The Moon Rock

table set for three. Besides, Sisily had been engrossed in her own thoughts throughout the meal. Mrs. Pendleton was disturbed by her quietness. There was something unnatural about it

er grief on her shoulder, been reasonably comforted, and eaten a good dinner afterwards. But Sisily was not that kind of girl. She was strange and unapproachable. There was something almost repellent in her

the stigma on the girl's birth, but there were awkward circumstances, and not the least of them was her own rash promise to break the news to Sisily that she was illegitimate. That disclosure was not likely to help their future relations together. Mrs. Pendleto

ablishing his claim to the title. A peer of the realm with an illegitimate, disinherited daughter! The story would be pounced upon by a sensational press, avid for precisely such topics. In im

it; saw her position in her small social circle shaken and overwhelmed by the clamour of notoriety. She

age would make him, as it were, a public figure, and the glamour which the newspapers would throw over his lifelong quest would invest every act of his life with a publicity from which he could not hope to

hands of the whole affair. Then she thought of the money, and wavered. Robert had made her a generous offer, and the money would have helped so much! She had already planned the sp

aw a way out-a way so simple and practical that she

when she made up her mind. Her mind was made up now. She g

ally shopkeepers who tried to sell serpentine match-boxes at the price of gold ones, and provided with hotels where dull tourists submitted to a daily diet of Cornish pasties and pollock under the delusion that they were taking in local colour in the process. Mr. Pendleton's stomach resented his own rash deglutition of these dainties, and in consequence he was suffering too much with acute indigestion to think of the compensation he woul

arriage engenders in the female breast, his wife lean

ph," she said, "I w

ton's rebellious tendencies instantly ev

he replied meekl

tice that she did not spe

s overcome with

She's one of the dumb sort of girls. I always mis

antages of other young women"-Mr. Pendleton was going to add "in her station of life," but a tim

. I've been thinking it all over, and I'm half s

t?" said her h

le. It would be much better to keep this quiet, after all these years. There is really no occasion for it, if Robert will only listen to reason. Robert wishes to

would be legal, my dear,"

of course-that there was some legal reason why she could not succeed. I do not think there would be any trouble with her. She does not look the kind of girl to delight in a title and a lot of money. Robert would hav

learnt the futility of domestic argument-on the husband's side at least

year. Robert can

our brother Aus

o consult Austin in the matter. I thought of asking Dr. Ravenshaw to go with me and try and influence Robert. Robert trusts him implicitly, and he seems

but with the moral cowardice of a husband he forebore

ising from her seat as she spoke. "Go and order tha

n the spur of the moment, but he had never become used to it. "Do you inte

y n

, but could find none. "It's rath

glanced at her wrist watch.

a lingering glance at the cheery glow of the log-fire in the

morning for anything, if we are to catch the ten o'clock train for London. Beside, Austin would see us if we went

about

looked tired out, and needs a good night's r

ings. When she descended from her room her husband was awaiting her in the lou

mackerel and pitch. In a few minutes the car was clear of the town, an