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OE SA Nl eae AN ge
bBo WILD MARGARET.
‘“What is the use——” she tried to break in with, but
he went on. .
‘‘Most men, I believe, placed in a like position, that of
a rejected suitor, implore the lady who refuses them her
love to grant them her friendship. I did so. * But while
most men mean nothing by it, I meant a great deal. Ifl
. could not have you for myself, I was ready to serve you a3
a grand vizier serves his sultan, or a slave its master, You
accepted my offer. It was not I you wanted, but another
man; that man was Blair Leyton.”’ Ho
i ‘*You—you put it plainly,’ she murmured, biting her
ip |
He looked over-her head.
‘Yes. Truth is natural, always,” he said. ‘I under-
took to help you to gain him, asking for no definite reward,
but trusting to your generosity.”’ .
‘You shall ask for what you like. I will grant it,”’ she
said, ‘* you know that.”
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘‘I know that,’’ but his response was
uttered with a significance which she did not appreciate.
‘“You and he were engaged, the engagement is broken
off; it ismy task to see that it is renewed. I am engaged
in that task now. Between us, it is understood there
should be no concealment. Concealments would be fatal.
You ask me to tell you alj concerning this visit of Blair to
the Court. Iintend doingso. .There isnot much difficulty,
for I have just left Blair, who has found out his heart
after his fashion.”
“His heart! About what?” she demanded, taking up
_ her tea cup. ,
‘* About a girl he met there,” he said, quietly and coldly.
The fragile and priceless piece of porcelain fell crushed
by her fingers.
He rose courteously and picked up the fragments.
‘It will spoil the set,’”? he remarked, coolly.
Girl—girl!) What girl?” she demanded.
She was white to the lips, and her gray eyes seemed to
have grown dark, almost black. .
_ “A girl whom he found staying in the house,” he re-
joined, with a cool ease that maddened her. ‘I can de-
scribe her, for Blair was minute to weariness. She is tall,
graceful, has auburn hair, large and expressive eyes, &
small mouth, a clear, musical voice, an angelic smile——”’
She put up her hand.
. Are—are you saying all this to—to play with me?” she
said, and her voice was almost hoarse.
_He raised his brows and looked above her head with an
air of surprise.
‘No, They are his own words,” he said. -
j
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sctva-anmpa:ds uy ta ¢ puso pan a tensa etna cine Vinten yon —_
ae eee