SINNERS IN HEAVEN BY CUVE ARDEN iv m (Continued) “Oh. yes. y es!” Interrupted Barbara I The closing pai »graphs of chap, Impatiently. “But that's not sufficient ter 4, scheduled to appear on page It's not a woman's love for a m an; 6 last week, was crowded over to that's quite a different thing. I know.' tbia column by pressure of late “Don't talk like a novelette!” her mother broke in querulously. Then, news.] suddenly, her eyes narrowed and her thin face sharpened. “How do you tonlshed them both. Passion and a know?” she asked meaningly. sense of tbe dramatic had ever been Barbara was momentarily off her far from his nature. Involuntnrily, guard, not realising her slip. The however, his fingers closed around her other woman pursued the advantage. wrists. Raising her hands, he pressed “Answer me, Barbara! I have not his Ups upon them. hitherto pressed for the confidence “Heaven knows what was rlglit or that was my due—in spite of the gos­ wrong,” he declnred hurriedly. "But— sip which has come to my knowledge. oh, my dear! God help you!” You owe it to us all, now , to give an The door slammed, and he was gone I account of your life upon that island. from her life—this man who had been Did anything happen there to cause friend and brother, playmute or lover, this step?" The girl stood looking down into the all her youth. . , . She stood gazing drearily through the window at the fire, uncertain of her reply, for a few desolate tennis court, where they hail moments. Her mother gave a little played so often together, and an extra click with her lips. “Ah I” she said decisively, “we wave of lonely bitterness swept Into her heart. . . . She saw Hugh, with thought so !” bent head, cross the grass to the gar­ “Thought what?" cried Barbara, den gate. . . . Then she sank Into turning sharply. a chair before the fire, crushed by an “That there had been some non­ overpowering sense of physical weak­ sense between you and that man, un­ ness. chaperoned as yon were,” The girl’s eyes smoldered ominously, and she set her teeth. Her mother, exasperated by this reticence, contin­ Darbury seethed and bubbled, and ued with increasing anger: consumed endless tea. over the broken “I ought never to have given my engagement of Hugh and Barbara. It consent. I always knew he was an is always easier to criticize other peo­ unscrupulous type of man—I never ple’s actions with the aid of this sooth­ trusted him ! But you at least should ing beverage. It seems to enhance have known better, after your very one's own sense of respectability in a careful upbringing. If his Ideas were world of sin. loose—” Nobody was surprised, of course I “Stop, mother!” Her quick anger Nobody ever is on such occasions. mounted. “You don't know what you Everybody knew that something would are saying. He was the soul of honor. hsppen—which is always a safe con­ And because of it I—yes, I grew to jecture. love him with all my heart. I couldn’t But what everybody did not know help It. I shall love him until I die,” concerning the latter thrill was the she Cried recklessly, throwing herself real reason. And herein lay the cause into a chair and burying her head. of the emptying tea caddies. Unfor­ "You mean to say," asked Mrs. tunately, Miss Davies was In London Stockley sarcastically, "that It is 'the attending Christmas meeting over soul of honor’ to hake advantage of a “fallen girls,” so the mystery remained girl's lonely position? To lure her unsolved. But the weed of suspicion from the man—" grew into a lusty tree. Again, and "He did not I” She sprang angrily in louder tones, the question arose: to her fe e t; then, realized, too late, the What happened on the island? wisdom of Hugh's warning. It was known that the Uochdales Her mother laughed incredulously. "Then you gave him your affection unnsked? You behaved like a senti­ mental schoolgirl—threw yourself at his head, In fa ct? ' Anything was better than exposing Alsn's name to the fate awaiting It If the truth oozed out. She caught at this straw, anxious to end the ordeal. "If you like to think so. He cer­ tainly never—asked me to care for him. But I couldn't help It," »he re­ pented. Thug It was whispered from one bosom friend to another throughout Darbury that, during her sojourn upon the Island, Barbara became the vicilm of an unrequited , passion. This added spice to the mystery, while whetMng curiosity. Did her companion never guess? Could ally man, • in snch cir­ cumstances, be Ko blind— or so pla­ tonic? Curious glance« followed iher; voices were lowered, when she appeared; a constraint become, obvious in her pres­ ence. . . W elt aware of It all. She threw it off with et shrug, scorn adding to the misery o f her heart as she dragged through (he days. Occasional­ ly her another foncted the subject open again. "If Hugh ev er'w ish es to renew the engagement," ah* said once, “I Insist upon your doing^ so." "I couldn’t pdeidMy. mother 1" “How Do You Know?” “Why not? 7'he other man is dead. and Mrs. Stockley were deeply upset, . . . You