Show rI r I H e ea ea a a aT T iRY ROAD B OPPENHEIM j Copyright by y nd nJ CO l CHAPTER XH Continued XII Continued 14 1458 longer resist relst the n could no rr no then don Jut De 58 of her ber lips After a moment how how- violinist She Ibe sprang prang away The ret fr beyond had commenced a the th room ii 1 dragged Gerald through ut She guts alts little of door and gave a cry fr ft open when she saw lIaw the room MUM Dance nance with me she begged Just yOU sad nd nd I. I I 1 all alone Dance with me Gerald I moved oft off to the music The smiled with pleasure Theether The Instruments took up the strain ether jer ber closed ed her ber eyes half halt fainting taInting the smooth with the Joy of the music Geralds Gerald's arms Presently lie he Boor stopped He lie was w unaccountably out outs s breath He Ill took one of the the- gold gold- bottles from the sideboard Rolled foiled opened It and Oiled filled two wo glasses with tie the foaming wine l eyes I Shane hone like stars Os as she drank Oh Ob I laIn am eta happy I 1 she murmured This Is wonderful I 1 Promise Gerald Gerold that you will allU never send me away Promise There was a shriek of voices as 88 the room was wU Invaded Nadine came come through the door which led from his own suite Same men followed accompanied by bya a t little UWe crowd of girls Every Everyone one was curious about Myrtile She shook bands hands shyly with those whom Gerald presented to her When the they asked for tor her bet name however he be shook his head bead Mademoiselle Is our guest for this evening he announced She Is III not of our oar world Let us call her Mademoiselle X Mademoiselle the Spirit rather I j ft R Frenchman exclaimed I think that you ron On have dragged her down from the skies klel Present me Gerald or I 1 shall b b your enemy for life The fhe Marquis Gerald Gerold murmured Mademoiselle X R. The marquis Is a shameless fellow Myr Myr- Ue tUe and you must n not t believe a word ho bo says I to tomy 1 i am shameless or not according surroundings my the Frenchman de- de dared No So one could look Into the eyes fres of made mademoiselle l and speak other than the truth pouted Ii MIs Is no one going to say soy nice things to others she he complained Gerald you yon ought to hove warned us I would nave bare worn my new gown It R Is exactly the tile color of the sky Even my maid declared that I too slipped down from heaven beaten There was a little chorus of laugh laugh- ter ler Cocktails were ere brought In and cigarettes lit Every one ga gathered around and talked to She lowered them naturally enough but every nery now and then with embarrassment embarrass embarrass- ment Mademoiselle ad elle X R may be asked no questions quest Gerald Insisted Where we rte comes conies from I shall not tell tIll any of ot you Ton she goes gOIR after tonight you TIN will 11 none noni of you know M Mademoiselle Is of the haut haul monde mende perhaps perhaps' Nadine whispered maliciously malicious malicious- I ly under her breath Mademoiselle belongs to a world we weare weare are ire none of us privileged to enter Gerald answered It Is the one favor favorI I lull I ask sk as ae 8 your host Please accept my guest as a butterfly born this evening Passing aWa away tomorrow Oh Ia la la in I exclaimed lie are all like that Give me me another COCktail Charles They made their way presently to the upper nipper table Myrtile sat at Geraid's Geri Ger- Ger aids ald i right hand and next to tD her on the other side was the Marquis de Any form of tete tete-a-tete conversation n however wa was ImpossIble ham from the first They all all sf seemed emed t to be talking king together st t the lop top of their nice ices in an almost Incomprehensible Lm argot a Jumble of personal quips and listened 11 V but D understood little Occasionally w eke ahe laughed when hen the others laughed but u II a n matter of fact she needed nOthing to her happiness i She ne was woe next to Gerald who whispered every n now W and then little words w of f en Gh eon Cement nt In n her ear Presently Jumped up nn and J danced dance 1 followed suit and executed N I wonderful pas flUs seul There was a Sh tile the rOod good deal or boisterous applause Myr felt M the color burning In ln her cheeks She Rhe e glanced d He Be toward Gerald W was 8 laughing 80 so It must be all tight v Nevertheless Ne she he was relieved h n at IR last t nette sat lIat down 1 will 1111 show 1 h how OW t you yon NadIne suggested they thy dunce donee In Algiers There was Wall a lIttle chorus of ape ap lerald alone atone for tor a moment looked ked doubtful lie Ill glanced toward ne lit at his side N Dont overdo it It NadIne he laughed subtly Is 1 It for o tour four you tear fear or she Ver Very well i IJ 3 you both something to think she ne dUlcet t at first with all tile the qui snag WIlle grace of net timed but at It passion passion- movement w tc ed her h. h fascinated eyes cIK y TJ ilea DeD n suddenly she broke loose Myrttle Myrtile looked down at t her plate and gripped Geralds Gerald's hand land Remember I warned you dear he whispered Dont watch Mademoiselle would perhaps care for or a little stroll upon upen the balcony the he marquis whispered In her ear shook her head you ou she murmured I do donot donot donot not wish to leave Gerald As for the dancing It Is foolish of me but I 1 have never seen anything like It It never seemed to me the possible that women women women wom wom- en could do such things That Is because because because be be- cause I have not lived In fn the world I shall progress The dance came orne to an on end amidst t uproarious applause Nadine disheveled di dl and breathless pirouetted toward toward toward to to- ward the door leading to Geralds Gerald's suite I shall go Into your bedroom an and It make myself tidy she called out You can come and fetch me when wilen rou you want me ml she added looking over her tier shoulder at her host The corks began to thy fly faster still Presently couples stood up and danced Then Indeed happiness beSan began be be- San gan for for She danced with Gerald again and again danced to music which was Indeed of the best for Gerald was wall somewhat of nn an epicure epicure epi epi- cure In such matters until she forgot the loud voices the haze of cigarette smoke the slightly unsteady condition comB condi lion tion of one or two of the guests To Tober her ber so long as It was Geralds Gerald's arm which controlled her It was all beau bellu- By degrees she seem seemed ell to slip Flip Into her place however Incongruous It might bl be be In the little company She hl was accepted as one of the kaleIdoscopic kaleidoscopic pictures of Monte Carlo flirts flirta She had hod come com 1 and there was walS an end of It There were other hosts besides Gerald other Englishmen crowding all the time Into the place The v very very ry singleness of her devotion made her to some lome extent a rival rhal to be accepted philosophically Il It seemed Incredible that four o'clock had hod arrived There was There was ahall a hall I that lint night at the however soa so a a p I Il 4 II l k r I Am Going to 0 Take Home Home Christopher I Insisted every everyone one was resigned They In In- Geralds Gerald's rooms for their coats and wraps Myrtile l remained talking with the marquis with whom she luid Imd been dancing Her lIer body was waR still swaying a little to tv the rhythm of the music So this Is 18 your first night mademoiselle made moiselle her companion said suld softly I shall hope that ne we 1 may meet 1 ninny bully more times tines If It you yeu are ore a n friend of Geralds I hope that we may You have enjoyed yourself on the whole he asked looking at ut ner curiously Her lIer ears were ere straining for voice volet She could rould hear nil all the time the shrill laughter of or Nadine und and her friends I 1 have have- enjoyed the dancing she saidI saidI said I begin to believe he lial l. l that thaI you are really us liS young oung HS liS you look I am eighteen she told him luau I For or that moment I was not lIot think think- thinking ing lag of your jour our actual years ars he ex ex- ex plumed How l long lung have hae you jou Ou known Lord Gerald she Only a very short time I 1 have hae never neer danced w wIth Ith him before today It seems easy to believe bellee he hI sold said that you slipper slipped down from the skies kle only ol nO nowadays leaven Heaven does not part lart with Its children so sa easily a s l y Tell me roe wb e e did you rOu ou come rome from frem really A little farm on the other side aide of Gerald and the mountain mountains sh said laId Monsieur Christopher brought me roe here Mon Monsieur leur Christopher w wants we IDe to KO go 0 t to to England but I hope that Ger- Ger Gerald Gerld aid ald ld will not let Itt ps me go 0 I l am not at lit all an ante IN b fat be MId ul id U ft u rou yon are re what bat you yon seem e m to te t be that tbt It rould not be better U it you ron went to an England They all an o came me me trooping out Myrtile Myr- Myr tile isle got up to fetch her own cloak donk hut but Gerald Jerold detained her She stood by his hi side Bide bidding good night to his guests with him The marquis frowned M slight ly Iy as he made his adieux Th The look In Ills hIs eyes haunted her ber for a J moment ss he lie turned away Then she was Willi eon con clous of A curious sense of disturbance disturb dIsturb- ance She was al alone ne with Gerald and he was ns looking at hf r strangely You 1011 have been happy Gerald asked BIlked and his voice olce lI seemed med to come from a long way off oft Wonderfully she answered I 1 1 there is my cloak She moved toward the open door leading into Geralds Gerald's suite Sh She seemed suddenly torn by a R strange medley of f sensations and sad memories She saw NadIne pass paD through It It disheveled disheveled di dl and Indecent t. t with that back back- ward glance at Gerald which even to her Ignorance e seemed ugly She heard the voices of all of them laughIng laugh laugh- Ing lag stridently Little under half stood sentences puzzled her ber She passed Into the sitting room Gerald followed closing the door The sound lound of the music came quietly Myrtll felt suddenly faint You 1011 are arl tired I Gerald exclaimed bending anxiously over her She put her arms around his hili neck like a child Gerald Gerold she whispered take care of me I am afraid Be Re good to tl me Gerald Their lips lip met but there was some same something thing absent from frum the warm worm Joy of that kiss Side by side with her ber happiness s came the feeling felIng of discordant discord ant music all nil around her Rank nank perfumes perfumes per per- fumes f seemed to hang In the tile air A ribbon from one ont of or Naline's Nadine's discarded i garments lay upon her sofa Yet when loaned leaned toward her and his t eyes IS sought Rought for far hers hen a strange content content con con- I t tent nt seemed to creep like a good flood over oTer overall all nil these other things The door of the sitting room was suddenly opened and closed Christopher Christopher Christopher Chris Chris- stood there thre a n little breathless breathless breath breath- less as though he be had run ron up the staIrs pale poll and with a look In his bin eyes TIR from which both bolh Gerald and quailed quailed quailed-Geraid Gerald with fuller understanding His s arms dropped He ne was nearer fear than ever er before In his life Christopher spoke with marvelous mar mar- calmness Gerald be he h said sold were you yon thinking think think- In ing ng of breaking your trusty trust Yes I I Gerald answered hoarsely Drop this Don Quixote business Christopher Im I'm sick of It It Christopher came a step nearer I Is coming back bock to ta her lodgings with III me 1 he announced She is going to o I England tomorrow morning Your sister has promised to take her Rut nut It Is s Impossible r cried passionately It Is 18 arranged Christopher declared de de- I went to your rooms tonight tonIght to to- tonight night to tell you I 1 received Annette's 1 lying message I 1 was told that you were In bed hed and asleep I left a note Then for far the first time since I ha have I bt been n here I went to the club and stayed late I 1 heard beard your guests downstairs speak of your good fortune Gerald GeralI Gerald laid his hand upon upen Myrtile wrist Well 11 he said what are ore you going to do about It I I am going to take Myrtile home Christopher Insisted I 1 refuse to let her go Gerald de de- red Christopher looked look Id I'd for a moment away vay at nt 1 Myrtle She Rhe clung to Gerald like Ike a frightened frIghten Id I'd child Listen Christopher went on you and I lime hue been friends all our lives Ih-f's Gerald We V e V oile one another pretty well cell You know of me that I nm am a aman man manof of my word I 1 know of you that though you are f selfish and w worship pleasure yoo you are white enough when the hour strikes The hour ha has struck Gerald Let Iet me take toke Myrttle home Myrtile shall choose Gerald Gerald- pro pro- posed shall do nothing of the sort sort was the prompt reply You might as al aswell aswell I well ask her to choose the right path through a strange city dIy Gerald let old hap chop dont don't take this hardly I am amnot amnot amnot not here ere to ta sling abuse at ut you And doesn't understand Just Julit just Thank God I was was wai In time I Myrtile l ake your our cloak She clung dung to Geralds Gerald's arm looking anxiously Into his face rare Something eU else discordant had hilI come Into the room something unbeautiful something to tobe he be feared She looked from one to 10 the theother other oilier of the two men Geralda fist was as clenched For or all his calm there was n subtle threat In Christopher's attitude altitude I dont don't dont w want ant to qua quarrel went nn n. n Dont let It come to that Gerald but you see It Is Inevitable Ine thai that should leave lea with ire ne tonight I shall not go without her You know what that lint means means I am to remember I 1 Slip suppose pose Gerald Get Gel old aid sold said thickly that you were the varsity boxing champion TO DE BE D |