Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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If oidv/he could change hinl- If IRwere not too late! IF ako himself 11 ke other mem! fret ask,you any more «|U‘*s- “You are Mm away. , Kct to John fhe room empty* He stood there, a gl.antgfto- t sonless 'fljptre, his muscles sMKl«ut, hts f rak Yciysiv .iiiSf. eyes .aflame, Titl ing dmvn at the. proslraR figure.-pf the tnan on whom he hjKt wreak cdlhft ncnirnulatV'd fury.firyihesc - Irntl wqeRjs of tmidft“ss. -- -• ' -y.f y 2 ——' . . CHARTER XXI. TdwsujjJ nine o’clock on the follow ing prormrig John rose from a fitful xl^ef) and looked aroumFJiim. Eyem- fri^dLliind you hdve “spoken,^ wgry /M ftmiuho eoutd rcca.lt the events of Sweetly, Toiyofftow I will- go and see the preceding night he felt Mint, there *» * l - ... l,:.. t.Unln CHAPTER XIX—Continued. ■ —11— r- The re» eptjon in honor of (he tittle company' of French < raged i.iris, at Which almost the i\.bob"<if'the English stage «wi a sprinkling «*f xyrrtcty pew* pie were present, was a-coiftplett* sue. CesY, . I.ouHe made a charming host ess. and Sir Edward hjorC tliftu—aver justified Id's- reputation for saying the right thiiig to the right persomat the rijjjht moment. Tj.ie rooms were crowd edjwith throngs of distinguished pcse pie, who all seemed to have plenty to say to one another. ' i .. 1 the only person, perhaps, who found himself curiously 111 at ease was Jobh/. He heard nothing hut' French on all sides of 1dm—a language which he read with ’some facility, b,ut which he spoke* like a schoolboy.He had been wandering about' for more than an liour before Louise discovered him. She at'once left her place and crossed the room to where ho was stajpdingYty \ 4 the wall. "Cheer tin!” she begged, with a de lightful smile. "I am afraid /hat you are being bored to death. Will’ you not come and he presented to our guests?” ^ "For goodness’ sake, no!" John Im plored. “1 have never seen TW@~~dr them act, and my French Is appalling; I am all right, dear. It’s quite enough pleasure to see you looking so beauti ful, nnd to. think that I am going to be allowed to drive you home afterward." Louise ..looked into a .neighboring mirror, and gazed critically at her •wn reflected Image. She had a curi ous feeling that at that precise mo ment she had reached the zenith of her power and her Charm. Her audi ence at the theater had been wonder fully sympathetic, had responded with rare appreciation to every turn of her voice, to every movement nnd gesture. The compliments, to.o, which she had been receiving from the crowds who had bent over.her fingers that nlghF had been 1 no idiF words. She was conscious^- vunitely con scious, of'the atmosphere she had cre ated-around; her. She wnsxglorylng In the subtle' outward signs of It. She was in love with herself; in love, too, with this delightful new feeling of loving. It would have given her-Ynori* Joy than anything else In the ^.’orld^ til that. moment of her triumph, to have passed her arm through John's, to have led him up to therti all, and to have said: "After all, you see, I am a very slm-' pie sort of wom..n. T have done Just the sort of simple thing that other women do, and I atn glad of it—very glad nnd .very happy!!’ Her lips moved to the.-music of-her thoughts. -John leaned toward her. “Did you say nnyThTng?" he asked. "You dear stupid, of course I did not! Or if- I' dlft if^vyas just one of those-little whispers to oneself which Incan,, nothing, yof which count for so- mucl». (’an I not dd^anything to make you enjoy yourself more? I shall have to go hack to my guests now. We are expecting a royal personage, and those two dears who keep so close to my side do-not- speak a word of Eng-' Hsh" ' . » ’ "*v/ ‘ y "Flense "go back, dear," Johu_hegged promptly: "It was nice of you tugroine at all. .Ayd. here’s Sophy at last*,thank goodness ! Nmv 1' am nil rigid. She laid her lingers upon hlsafm. "You must take me hack to my place," she said. "Then \ u cun go and -talk nonsense t«* Sophy." They wave hack in the‘crowd, now. and she dismissed him with a little hod. He uiHde his r $yyy quickly to the spot where Ik* had’ seen Sophy.. To his disappointment, she had db-ap/; .peared. (Jraillot, however, came up., and-seized him ’ y the afm. ... “Still playing the moth, my young friend? 1 ’ he exclaimed. “Aren’t the wings sufficiently bu'rtnid_yet?’’ ’•‘i can at; a id it's become a "'•perma nent role, ’ '-John .jrepTie.d, ;'ffr the two men shoofr.+TTTTids;' “Where have you been all these wecksJdnUl why haven’t . ypfi lieejp to sec 1 uh*?'’. 1 - -“Paris, ni\ dear young friend and Iif* ! Nmv l antback again-—! atu not. ure that i -know "wlfv.' I ea-rnd out of this world an a human being well could tye!“ /*. n ; ; John waited upon her without any further remark. The, prince of Seyre, passing through, howcfl to tlieift; John looked'ffrier'^8'”fei§^llnjj- J |lifii«S i /'All' irresistible impulse seized him. "Sophy," he asked.jrttting down by her side, “tell me, whyymve the prince .and Louise 'always been ' sinTi great friend*?-”- , • . Sophy looked stenflntstly at her-ice. “I suppose; because the prince is a j‘motif very clever and cultivated person," she bald. "He has been of greo-t.4i.sr sistanee to Louise several times. It was he who financed Miles Faraday when he put on thtrpjuy of (iraillot’s. (JraLUof hasn’t u penny, .you know, and poor Miles was almost/broke after three failures “It is only in the finer shades of ethotionnlfsm,” the critic declared, "that* these French actresses get ut us a little more ’completely even titan Louise Msturei. Do you know the rear- son? lire th^e |ife. They have a dozen new emotions in a season. They make a cult-of feeling. .They use their bruins to dissect Rhcir pnssjons. They cut their <^vn- life Into small pieces*and us the result without conceal- 'Tljtit is where they score, Lf anywherm^Thls Mine. Latrobe, who opens over hcrtMoiimfrovv night, is iip love at the p|esentTUQlnent with Jean Tonrhet. She had qn affair with that Ita,lilln poet in (lie summef.^^rt they tell nie. She 1 was certainly ixi'Mihiqd In October with I?retoIdi,/the sculp- ( F )r - These men areYalLTreatl artists. "That was Just anl. investment,t'Think w hat she .must - h ive llearmil John remarked irritably. "He will get his money hack, again." “Of course,” Sophy agreed. "I think UfaKprince gcherally inauages to g<*t vulue f»t what he does la life.” "You don^t think' Louise ever thought of caring for him, do y/iu?” John persisted. Sophy pnused Nuntli she. had Jit a cigarette. The- expression in iKi^face vVfu*n“ she looked up aFJohnTtrri him vaguely. It was as if she were talking to a child. “I think,” she said, “you had bbtter ask Loqlse that question, yourself, don’t you?’ • • • 0 0.0 0 He asked ft an hour or so later, when at last th^ paidy of guests had taken their leave, and, somewhat to the well-bred stir prise of the one or two friends who lingered, Louise had beckoned JO John to take her out to car. Her hand bad sought his at once, her head rested a little wearily Init very contentedly upon his shoul der, •'*' "I.oulse, dear,” he began, “I asked Sophy a question tonight which I ought to have asked you. Quite prop- ofly, she told me so." —-y- \ "Nice' little soul, Sophy!” Louise murmured. "What was it, John?” "Once or' twice I huve wondered," lie went on, "whether .you huve ever cured In any sort of way, or come near to qarlng, for the prince of Seyre?” For a moment she made ho,move ment. Then she turned her head and looked at him. The sleepy content liad gone from her eyes, v “Why do you ask?” Ji- — _ X "Isn’t It quite a natural question from a jealous man who believes that | everyone .who sees yon must he in love with you? You have seen a great deal of the jtrince, haven’t you, in the last few years? He understands your aft. There are muny things that you and he have in common. Impulse was looking out of the win dow at the thin stream of-people still passing along Ficadlljy. She seemed suddenly to have become only the shadow of her former brilliant self. "I think that once—perhaps twice," she confessed, “I came very near to ••firing for him.” . - v ^ ■ . “And now? "And npwr she repeated, suddenly gripplpRJohn’s hands, "I tell you thgt Rata yory much nearer having him. much Tor the prince! In. ten min utes we shall, he at home, and you are such a deur'stupid about coming in. Y T ou must try to say all the nice things in the world to me qulekly—in ten. minutes!" ' ’. "How shall I begin?” he whispered. She leanedOnee jnore toward him. "You don’t Iiee'd any hints,she mur- "You’re really quite good-at-- It!" ‘ feet ions, jt is tny oiiitiitai thjjT she wolild -not hesitate. Yoti sceuyfo thlnk it tin outrageous thing th'a,t/flt$*•,pr.mce. Should have-been her perfectly frank, I do . 3"And toiuglih forget it all,"-.-she pleaded'. "Wipe if out,of your mem ory. Tonight she is not here, unitj am. Even if yoiLJlXO. furu>usiy in love vejfi To he i.vvilh her, th»ue IsnTRhy: hartn in yohr Lslnniid lx/ being just a ; '.ii/ia^jjfoe to me. Hive from associating with them! Now Louise Maufel, so far as we know, has never had hut one affqir, the prince of Seyre, and has been faithful to him, all the tiine^ 1 .-•■ * • - 'J It wAs out at last! John had heard It spoken In plain words. The black dernoti upon which his hand had lain so / heavily, was alive now, without n doubt, jeering at him, inoeKirig at hfm and self-assertive in the sober words of the elderly, well-bred man lounged upon the table. . Fpr moment, or two John w as stunned. A wild impulse assailed hiiu to leap up limi TSQnfront them all, to choke the lie back^down the throat of the man who had uttered it. Every nerve*Tn his body-was tingling with the desire, for action. The stupor :pf his senses alone kept him motionless, nnd a strange, incomprehensible ciar- hty of thought^ He reulized exactly how things were.' T-his num had not spoken idly, or as a scandalmonger. *He had spoken what he laid accepted :is a fact, what oilKH^ptmple beftoved. John n»se tc Ids foot nnd made his w ay toward-the r;**or. His face showed little sign of disturbance.! He even nodded to sofne men whom- ho knew sliglnly. As he passed down - the stairs, he met Graillot. Tlien once more his. self-control became in danger. >Hc seized the Frenchman savagely by the arm.' ' - ? \ . "Come this way,” he said, leading him toward the card-room. "Come in here! I want to speak do you.” lie -locked the door—-a jnost un heard-of and irregular proceeding. Graillot felt the coming of the stonji. -"Well!” he exclaimed grimly. “Trou ble already, eh? I sfa* it in your fuce, young man. Out witliit!” ' , “I,was sitting In the smoking room then*, a few moments ago," he began, jerking his .head toward the door. “There wore some meu talking— do cent fellows, not dirty scandal-mon gers. They sppke of Louise Muurel.” Graillot nodded gravely. He knew very wqll what iyps coining. John felt his throat suddenly dry. The words he would have spoken choked him. He hanged his fist upon tlie table by the side of which they were studding. “Look. here. Graillot,’’ he cried,' al most piteously, “you know it Is not true, jjlul.likely ’ to be true! Can’t you say so?” , ^ ^ “Stop, my j’oung friend!” the F'rencliiiiau interrupted. “I knoVv noth ing: It is a habit of mine to know Very muFTfTnbf< riage.Tj Johnj made W9 esejape somehim, JTe remeniheroiL opening it he. (Jcouv- hutrlie had no recollection 'pf ron/liing tU'‘ street, vA few’ inhiuti*^ biter. Iiowevifi', lie fpfjnd himself stricling down I'iJ.*- Vadilly. toward Hvde Park corner..' •/ Ho found a taxieyh and was driven toward the. Milan. Tie was conscious' of a wild desire to keep aw,ay fro,in his rooms. Every pulse-iTi hi? body was ting|ing. Bo AVas .lier/Tly awake, eager for motion, action, excitement mny. sort. Suddenly he remembered tluc''highf club to which ho had been intrOdueerLJry Sophy bn the first night of his arrivatK^in London. The ad dress, too,. was mbct^quitc clearly in 11 is v disonlcred hrainFHle leaned of the cah and repeated it or. *■ The' little place was unexpectoc crowded when he <*ntered; after hav ing handed his hat and coat to a vestiaire. A large supper party was going on at the farther end, and the dancing space w*ns .smaller than tisu hi. The inaitre d’hotel was escorting John to n jsinail table* in a Mistant l c#rner; which had just beyn vacated. 1 W,iu*n the latter heard his name sud denly called by a familiar voice. So phy,- wlui had hiven, dancing, a ban- r doned her partner precipitately and came hurrying up to John with out stretched hands. NC^JohU !’’■ shy exclaimed: “You, of all peirnle lit the world! What do you : mean-^b>-<vomirmg here nhine at this •time of tiiguWQ Fancy opt telling me*! Is anything the iTmtter?” rTsed iit'het' m:n'- me; some reftampagn^-aitd RwAyt some caviar sandwiches.^ “I wonder w hy you. are so good ’to 1 i * v * ^ ^ . me; So)»hy|" lie exciuiined, as he gave the otder ito ji waiter. "You blight -'■ZM’i-d-p ■ -P. was a Ayblght pressing, upon his brain, a miserable s<*nse of emptimjss i-n life, dull feeling of hcyVih|erincnt. AT t'hotigh lia lxuil no eloiiT recqilection of getting there, he realized that ho.wks •.m his own! *-:itting rortrii.' and that he had been nsb c^ upon the couch. > IIP. *-rnv, t«o'. that It wits morn trig, form- -l ay of-.stinlighl 'hiy across tho c.rrprf. ^ As he kl niggled to his fe<*l. lie s A yw • With a lifitlc/shock tliat he v.;is not alone. Sophy Oterard was oH'-ly'd op In his easy choir. sMU -jn • , vvMing clothes, her-- cloak dra'Vn cioscly around her. as if>sh<> w<t** cold. Her h •r. as If.,11,* ■ ill.! i 1 * /) * fil >f ' "Nothing don't exactly know wliv In* rept 1 The Prince Reeled Back. ■ ' • ■ - X cither to marry your young man down at Path; or to have a “sweetheart of your /own, * a companion, Jsome one quite different.” “How different?” Head had ‘fallen back. ' She, too, was ;:T.sb*e,p. At tin* sojunl of his move ment. however., she opened h.er eyes and looked at him for a moment with a puzzhaT'stare. Tlien she jumped to her feet. ■ T. ' “Why., w'e have both been asleep!” khe nninuiired, a little weakly. At the sound-of her voice it all cam* .-i;bq< , k-’4o'"h'on.’ i» *tefigled. h ! deous nighi- mare.-' lie sat down again upon thi» eoiieh and held .lu<' beail between his hands. . “I remember everything liqit it;,;*- petied at the dub.” he Went.on Slow!..'. “Is the prince dead?.”' She shook her head. • -. . “Of course, not! .'He was hurt, though, and there Was.a terrible’.some of confusion iU-tlig, fotmu .Tim people crowded around Mm, and I nmnag somehow, to drag? you away. Tfre manager helpeil us. To tell fan* f711th, he was only too anxious for ybu to away Iwfore the jxiljee arrived- ns so afraid of anything getting 4nto I drove you hack here, nndPitxwm still seemed stunned, I brought voiihpijtiylrs. I didn’t iiiea» to 'stay, but I coimhCt get * you to say a single coliere'nt word!\I was afraid to leave yoji alonA!’’ “I ‘*»upjh»s*’ I was drunk.” li? In a dull'tone. ”1 rememher lining Someone who cared for you as yop K i H ^ Vt , r Vd over again. There is I rt*aH.v-“d»‘ s erve to he bared for, and w hom you cored for, too/ “I cannot take these things as light- is the prince^” Tie nskefFL b v :1S 1 used to,” she answered 1 a little ,-t rncU- hi- A..m,..tiling i,i h»«T4iadly. ‘‘Soinethiiig has come over me CHAPTER XX. The ten minutes passed very rniu too qtiiekly. She was gone, and .fAm> thrilled thougli ije was 't^rouglpTillTps si'iisqs by tin* almost jmssionfite ferv< of. v her Ted-ve-taking, f»wid'‘ hftnseljf >41 co nuxre confront new lry- ; th:rt little Jilack demon. Tjxwe was something •tii, ball Jt lies**, people-' w to.he his friends, which seenieit^ff him to savor of a cons'iTTPlf" cy. ^pTierypTvasimr.kJ; g that could he ^•iw Into definHteTbapmgjuSt till* ghnp • T torfucPig. tntiiossiiH^HTipug'ljt.s™.. Tie wiaksiir no humor tq gy hbmbj^'CTfuhg- Ing the order hPTjad'HI’si gip n T'- J4iV- h.-uib eup. lie w'as-iMycir Instead'i.q Mpalt ■ ov itii these Fre nch people, to 'bem start tin ir^t lie;, 1 • r^/T-'orgive 1-have not 1 aid. ruy n speTsTo ovic- , ■ v. Wi.' shiill liieef ak’uiu T.tos^ • * *• ■ minute otiuy: - ileTHk- lled oiTjTnd. ;i teNv ater JbhnN'omtrtf 'Sophy. “■How lap- you hre “ ; .lie grilnthU'd. | j,>in«*<i “I coiiMil t h* ip>t.” HuKanswored. t p li( i. a vague Inqu* that bo luiglrfMiml ihe, great dratualist; there. T'lt'ere n here simply 'don’t want to go to IhoL” “Where Sophy, struck by something in ids voice, swum* around mid looked at Tihn. Then she flirust- hot^ her arms through his, chisped h»T two hands .together, and Uxi him firmly away. A‘ glimmering of the truth was begin ning to dawn upob lffn\ -“Tell me wliere Vou luiie been since you .loft tip* rece.plion.” she insisted, wheti. at last tliey W*’£e, seat^d'TiT- 1 gerherr - - “Wait till I have ordered some wine.” he >>ai1h “ A wjjJft*!-.served', t.hetrr* with 1, cham pagne. When John's glass was -filled, he drained its contents. Sophy watched him with surprise. She came a little Moser to hfm.. “John.” she whispered “you must tell me—do yon hyar? YouTmist tell me everything! Did you take Louise home?” . “Yes.” * “What happened, theft? You didn't quarrel With her?” “Nothing at till happened." - as sured her. “We parted tlw* best of frivols. * It wasn't that/’ “Then what? Reineiiiher that I qm your friend. .ToWft,mdear. Toil me ev erything.” /. * '^w+4 telL you." lie asse nted. “I went to a litjleClub' I belong to on the Adeliifii Terraco. I'sat.down in tlic smoking room. Thero was no one ffierej knew. ..Some men were talk ing. They’ had bt&n to the recejuion jj tonight. They were comparing French actresses ' and English. They spoke first of the French 'woman. Latrobe. and her lovers; theft of,Ironist*. They* spoke quite ealiuly. Like lifep.discuss ing history. They compared ,tfye two laMj^T r ^bftT/know What it is—butj 1 scciTso have lost my taste for flir tations. Jolipi, don’t look-up, don't turn . round ! Tsjmve bcebr; afraid of ttto-jrnuc?* alt the eXxjyug. Wheti you fame in. 1 fancied thah-ym had been drinking. When the pfinctNtsked/he something about you. an^hourSir so -•“•reo I knew that he had. I saw ofte tiling, though," he added, his voice gninlng’a sudden strepgth; “I. was not drunk when 1 struck the’prince! . 1 renremhet ihosA. few seconds very die-; tinctiy. I saw everything; r kr>e\v ev erything; felt everything. If mv one hhd' interfered, ji think'I should hav* ■killed Inin!" / . ^ . "Von were not drunk at.all." sin* de clared, with a little shiver, “hut you were in a state of terrible excltenierjJ. It was a long tTiw before I could get. you to lie down, afhVthen you wouldn’t lose your » \ os unt il I came and sat like it^once betore.-about a year ago. j py; vnr rr side. I watched you gn'~to Doift take any notice of him! Don’t actresses.- they compared their lives. Latrobe, they said, had lovers liy-the score—Loiilsc qrily mic.'b'v Sophy’?-'hand stqlt*-inp/ - !iis. Sire was w-atcirim: the 1 wist ing of tii? •fea- tures. She un<b r.stwod so, well- the ex- citci+rwTt underncaii'.. ^ - • , r~ ... “I think 1 can guess," she wjiis- ix red. '‘Tbin’t . imrt ytturself telling e any nonce m nun: non 1 1 Tklk Lo him. if you can ^at all help it!”. | Ti.mard their taltle tin* prince'wits slowly making his ua-y. skilfully avoid ing thd dancers, yet looking neither tTi .the right ndr to thi* left. His eyes wcreCastcncd upon John. If he had been drinking,, as Sophy' suggested, there were few signs of it. His wnlk -was steadyhis hearing, its usual, de liberate and distinguished. lie came to a standstjll beside them. Trophy's lingers clutched at the table cloth. Tlie prince looked from due to the other. - “You have robbed me of a guest, Mr. Strangewey,” he remarked; "hut I hear you.no ill-will. It is very seldom that one sees y**u in these-liaunts of dissipation.” \ • "It is .a gala night with me,” John replied, his tone raised no more than usual. l»iit shaking* with - some new quality. ' “Drink a glass of wine with me. prince,” he invited. Taking the bottle from the Ice-pail and filling n tumbler upon the .Table. "Wish-Tne luck, won’t you? I am engaged to be -married !” ’T wish you happiness-with nil niy heart*.” Iho prince answered, holding his-gliiss up. "May I not kno>v the nrame of flic J.ady ?’’ "No doubt you are prepared for the news,” John toiiT.h-im-. "Miss Mairrel has promised to become my yvife-’’ The prince’s hand was as steady fts a rjjck. lie raised his glass to his lips. "I drink to you both with tin* great, cvf of -pleasure,” he said, lpqkM+6-..bdvn full in* ffte lace.’ “It is’a most'remark- hope you are not angry with <TkiqT like to go and h*ay<T' you.” N: , '■.. ^ ^’Howcould I Tk* angry?" he pr.*-. tested. “You - are fnrvjdndcr to me than I deserve: I expeft I should have been in a police colF-Imt • for you!” “And now." she begged, eoming over to him and speaking in a more mat ter-of-fact toiie. “do let 11s lie pra«- tical. I must run awnY, and you niust go nnd have a liath and-change your j'iothos. Don’t he afraid of your repu- ' tation. I can get out by the.<>ther en trance.” ' . “K-ememher." rrlie whispered, “you hifve to go to see Louise!" .—* , v!. «■. : - r‘ — - He covered his face with his hands. — "What’s the use of it?” ho groaned. "It’s only another turn of the screw.!”- "Don’t be foolish, John,” she ad monished briskly.. "You don’t actual ly know anything, yet—nothing at alb;, nre///?<u 11 cfhi.ng- was/5aid- VHlioirt l-iic. -able cmiiciileiil'C. TTonight is Hie. ati- priuce>;->»o—•• His «*y cs bRfzgdcow n 11 «/r. “You. ton?"/'hb^mutli red: v . “i»ocs iho Vvlipji-fW i.'dtl knTvofjt ami. speak ns .if it -did ti«t '-matter-: S^plty. is it M of a!F -yourself Tny. at | Ml.r V ^ peak 1 o u t ! - - /-> imrt ing tne. You A’i ft'jelid. Tv.-- been ; d< .ilk* 1 out.- i ■ !<-, < 11 her [lOl. is ‘ b <\ n.i There ’s a w 4k* soul :* T ell 111*: ’if if is at •you r si -1 f- 1. lookiiig I diired-not irnlngin nit IWflicnliajV Cluli whii.h dq* bad ; H- Ghi.i!lot’s- -itv.stigaHqnc^lb: ' “Look HcreVxCraiWot, You Know It; 1^ V "This is 1 lie- only ,c\cuiiig •irj‘ss'?L pi>«.. scss ;il present, and i had fo uu-nd beftn’i 1 if was decent tocditu; oii; in WIo arc yim wandering ■ ahqut ^ aldfvbY Han’t' Louise het^i kjxid to y.qn?" . - Inis bceft chartning,” Jfthn il*;- enued promptly, “hut she is'surrouftiF id \vThi all sorts of people I don’t know: iSimi’t hdp her. . For one tiling, my, l iTncli *is absurd. Then! llu-y ;ir^-;dI tujFcg ctbotlt filings which I don’t understand .in The least,” ‘ ■Sophy j c/iftiincd silent Tor a-liio--: n« ot. Tlo-n slie biok John’s arftKftud le^hirn to Hie buffet,,. ’“Give me/ftn. ice and a /•rgarette, will yqurplcose? You ore a. dear, im practical person, hut you are as no •s'.:,uV;of. him, huwever.Tn tjuysmuk- ! y. 1 .M.ni/or anyone.c!st> whom John \ . * * . * f:1 lh \V, tlircW.b'nis. tf into an easy ch’atr and '-rHer. d p w hislv.v-and-soda. Two luUe ciosCKf lmud "\s ere Writing ut desks-t othe-ireWcie lounging about, discussing ihe evembgjs rcccjition..One ii.un, sitting upoti tlicwdthv a'recog nized authority, was treating the com pany to -a fluent dissertation upon niodbrn actresses, winding up trusting Louise MauVel’s style with that of her chief Frepetlwival. John f Wftiefting with pleased InterAsL Tiiff-lnan’s. opinidn was cer tainly nSt unfavorable to Louise. Not tiling when people ue.' make of tffntsort. I make jio ijiquirtes^ I accept liftMitKl peopl** as I find them "IhrL ypii dfttCt believe tha| siidFa tliiiig coubT im iimndhl,.?’’ ‘‘Why not?" Gralttoths^vd steadily. •John COUl.d do no moCi^dlrHu'mum ble 0 repetition of bis wordscyTlu world was failing away ..from, h "I wUf not discuss .this mafter with" you, niy friend 1 will oftly qsk \voii / You h.i.us.t;/*n'ot .a>Tc lion. John./; she lugged mov? ' 1 >•'--id* s. these thingsgirt* so diil’dant iiiiour world, tin- world you tions ; ; intVi-trK loipid out ntjich al«.>m yet. j : Siifl’posimsTi.t' were true, ..loliy,” she it YiU,.‘‘WsuieinluY ”thid ^il was be- fare >uu ‘ UnAv hi-r. Suiiposing it .sliould lieYime, rHnemlier*'tliis— yoiif blikfof life i.s. l/d'-alisHM. Is^uie creed made to lii liumitn Tieftigs wlm niay •iilTer in a million diffurcu^s^symCT A woman may'bt'siis- gni+d- as ngy^wcer those*, won] s' The priycV wirnFsidipJiy. rSin.( . night, lilt n.de' title • .that' qlies'- ; ifttersirry -of nivi-r-ary of tin* night when Louise Maiirci pledged, In’u selfTo me.” J'otrn's.friinur s<.*emefi for a moment to dilute. * and lire flashed from his eves t “NYill vnii be good enough to explaitl lie demanded. bowed. F glanced - to- insLst!" be replied. "To. ue tell you, is fho an- tln*YikgliT wfien Louise How shoiiJd-t-Maurel consented to Weojne my- " What -f<illowcd came likoTi-dhundof- da|>. The prince reeled hack/ hi5'-band in ids mouth, blood •drofiftfrg^ upon t-ablcdotb f/oin-his lips, wliere John Ju.id struck hith,/ He made Yi sudden spring.at his, 'Assailant. .Sophy, shriek ing,. leapinf to* her—fcfit.. .. TJyeryoue els.~ IrFTTie ' pTfice swemed paralyzetF wjth wiOMleik f - . ' r ; John seized the prince by the thrqaL iind held hiin-for-a moment at arm’s N horu into the worllKaud, yet takb jusflivpgth. Then lie.lifted h^m off liis feet a* littil/Jovo .into iieNjjftk rf sflcMto es^tifte/ndght^llft' a eliRd from the .to remember the views of tin* world in ; ifiiv and Ya+tid'ul In doiiTg^h. I don tNjloor. Hoftfiug his helpless vietim jn which tve live. Louise*Maui^d -is' an b.eijlexe, there dearer mvsweeter aYqerCiless griji/h^carrled hlrtv iicross artist, a great artistv, \t tltere has woman breathing than Lotflscfbu^onc*' the Wm and deliliT'i^ttidy flung, him been Such an affulr as you„suggest r be- must have "Iovpu .Don’t'I know it? Lover tnCjtablo toward his tweeir her and uiiy man? If it - were . a: man- «tay T be- sti,-oBg-enoughlp livel^Sepiiy ]ic|1I John by thearm, something which appealed fo her af- [ without it, but .a woman—never!” ^ ing it hjsjcrieullyv striving to "Remember,” She Whispered,/^"Yeu Have to Go to See Liouise.” /' at lib'tst. you are not Mire of anytliing. A;itd ■ besides, y<in strange'' impossible _, ersoft,” she went oft; patting bis liabd, '‘don't ybft sec that you must not J»y the standards of- your worlti>dn which She has -never lived, Ufit hy -fhe -standards* of, her woiif],- ifi wliiciv she 'wa.s liorn ynd bred?. That is only fair, isn’t it?" v lie rose listlessly to his feet. -There was a strange, dull dook in his face. “You are a dear girl, Sophy!” he /, said.' “Don’t go just yet. I have uever felt like it before in my life/but just now I don’t Want . to -tie ..left alona. Send a boy fotr some clothes, and l dill order spate tea." • • tafetl- ■i ,T She 4-. (TQ BE. CONTINUE®.)