterwards

tities of book-cases and comfortable chairs for all its vast size. Michael thought there was a faint look of his own room at Arranstoun-and he joined the two who had adv

t reminds me of Arranstoun, does it not you

nsciously made it resemble that place? She did not

self to look at him critically now-not with just the cursory glance she had bestowed upon Henry's friend at first-for he had turned and was talking to Ma

He had "it"-manifesting in every part of him and his atmosphere! A magnetism, a hateful, odious power which she felt, and fiercely resented. He had re

weet and charming to Henry, who was in the seventh heaven in consequence. The dreaded introduction of his too-fa

nger who did not even find his hostess fair, he could not have been more casual or less impressed. And al

ad expected the meeting and had had time to school herself to act! But this straw

you my friend's name in my postscript, the post

caught it just now!" Sabine

up of tea from Madame Imogen's fat hand, Michael

Arranstoun over the border i

ge play I do think. A party of my friends visited that very castle only last fall. M

yebrows raised themselves in a whimsical way-back had rushed to him the recollection that on the only

ow England?" he

a month when I was a child; we we

, our country is most beautiful-but it is

had to allow herself some outlet, she

game that but for the name "Howard" he could have almost believed that this young woman was his Sabine's double-but he rememb

s heart was called Howard-obscured by his friend's assertion that her husband was

there was anything underneath; and then with a pang of mortification and pain he remembered hi

dismissed them with Madame Imogen to show them to their rooms in the other part of the house which was connected to this,

he said as she paused at her door, "because our good Cu

Henry had bent and surreptitiously kissed his hostess' hand-and a sudden bli