The Glimpses of the Moon

if, after her arrival, herpalace see

sible for Susy, when they finally found themselves alone,to make her

d understand me-- especially now," shedeclared, her slim hands in Susy's, her

happy one's selfmade one--as Mrs. Vanderlyn appeared to assume --more tolerantof the happiness of others, of however doubtful elementscomposed; and she was almost asham

ehappy," that lady continued, as if the possession of so unu

ness, responded that she had

nsider myself in any way exceptional," Susyintervened. She longed to add: "Not in your way, at anyrate--" but a few minutes earlier Mrs. Vanderlyn had told herthat the pala

and of making her shift the conversationto the safer if scarcely less absorbing t

seare the things I used to live for," she thought, as she stoodbefore the outspread glories of Mrs. Vanderlyn's wardrobe. Notthat she did not still care: she could not look at Ellie's

tive, and the thing that most puzzled anddisconcerted her about Ellie was the fact tha

ldn't do to go to St. Moritzlooking like a frump, and yet there was no time to get anythingsent from Paris, and, whatever she did, she wasn't going to showherself in any dowdy re-arrangements done at home. But suddenlyligh

p Clarissa and take herto some stuffy cure

me more than day ortwo."Susy's heart sank. She was not much afraid of Ellie alone, butEllie and Nelson tog

e two dangers separatelyand successivel

rthings if he brings them. It's a pity to risk losing yourrooms."This argument appealed for a moment to Mrs. Vanderlyn. "T

be glad to get rid ofme--you and Nick! Oh,

ks when we two were alone...."The sudden tears, brimming over Ellie's lovely eyes, andthreatenin

was waiting to take her out for their usualsunset on the lagoon, she felt a wave o

set tothemselves, and in the interval Susy had once again learned thesuperior quality of the sympathy that held them together. Shenow viewed all the rest of life as no more than

dthrough the scent of hidden gardens, she leaned against him a

igarette, and the match lit up thegrin with which he answered: "But, my dear, have I eve

Yes: all those trunks and trunks full. And she finds she'sgot nothing for St. Moritz!""Of course," he murmu

runkfuls from Paris. But mercifully I've managed to persuadeher that it would be foolish to wait."Susy felt a hardly perceptible

o prevent Ellie's waiting forNelson, if for once in her life she wants to?"Susy, conscious of reddening suddenly, drew

s "Why?""Because she's in such a fever to get to St. Moritz--and in sucha funk

at an odd question! There's hardly anyone I've reason to bemore devoted to

aving usalone in this heaven."Dimness had fallen on

Ellie announced that,after all, she had

withwhich she always discussed her own difficulties. "After all,people who deny themselves everything do get warped a

hadfatally undermined his own health; and in the laugh that

dly exchanged glance, said toherself, with a sharp twinge of apprehension: "Of courseStreffy knows everything; he showed no surprise at finding Ellieaway wh

venbetraying to him the secret of the letters. Only by revealin

ations of a young composer whohad embroidered his fancies on Browning's "Toccata," Susy foundh

uld you and I make mysteries to

e and Nelson? You call that a mystery? I should assoon apply the term to one of the million candle-poweradvertisements t

hat's wrong?"

if Ellie and Nelson meethere, she'll blurt out something-

ill! I trust that su

.."Strefford flung away his cigar and turned to scrutinize her. "Idon't see--hanged if I do. What business is it of any of us,after all?"T

ord--doesn't he know that you know? After all, I s

ang it, what's come over you, child?"What had, indeed, that she could make clear to him? And yetmore than ever she felt the need of hav

arissa was sworn to secrecy itwas not because it 'worries father' to think that mother needsto

from the depths of the ch

nowing...."Strefford sat silent: she felt his astonished stare through thedarkness. "Jove!" he said

r--?" the young composer's voices

rom which he rousedhimself only as Susy

ween us; you and I-andClarissa," he said w

the drawing-room, where Ellie was saying plaintively toFred Gillow: