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228 WILD MARGARET,
Her face paled as she remembered the night Blair had
~ come to Park Lane and kissed her.
‘‘Not—not very lately, sir. Not for some weeks.”
‘Then he may be abroad— at Monte Carlo.or some other
‘ congenial place?”’
4 ‘* No,” she said, in a low voice; ‘‘ he has not left Lon-
on.’
He looked at her with the shrewdness of old age.
‘*You keep yourself informed of his movements; you
care for him still, Violet?”’
She did not answer, but her keen eyes met his for a mo-
ment. and her small, restless fingers plucked at the edge of
the silk shawl which she had thrown over him,
The ear] sighed.
‘The love of women!’ he muttered. ‘It passes all
comprehension. My poor girl!”
‘“‘Do not pity me, sir,’’ she said. ‘‘ Perhaps——’”’ she
stopped. -
“You think all may yet be well?’ he said, with sup-
pressed eagerness, and with asudden flash of light in his
eyes. ,
She did not reply, but he read her answer in her down-
cast face.
‘“‘Tt would save him!’ he murmured. ‘' But would it ©
make you happy? My poor Violet——’’
~ “Tf not, then nothing else will,’’ she said, a deep red
covering her face. ee
Before he could make any response, the door opened and
a servant announced Viscount Leyton.
Violet Graham turned pale, and rising, passed out of the |
room by one door as Blair entered by the other.
The ear] held out his hand; Blair, advancing quietly, took
it, and the two men, the great earl and the one who would
so soon take his place, looked at each other; then the earl
let Blair’s hand drop, and sighed.
‘“Great heavens!’ he said, in the low and feeble
voice, ‘‘ judging by countenances we might well change
places!’ and he looked at Blair’s haggard but still hand-
some face.
Blair smiled grimly,
‘‘What have you been doing? But noneedtoask. Have
you been trying to kill yourself?”
Blair smiled again, and then sank into a chair.
‘Never mind me, sir,” he said, gently, and his voice,
for it was as soft as a woman’s when he was moved, made
the old man wince; ‘‘Iam of no account. I did not know
you were so ill until I got your letter—or rather Violet
Graham’s. Are you better? I trust so.”
Oh, yes, I am better, I shall soon be quite well—if
Se