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9 American Sunday Monthly Magazine Section Guinevere's Lover, Chapter XXI11 HAT could this mean? Only one thing—Algernon would never dare to speak so to her if she had not given him the right to do so. He is, at least, a gentleman, and in society has now quite courtly manners, just as his father had. Is he then this beautiful creature's—lover? Oh, Alas!—my son, my son—— For an hour or more, 1 sat stricken with horror and grief, clutching the old silk curtains. The relentless, inexorable Nemesis which hangs over this house and this Bohun family is here with its awful shadow again. And Hugh and 1 broke the law—and these two arc breaking the law this is our hideous punishment— and the price is not yet paid. The last rays of the sun seemed to flood the sky with blood—and heavy purple clouds were gathering in promise of coining storm. * * * * * We are here at Cowes again. The second year we had the Guinevere we did not come for the Regatta week, but ran over to France instead, so my memo ries of the Gardens and the whole social aspect of the place are of those days four years ago, when 1 parted from Hugh. Langthorpe has taken a yacht this summer, and Algernon and I are with him and Letitia, and a couple of agreeable young men—his nephew, Henry Ger maine, and Freddy Burgoyne. Algernon spends his time rushing about in his motor boat. He is perfectly reckless and goes at top speed whenever he can. I do not allow myself to give way to the anxiety this causes me. Letitia says he is the most gorgeously beautiful specimen of human youth there can be in England, and that every woman who looks at him is moved in some way. When nothing crosses him his man ners are now charming also, and I perfectly under stand Kathleen’s infatuation for him. She is so hard anil devoid of sentiment herself, she does not miss it in him. He has her in complete subjection, and 1 believe he would actually beat her if she dis obeyed him or made him jealous! They are two primitive savages together. She is here on the Ilermione with her father, and we see them con stantly, and in the close intimacy of yachts, I cannot help observing things. How the situation escapes the notice of the rest of the party is a marvel to me. The hours are a nightmare, and this afternoon Hugh arrives for the week, and it will be absolutely im possible, 1 fear, for him not to perceive something of the case, only there is so little tenderness between Algernon and Kathleen. They seem to tease one another and chaff and not particularly desire to be alone, except they will go off sometimes in an elec tric launch Algernon has hired, and spend the whole afternoon landed somewhere by themselves. They say it is to play golf on one of the island courses. Sometimes 1 tell myself that without the key of what I know I should never suspect anything beyond a boy and girl friendship and a similarity of tastes. What Letitia thinks about Algernon and Kathleen I do not know. My mind is in chaos and I cannot sleep sometimes for the awful dread. Letitia and I and Langthorpe were having tea in the gardens this afternoon at the outside fringe of the crowd near the tent, at the corner where the grass suddenly slopes down to the hedge, when Hugh came from the Club-house and joined us. He had just arrived. I was conscious of his approach, although 1 was sitting sideways to him, and a pro found emotion came over me. How are we to live in the same neighborhood, if this is going to happen always at the sight of him? He is certainly older looking he is forty-three now, but his charm is as great as ever. Letitia says it has augmented because of his complete indifference and aloofness. And even among this company ifXUttlOf 'Oj of distinguished - looking Englishmen he stands out with a cachet of his own, more so than ever with the grey in his hair. His perfect manners covered the gene of our meeting and he took a basket chair and sent a waiter for some more tea. Then he began to talk to Letitia. Bransdale was almost finished and would Ire a com fortable house in time, he told her. “It is only fair that I should spend half the year there now,” he said, “as I have spent so much of my life already at Minton Dremont.” And then he asked, not addressing any of us especially: “ Where is Algernon? ” “Up in the waterplane, or out in that terror of a motor boat of his,” laughed Langthorpe. “Algernon is a dasher at all things. Glad he has not entrapped Henry into his tastes; the pace he drives that boat at is not safe, and Guinevere here can’t do anything with him.” Presently some new arrivals came to ward my sister and brother-in-law, and they rose to speak to them, sitting down with them a pace or two off, and Hugh and I were momentarily left alone. “Guinevere,” he said very low, after a little silence, “it is torture for me to see you like this. Nothing is changed in the least. I love you more madly than ever. I came down here because, after this week, 1 am going away again into the wilds, and 1 thought it would look better to be seen once more casually in civilization. I have tried to do as you told me, but it is a failure. I cannot get through the aching days with the knowledge that you are near and I may not be with you. I cannot any longer bear nty life.” “Nor I mine, Hugh,” I answered miser ably. “I shall be glad when you are gone. 1 thought we were both strong last time when you came to see me in my turret room, and indeed I prayed for you—and myself. But it is all of no use, and so it is better for you to go.” Hugh stretched out his long legs and leaned back in his chair, looking straight in front of him. "1 shall stay away until Kathleen di vorces me. She can under the circum stances, for desertion, I suppose. It is appallingly hard luck upon her to be tied to me, and if she should ever fancy someone else, I want to make it easy for her to get rid of me.” 1 grew cold as he spoke. If he only knew that Kathleen had already “fancied” someone else, and that it is—Algernon. And that fact, when it is known, will turn the barrier that is now between him self and me into one that nothing can ever break down again in this world. He saw my face growing whiter, I sup pose, for he said anxiously: “Guinevere, what is it? Is something changed, then, and you do not any longer care so much for me?” “No, Hugh,” I answered. “Nothing is changed, nor can I ever alter what I feel for you. It is just the cruelty of the situation which weighs upon me unbearably.” “Darling,” he gasped, and then went on more evenly. “I want to talk to you in peace just for t his one afternoon. Comedown through the little door there on towards the Green. We will say aloud to Letitia that we are going to see the waterplanes, and we will walk on right to the end of the parade where there will not be a soul. Guinevere, do not refuse me this— there are so many things 1 want to say before I go.” T(iroc Weeks r in an I screamed aloud and found myself struggling in the arms of the first mate I suppose in my agony I rushed forward to get into the sea I rose immediately and we joined Letitia’s group indifferently, where Hugh made his announcement; and then we strolled down and out of the narrow door on to the sea wall, and so to the parade. We hardly spoke while we were among the crowd of tourists and sightseers, all coming or going toward the sheds of the waterplanes, and then presently we got beyond all that and were practically alone. “ ^ ou know she has altered most of our garden, darling,” Hugh said. “It hurt frightfully, but I made it a rule not to curtail or interfere with any of