University of South Carolina Libraries
JffllansDnnk- J?| JlOhmansDrwi- ^ k ^venjboJp Vcink ^Iggp/ i . -_,2i3SU&t&& ^'" A \/igorously gooc j delicious. T m and refreshing. K The national m ?and y |S^ Demand llie genuine Nicknames encouraj THE COCA-COL/ )~kl t.i ta ar.la. Arrow thu.k cf Coca-Cola. ?i?>~ i^wa%a*?MafcJWbWiiWBlMBHMr" r PALACE <r! r HOMEY i\OQNS HAROLD m MACr.DAlt$| CHAPTER II. There l? a Woman? Anger, curiosity, interest; these sensations blanketed one another quickly, leaving only interest, which was Courtlandt's state of mind when he saw a pretty woman. It did not require very keen scrutiny on his part to arrive swiftly at the conclusion that this one was not quite in the picture. Her cheeks were not red with that redness which has a permanency of tone, neither waxing nor whning, abashed in daylight. Nor had her lips | found their scarlet moisture from out the depths of certain little porcelain | boxes. Decidedly she was out of place here, yet Bhe evinced no embarrass- i ment; she was cool, at ease. Courtis r, ,1. >? 4 _4 |V iauui s imeieai. BU eugiueiieu. "Why do you think I am lonely, j mademoiselle?" he asked, without i smiling. "Ob, when one talks to one's self, , strikes the table, wastes good wine, ! the inference is but natural So, mon-1 sieur is lonely." Her lips and eyes, as grave and > smileless as hie own, puzzled bim. An : adventure? He looked at some of the I other women. Those he could understand, but this one, no. At all times he was willing to smile, yet to draw her out he realized that he must preserve his gravity unbroken. The situation was not usual. His gaze came back to her. "Is the comparison favorable to me?" she asked. "It is. What is loneliness?" he demanded cynically. "Ah, I could tell you," she answered. "It is the longing to be with the one we love; it is the bate of the wicked thlfc^s bar* done: It i* remnm* " r ^?.f ' f 1 ? ana Keenly hirst-quenching I beverage ? m ouro. ^ J i COMPANY "That echoes of the Ambigu-Comique." "Would you spare me a glass of wine? I am thirsty." He struck his hands together, a bit of orientalism he h?H~~5io1ight back with him. The observant waiter instantly came forward with a glass. The young woman sipped the wine, gazing into the glass as she did so. "Perhaps a whim brought me here. But I repeat, monsieur is lonely." "So lonely that I am almost tempted to put you into a taxicab and run nwnv wlfh vnn " She set down the glass. "But 1 sha'n't," he added. The spark of eagerness In her eyes was instantly curtained. "There is a woman?" tentatively. "Is there not always a woman?" "And she has disappointed monsieur?" There was no marked sympathy in the tone. "Since Eve, has that not been woman's part in the human comedy?" He was almost certain that her lips became firmer. "Smile, if you wish. It la not prohibitory here." She lifted the wine-glass again, and then he noticed her hand. It was large, white and strong; it was not the hand of a woman who dallied, who idled in primrose paths. "Tell me, what is it you wish? You interest me, at a moment, too, when 1 do not want to be interested. Are you really in trouble? Is there anything I can do . . . barring the taxicab?" She twirled the glass, uneasily. "I am not in actual need of assistance." "But you spoke peculiarly regarding loneline6s." "Perhaps I like the melodrama. You spoke of the Ambigu-Comique." "You are on the stage?" "Perhaps." "The opera?" "Again perhaps." He laughed once more, and drew his chair closer to the table. "You followed me here. From where?" "Followed you?" The effort to give a mocking accent to her voice was a failure. "Yes. The idea Just occurred to me. TKnro u-oro nthor voounf oKolfo there was nothing inviting in my facial expression. Come, let me have th< truth." "I have a friend who knows Hor Desimonc." "Ah!" Ae if this lnfoimation was direct visitation of kindness from tin gods. "Then you know where the Calabrian lives? Give me her address." There was a minute wrinkle above the unknown's nose; the shadow of a frown. "She is very beautiful." "Bah! Did 6he send you after me? Give me her address. I have come all the way from Burma to see Flora Desimone." "To see her?" She unguardedly clothed the question with contempt, UlLlfeA instantly forced a smile to neutralize the effect. Concerned with her own defined conclusions, she lost the fine Ironic bitterness that was In the man's voice. "Aye, indeed, to see her! Beautiful as Venus, as alluring as Phryne, I want nothing so much as to see her, to look into her eyes, to hear her voice!" "Is It Jealousy? I hear the tragic note." The certainty of her ground became as morass again. In his turn he was puzzling her. "Tragedy? I am an American. We do not kill opera singers. We turn them over to th? critics. I wish to see the beautiful Flora, to ask her a few questions. If she has sent you after me, her address, my dear young lady, her address." His eyes burned. "I am afraid." And she was so. This wasn't the tone of a man madly in love. It was wild anger. "Afraid of what?" "You." "I will give you a hundred francs." * * ? ? ?4" ~ "Ha vntl He proaucea a cnsy uum, j want it?" She did not answer at once. Presently she opened her purse, found a oiuoby pencil auu - *iip of paper, ana wrote. "There it is, monsieur." She " ^ ^ I \ r & 1 [ \ "Why Do You Think I Am Lonely, Mademoiselle?" hold out her hand Tor the banknote which, with a sense of bafflement, he gave her. She folded the note and stowed it away with the pencil. "Thank you," said Courtlandt. "Odd paper, though." He turned it over. "Ah, I understand. You copy music." "Yes, monsieur." This time the nervous flicker of her eyes did not escape him. "You are studying for the opera, perhaps?" "Yes that is it." "Good night. ' He rose. "Monsieur is not gallant." "I was in my youth," he replied, putting on his hat. The bald rudeness of his departure did not disturb her. She laughed portly and relievedly. Indeed, there was in the laughter an essence of mischief. However, if he carried away a mystery. he left one behind. The young woman waited five or ten minutes, and, making sure that Courtlandt had been driven off, left tho rc?taurant. Round the corner she engaged a carriage. So that was Edward Courtlandt? She liked his face; there was not a weak line in it, unless stubbornness could be called such. Hut to stay away for two years! To hide himself in jungles, to be heard of only by his harebrained exploits! "Follow him; see where he goes," had been the command. For a moment 6he had rebelled, but her curiosity was not to b? denied. Resides, of what use was friendship if not to be tried? 'She knew nothing of the riddle, she had never asked a question openly. She had accidentally seen a photograph one day, in a trunk tray, with this man s name scrawled across u, ana upon this fiim6y base she had builded a dozen romances, each of which she had ruthlessly torn down to nuke room for another; but still the riddle lay unsolved. She had thrown the name into the conversation many a time, as one might throw a bomb into a crowd which had no chance to escape. Fizzles! The man had been calmly discussed and calmly dismissed. At odd times an article In the newspapers gave her an opportunity; still the frank discussion, still the calm dismissal. She had learned that the man was rich, irresponsible, vacillating, a picturesque sort of fool. But two years? What had kept him away that long? A weak man, in love, would not have made so tame a surrender. Perhaps he had not surrendered; perhaps neither of them had. And yet, he sought the Calabrlan. Here was another blind alley ont of which she had to retrace her steps. Bothert Thai. Buck, ot Shakesreare Continued on page 6 OH, HO. HO, HUM! Wake Up. Shake It Off. Y the Wonder Tonic, B Body Pu Now's the time to give your body ?your stomach, bowels, kidney?'*"'' r blood?agood, oldfashioned house cleaning and get rid of the stagnant impurities that ^L\pL? } you've been storing up all winter. Your whole system is so in your body is J r&E^lli. half asleep. That's ?~WW what makes you W |9s JRjk feel so lazy, tired and yawny. Your vital energy and %Jr steam and vim and can't get Remove the stop ^0,?pA' .MmJ ' per and watch 'em JtILT to Overcc sizzle. Watch the Out *e? lazy, yawney feeling vanish and feel t.te renovated blood start rushing through your veins. See how quickly ' our tired nerves will pick up and how wonderfully rested, refreshed you will feel after a good night's sleep. ? =Ti 11 THE MAN WITH THE surr CASE A Story For Thanksgiving By MARTHA V. MONROE - I "Jim. 1 beard ,vou are going to be married." j "Where did you bear that?" "Oil. I beard it a month ugol I think j it was ou Thanksgiving day. i dined . with the Atwaters. They said Clara j Webster was Just the trirl for you. you j belli;: Impulsive, she steady and eau- j tious." j "Did they say that?" j "Yes." , "Listen. I have a little story to tell ' you. On the very day. Thanksgiving. ' .that there persons were attributing' i these traits to us a little drama was j being enacted. | "My friend Billy Smithsou Invited Cmra and me to spend the Tliatiksgivlux week end at tils house in the eotin try. which lie opened for the occasion The affair was got up to ce.ebrate our J engagement. Tor Billy is an old chum i of mine, and his wife is an intimate friend of Clara's. j j "Clara and I were to ?ro up on the j train together, but Just as I was about [ to leave the otlice to call for her a Job j came into the otlice which nobody but j i 1 could do. and I was obliged to re j I main over till the next day. I tele 1 phoned tier to go on and I would ar | rive the next day. I reached the house i | the next afternoon to tlnd the guests | gone out ou an automobile ride Hilly I had got up for them. There were i rnree canouus. nuu i ui-,t m-ir uui i<> , | return till T o'clock. About C 1 dressed | for dinner and was going downstairs ( when I met a tuau coming up with a , suit case in his hand. Presuming he ' was one of the quests who had just arrived. I went on down into the II- j brary. thinking no more about him and , amusing myself till the auto purty re- | turned. "This was t he evening before Thanksgiving. The next day we were getting ready for the feast when Clara took ! me off into a <iuiet corner and said to me. "Will. I have a very unpleasant ! communication to make. On returning from tile auto ride yesterday several 1 of the girl guests missed articles of j jewelry. Several boxes in which tiie jewels were kept were found in the closet In your room.' "Naturally I was a bit upset by this information, but the principal cause ' was that Clara didn't say this with my hand in hers or her arms around me. but sitting apart and instead of adding that she felt Just absolutely i confident that I was not a thief she , looked very gloomy and waited for me to say something. i "'Clara.' I said astounded, 'do you! mean to say that you have the slight- ' j est suspicion that I stole these Jew els V "'It Is the bounden duty of every one.* she replied, "to consider am aiccused person innocent until proved | guilty. And ais your fiancee I f?*el j obliged to do wlisit I earn to ilitluenee the others to give you every opportunity to eleair yourself.' "It was not so mueh the position In which I was placed tliaat troubled me as the snapping of the cord that bound me to Ciara. in aa twinkling my feelings toward her were changed front attraction to repulsion. And yet what fault could 1 tind with her": What right had I to expect her to believe me Innocent in face of such SPRING FEVER ou Need ROOT JUICE? racer, Cleanser and irlfier. ROOT JITCE will show you 'hese esults In a few days' time It's the y. greatest blood and body r >n o vator, fit system cleanser, builder, revitalizer V and tonic you ever JrL used in all your |7 life. It wakes up yp) every part and or/ Al\ ill I l*an tbe >boi^y Y Mil VSI and it's safe?made iw|\ ? / of Nature's own restoratives?roots herbs, leaves and M/fXW ba?ks. It's a new iw Vy and different kind m W of tonic, and a mt wonder. A11 good ^f\ druggists sell it on HI a guarantee to *?ive back everv cent it IHHm costs if you're not more than satisfied nrely >ee?l MM I Qet a bottle and ?nie this Tired ?ry n Try for just a few days on this guarantee. But remember, get the genuine ROOT JUICE and don't let any unreliable druggist insult you by offering some worthless imitation of his own. proof against me and before I haa brought forward any proof In my fa vor? She was simply acting on that trait in her character for which those persons you hare mentioned on that very day were giving her credit. "This change in my feelings toward; her for awhile overrode every other. Then the gravity of my position rusb d upon me with full force. But what :-ould I do? Ignorant as I was of bow the Jewelry boxes got into my closet. I didn't see that I could do anything but leave the house. "I went to Billy, who begged me to <tny. saying that there was some mystery about the matter which he hoped would be cleared up. but I Judged that be didn't know what to make of tin* matter. and at last he agreed with uie that I might as well go. On passing out. Sue Wentworth. who. since her father'* failure, has been making her own IIv- , ing bv teaching school, came out of the A lrawlug room Intone ball and said: 0A "".Mr. TtTTusioo." this idtu ui >uui taviiig stolen jewels is absurd. There \ ire a hundred suppositions that can j t?e made, each more likely than what tppears nn the surface. tsome one stole the jewels, took them into your room tempornril.v and threw the hoxe* 1own there. That's ??ne'"There was something in her hypothesis that brought back the man 1 laid seen going upstairs with the suit use. and it solved the problem for me. for it oeenrml to me that I had not seen him since. Rut this was noth- ' in it to me compared with the comfort I derived from Miss Weotwortlfs faith in tne. I Just put my arms about her md hugged her. ? "She. backed by my statement as to the man with the suit case, changed prervthin^. All came to me and hepred me to remain. I did so and was treated cordially by every one. Since then some of the Jewels have been recovered In possession of a thief, who confirmed my theory of their loss." "And how about your engagement.?" "Oh. I'm engaged, but not to Clara. She has too much caution for me. I lon't think I need it. notwithstanding the opinion of your fripnds." "To whom are you engaged?" "To Sue Wentwortb." SOCIAL EVIL DRAMAS. When a writer's purpose is sincere. when he honestiy essays to better existing conditions, then, and then only, he may any what lie will. If his medium is the stage, very well. The drama can only gain by it. Of course certain questions were far better discussed in the intimacy of the home than in public. A mother's words to her daughter about the things of life which girls should be taught or warned against, it seems to me, must carry more weight and dignity than the picture lessons, as it were, of the stage. I know there are few mothers who have enough practical knowledge to be of sendee to their daughters in that respect. And tliere are even fewer, I am afraid, who ran brins themselves to speak frankly to their children. Vet it is necessary that girls simuld know muny things i about which they have been kept 1 so long in ignorance, anil there the drama may rightly step in. [ But it takes a very high and clean mind to deliver the message usefully. A man like Brieux succeeds with themes of the most I difficult sort precisely because of [ his high mindedness nnd the bigI ness of his purpose.--Misg Ida j Tar bell.