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Show iegggS ' .w,w.wvwtVfW. Baasss! v ' I TGe I i I Hillman BIB i H e. phillips : , ! OPPENHEIM I H , j Author of "The Double Traitor." . H ' 2 "The Muter Mummer." etc. H AVAWMWrVWJWi BBB (Copyright, The Frank A. .Muiisuy Co.) H She felt the sudden Knapping of e- H try nerve 111 her body. Ilir parting H nway of 'ill HUM of will or resistance. V siii' m coiwclptll only of tin' mill' H movement toward lilni. tlu Inviitimtiiry B yielding of hereelfc sin- lay bach in H Ills arms, mill tin- ktMM Which limed b her eye iiihI lip teemed In In' work Ihg Bonn Ntniiii:' iiilnirlt'. H Shi' was In MOM great t'iiiily tpace, H breathing wonderful thing, She wai H on tin' hilltops, mill from tin- heights BBH sin looked down al hereelf bi the bad H been i poor little white faced puppet, H atrutttng about mi overheated Btage, in w ii fetid atmoephera of adulation, with B it brain artificially stimulated, and a B hear) growing cold with aelflahnete. B six' pitted haraelf a she hmi ini-n b 'limn sii opened her eyea with a atari BBBi "Mow wonderful it nil lei" six' mur- BBBa mured, "Yon brought mi' here to tel H me BBBi "And to hear aomethlngl" in1 Inalat- H BBBa "I have tried not to, John," ehe con BBBe foeaed, ainaaed al the tremble of her BBBi tweet, low voice. Her wonts teemed BBBa itict' tin' confoaaiou of n weeping child, BBBa "I cannot help it. i do love you: i BBBa have tried not to so hard, but now BBH now I shall nut try miy morel" H They drove quietly down the long BBB hilt unit through the dripping atraata, BBB Not another word paaaad between H than tin they draw up outride bar BBB door, uw fi-it a new timidity as ba BBBa handed hrr out, mi Immenae gratitude BBH lor his Drm tone and hitultive tact, H w"No, I won't came in, thanks." he de. BflH dared, "You have so uttii' time t Bflflj reel ami gat ready for the theater." B "You win in- than tonight?" the BBflJ H Ho laughed as if there were humor H in tiu auggeatloo of his beeaeo. BBH H Hi- dipped In his ClUtCh ami drove Bflflt off through tlie riiln-glcnining streets Bflflr with the smile ami air of a conqueror. BflflT lionise paaaad Into her little house to BBH lii id ii visitor waiting for tier there. Bflflj Hageue, prince of Seyre, had spent H iai gui'lj pari of that afternoon in a B-i jnanmr Wholly .strange to him. In pur- Vfl auanoe of mi order given to his major HB iioiiio iiiiineiiiateiy on his return from fl his rluli after lunch, the great rercp- flfl lion rooms of S-yre House, the picture H gaBery and the ballrooa were pre- flfl pared as if for a rereptlon. Dual sheets BIB were swept lolde. BWaterpll I of Bflfl jiaiuiiiiK and sculpture were uncovered, m the soft briUiance of concealed electric B Ugbta lit up many dark corners. B He was forty-one years old that H day, and the few words which John H had apoken to bin barely an hour ago B had made him reallee that there was B only one thing in Ufa that he desired. B The right of his treasures merely H aoothed Ids vanity. It left empty and I anaatlafled Ula fuller and deeper de- H sire of living, He told himself that B his time hud come. Ofliers of his race H had paid. a groat price i' tlie thlnga H they had coveted In Ufa, He, too. must m follow their example. m He was in Louise's draw Ing room H when she returned Louise, with hair H mid cheeks a little damp. bUl With a H wonderful light In her eyes ami wlili Bt footsteps Unit seemed to fall upon air BflJ "Some lea and u hath ihls mo- H meat, Aline I" she called out, as she H rail lightly UP the stairs. "Never mind H about dinner, i am so late. I win H hVe some toast. De QUlck I" H "Mmimuc " Aline began. Bflfl "Don't bother me about anything H now." Loulae interrupted. "I will H throw my thlnga off while you get the BflJ hath K Sim Hepped into her little room, throwing oil her cloak as she entered. B Then ehe atupped abort, almost upon H the threahold. The prince had rlaen H to flflj "Bugene!" H lie came toward her. Lvei, iis he H stooped to kiaa bet Oncera, his eves H teemed to take In her dlaheveled con H ilitloll, the little pal. lies ol cam' ill J her chceka, the radian) happlo B which shone in iicr B "1 am not mi unwelcome Intruder, H 1 liope," lie -aid. "Dill how wet H H The ftngera which be releaeed fell H nerveleaaly to her aide, she atuod H looking at him as if confronted with H a audden nightmare. II wna aa If thla H newfound life were being alowly H drained from her H You are overtired," he murmured, B leading her with aolldtude toward an A eaay chair. "One would Imagine, from B your appearance, thai l woa the bear H" er of some terrible ttdlnga, Let "e H assure you that it is not 10." H Me apoke with hie uaual dellbera HH thin, hut she seemed pOWOrieM to re- I gaver herself. She was still daeil H mid white. She sank Into the chair B ainl looked at hint. H "Nothing, I trust." he went on, "hus Bflf happened to dlaturb you?" Bflj "Nothing at uii," she declared hast- WBm Uy. "I tun tired. I ran upstairs per flT Imps n little too quickly. Aline had not told me that there was anyone here." "I had a fancy to see you this afternoon," after-noon," the prince explained, "and, iiiiiiinu' you oat, i took the liberty of waltliiK. If .Mai would rather I went away and cmne for you later, please do not hesitate to say so." "Of course not!" she exclalineil. ,-I do not know why I shoti'd have been so silly. Aline, take my coat and veil," sin- directed, taming to the maid, who was linucrlnu at the ether end of the room. "I am not wet. Serve some tea In here. I will have my hnlh Inter, when I Change to k to the theater." She spoke hravely, hut fear was in her heart. She tried to tell herself that this visit was a colnelilence, that It meant nothing, hut nil the time she knew otherwlne. The iloor oloseil hehlnd Aline, and they were alone. The prince, at if anxious to give her time to recover herself, walked to the window and tood for some moments looking out. Ik ' , "I Beg You to Do Me the Honor of Becoming My Wife." When he turned around, Louise hud at least nerved herself to meet what ha felt was imminent The prince approached her dclHier atety. She knew what lie was yolns lo say. "Louise," he hcRim, drawing a chair to her side, "1 have found myself thinking a great deal ahout you (luring (lur-ing the last few weeks." She did not interrupt him. She simply waited and watched. "I have come to a certain determination," determin-ation," he proceeded; "one which. If you will grace It With your approval, will give me great happiness, i ask you to forget certain things which have passed h 'tween us, 1 have come. to you today to bag oti to do DM the honor of becoming my wife." She turned her head very slowly until she was looking hliu full in the face. Her lips were a little parted, her eyes a little strained. The prlnco was leaning toward her In a conventional conven-tional attitude : his words had heen poken simply and in Ills usual conversational con-versational manner. There was something some-thing about Mm, however, profoundly convincing. "Your wife!" Louise repeated. "If you will do me that great honor." hon-or." It seemed at first as If her nervea were strained to the hreaklng-polnt. The sit mil urn was one with which her brain seemed Unable to grapple. She 8et her teeth tightly. Then she had u Maiden Interlude of wonderful clearsightedness. clear-sightedness. She was almost cool. "You must forgive my surprise, Ku-- gene," she bagged "We have known each other now for some twelve jears, have we not? and I believe that this Is Hie tlrM time you have eer hinted at anything of the sort !" "One gathers wisdom, perhaps, with the years," he replied. "I am forty-one forty-one yean Old today. I have spent the early hours of this afternoon la reflection, reflec-tion, and behold the reaull '" "You have apoken to me before," she said slowly, "of different tilings. You have otl'i red me a great deal ill life, but never your name. I do not understand under-stand this BUddeU change!" "Louise," be declared, "if 1 00 not tell you the truth now. you will probably prob-ably gueea it. Beetdee, this is th te time in their lives when a man and woman Should speak nothing hut Untruth, Un-truth, it is for fear of loetng you that la why." Her aelf-control suddenly gave way. She threw herself lank in her (hair. She began to luugh and atopped ai-ruptly, ai-ruptly, the tenra streaming from her eyea. The prince leaned forward, He took her hands In his, hut she drew tin in away. "You are too late, Eugene!" s"" mild. "1 nlmoal loved you l was al-mir-t ,niirs to do whatever you liked wiiii. But somehow, somewhere, not withstanding all your worldly knowl-Ldge knowl-Ldge and mine, we missed It, t 'I" nol kimw the truth about life, you and I at l-ast you do not, ami 1 did not" II.. roaa wry slowly to his feet There waa no vlalble change In his lace save a alight whitening of the cheeks. "And the seipiel tO till-.'.'" he asked. 1 lane promised to marry John Btrangewey" she told him. "That" bC replied, "is Impossible'. I have a prior claim." The light of battle (Tamed suddenly In her eyes. Her nei OUaneH had Hone. She was a strong woman, face to face wltli him now, taller than he, teeming, Indeed, to tower over him Im ihe splendor of her anger, sin- was like a lioness threatened with the loss Of the one dear thing. "Assert It, then," she tried defiantly. defiant-ly. "Do what fat will. Oo to til in this minute, If you have courage eiioiiL'h. If It seems to you w,.. Claim, Indeed! Itlght : I hnve the one right every woman in tin- world possesses to give herself, hody and soul, to tin-man tin-man she lows! That Is the only claim nnd the only right I recognize, and I urn giving myaetf to him, when he wants me, forever !" she atopped suddenly, Neither of them had heard a discreet knock at the door. Aline hud entered with the tea. There was a moment of silence. 'Tut It down here hy my side, Aline," her mistress ordered, "and I show the prince of Seyre out." Aline held the door open. For a single moment the prince hesitated. Then he picked up his hnt nnd howed. "I'ei imps." he snld, "this may not be Ihe lust wordl" CHAPTER XIX. John eaine hack to town from his Cumberland home, telling himself thnt all had gone as well as he had expected. expect-ed. He had done his duty. He had told Stephen his news, und they had 'parted friends. Y'et nil the time he was conscious of an undercurrent of disconcerting thoughts. Louise met lit id at the station, and he fancied thai her expression, too, 'though she welcomed him gaily enough, was n IK tie anxious. "Well?" she asked, as she mok Ills iii-in and led him to where her limousine limou-sine was waiting. "What did Unit ter- rlble brother of yours ray?1 John made a little grimace. "It might have heen worse," he declared. de-clared. "Stephen wasn't pleased, of course. He L'lcs women like poison, and he always will. That Is bOCBUQB he will insist upon dwelling upon cor tain unhappy Incidents of our family history." "1 shall never forget the morning ha came to call on me," Louise sighed, "lie threatened all sorts of terrlhle things If I did not give you up." "Why didn't you tell me ahout It?" John asked. "I thought If might worry you," she I replied, "and it couldn't do nny good. lie helieved he was doing his duty. John, you are sure ahout yourself, aren't you?" He was a little startled ty the earn-I'Stncss earn-I'Stncss ol her words. She seemed pale and fragile, her eyes larger and deeper i han usual, mid her mouth tremulous. She was like a child with , Ihe shadow of some fear hanging over her. He laughed and held her tightly to him. Her lips sought his and clung to them. A nueer little wave of passion mad to have retard her. Half cry- !lng, hnlf laughing, she pressed her face against his. "I do not wnnt to act tonight. 1 do not wunt to play, even to the most wonderful audience In the world. I do not want to shake hands with many hundreds of people fit that hateful reeepUon. I think I want nothing else In the world hut you !" She lay. for n moment, passive In his arms. He smoothed her hair nnd kissed her tenderly. Then he led her hack to her place upon the couch. Her emotional mood, while It tlutiered -pflflflflj BflBMafoaBhigrtvO -Bflk 1 Her Lips Sought His and Clung to Them. him in a sense, did nothing to quiet the little demons of unreal ihat pained, every now ami then, at his heartstrings. heart-strings. 'What is this reception?" he usked. She made a little grimace, h in a formal weleoiue from the Bngllah ttage to the Preach company ; lias l-ollte over tO plaj at the new i.,..,,. i, ii..Mi.i'" slu- ini'i him. "Sir Kdward ami i arc to receive them. You will eoiue. will you not? I am ihe hoafeaa ol the evening." i Ken i nm nol likely to refuse, am IV be asi.ed. mulling. "Shall l come to the theater?" "Come straight to the reception at the Willi' hail rooms." she begged. "Blr Kdward la culling for me, and Oralllot win go do n with ua, Later, if you care to. you can drive m borne." "Don't wai think," In luggcated, "thai ii vveuld be rather a ;. nd opportunity oppor-tunity t" announce our engngemeutT1 "Nol tonight !" aha pleaded, "You kn.iv i i uiuioi - i in to believe it myself my-self exc. p uli. a I alii with you and We are alone. It secins loo wonderful nil llnse ears. 1 n you know, John, thai I am nearly thirty?" lie laughed, II. iw pathetic I all toe HUM reason rea-son i should say, wh) we should let i , l as soon as now snld. s little nervously. "Let me get used lo it myself. I don't think you will have to wait long. Kverythlng I have heen used to doing and thinking think-ing scents to he Crumbling up around me. Lust night 1 even hated my work, ir at least part of It." His eyes lit up with genuine pleas are. "I enn't tell you how glad I am to hear you say that," he declared. "I don't hate your work I've got over that. I don't think I am narrow ahout it. I admire (iraillot. and his play is wonderful. Hut I think, ami I always shall think, that the denouement in thnt third act Is aliominahle !" She nodded uiiderstnndingly. "I am beginning to realize how you must feel," she confessed. "We won't talk ahout It any more now. Drive me to the theater, will you? I want to he there early tonight. Just to get everything ready for changing ufter-ward." ufter-ward." The reception in honor of the little company of French tragedians, at which almost the whole of the Kngllsh stage and a sprinkling of society people peo-ple were present, was a complete suc-1 suc-1 cess. Louise made a charming hostess, host-ess, and Sir Kdward more thau ever Justified his reputation for saying the right thing to the right person at the riidit moment The rooms were crowded crowd-ed with throngs of distinguished people, peo-ple, who all seemed to have plenty to say to one another. The only person, perhaps, who found himself curiously III at ease WM John. He heard nothing hut French ; on all sides of him a language which he read with some facility, hut which In- stiokc like it schoolhoy. He had heen wandering ahout for more than an hour before Louise discovered him. She nt once left her place and crossed the room to where he was standing by the wail. "Cheer up!" she begged, with a de- lightfur smile. "I aui afraid that you are helng horeil to death. Will you not come nnd be presented to our guests?" "For goodness' snke, no!" John Implored. Im-plored. "I have never seen one of tliein net, nnd my French is appalling. I nm all right, dear. It's Qtttte enough pleasure to see you looking so beautiful, beauti-ful, and to think that 1 am going to he allowed to drive you home afterward." Louise looked into a neighboring mirror, and gazed critically at her own reflected linage. She had a curious curi-ous feeling thut at that precise moment mo-ment she had reached the zenith of her power and her charm. Her audi ence nt the theater had heen wonderfully wonder-fully sympathetic, had respond! with rare appreciation to every turn of her voice, to every movement und gesture. The compliments, too, which she had heen receiving from the crowds who had bent rrei-r her fingers that night had heen no Idle words. She was conscious, acutely conscious, con-scious, of the atmosphere she had created cre-ated around her. She wns glorying in the subtle nutwnrd signs of It. Shi-was Shi-was In love with herself; In love, too, with this delightful new feeling of living. It VBBUtd have given her more Joy than anything else In the world, in that moment of her triumph, to have paaaedl her arm through John's. to have led him up to them all. and t have said : "After allj you see, I am a very simple sim-ple sort of woniun. I have dBUM Just the sort o simple thing iUti other women do, ar.d I am glad of It very glad and very happy!" Her lips moved to the nuisie of her thoughts. John leaned toward her. "Hid yi a say anything?" Be asked. "You dtir stupid, of course I did not ! Or If I did. it was Juet one ol those little whlapeaa to onaaeU whlehi mean nothing, yea which count toy s,i much. Qan I not do anything to mala-you mala-you enjoy yourself more? 1 shall hare to go back to my guests now. are expecting a royal pi esonage, and thaw two dears who keep so cJoso to my side do not speak a word of English." Eng-lish." Tleaee go back, dear." John begged promptly. "It was nice of you t come at all. And here's Bophf Bi hist, tliank goodness! Now I am all right" She' laid her lingers; upon hi unu. "You must take me hack ht BB place," slw said. '-Then yo cull go. and talk nonsense to Sophy" They wen hack in the n-owd now, and aha dlsmisscJ hlni wflh a little nod. He made his way quickly tu the spot where he had seen Sophy. To bis disappointment, sin- had Jtsup-poanil. Jtsup-poanil. GrailM, however, case.' up and sei.ed him by the 1:1111. "Still playing the moth, my youux friend?" ba exclaimed. "Areu't the wings suilU-lently burned ycl?" "I am sifruid 1ft become a K-rui-neiit role," Johu replied, as tlie two men shook hands. "Where lino- you 1 n iil these weeks, and why haven't wu been to see lneV" "I'aris, my dear young friend Fails and life! Now I am hack again 1 am not rare thai 1 know why. 1 came OTer witli these French peo'ile, to. aee them tart their theater. Forgive me, i have not paid my raaprcta iigm hostess. We shall meet again presently." pres-ently." lie strolled off, and a few mlliiifPH later John found Sophy. "How lata you are:" he grumbled. 1 COOldn'l help It," she answered. "Tula Is the only evening dross I pee ean al preaent and 1 had to mend it before it was decent to eoine out In Why are you wandering about uhmcl Hasn't Louise been kind to you?" "She has I n charming," John de dared promptly, "but she Is surround ed with all sorts of people I don't know. I can't help her. For MM thing, my French Is absurd. Then they are all talking about thing whlct 1 don't anderatnnd in the least." Sophy remained silent for a mo ment. Then sfie fook John's arm and led him to the buffet. "(live me an fr and elgnrette, .III you, please? You are a dear. Impractical Im-practical person, but you are ns much out of this world as a human being Well could he!" John waited upon her without nny further remark. The prince of Seyre. passing through, bowed to them. John looked after his relrenllng figurp. An Irresistible Impulse seized him. "Sophy." he asked, sitting down by her side, "tell me, why hnve the prince and Louise always been such great friends?" Sophy looked steadfastly at her ice. "I suppose because the prince la a very clever und cultlvuterl person," she said. "He hns been rt great assistance as-sistance to Louise several times. It wus he who financed Miles Faraday when ho put on this play of (Irnlllot'a. (iraillot hasn't a penny, you know, and poor Miles waa almost broke after three failures." "That was Just an Investment," Ji4B remarked irritably. "He will get his money buck again." "Of course," Sophy ngreed, "I think the prince generally nianuges to get value for What he does In life." "Y'ou don't think Louise ever thought Of curing for hlin, do you?" John persisted. Sophy paused until she had lit 11 cigarette. The expression in her face, when she looked up ut John, Irritated him vaguely. It wus as If she were talking to a child. "I think," she said, "you hud better ask Louise thut queutloa yourself, don't you?" He asked It an hour or so inter, when at last the party of guests hnu taken their leave, and. .somewhat to' the well-bred surprise of the one or two friends who lingered, Louise had I beckoned to John to take her out to I her cur. Her hand had sought his ut j once, her head rested u little wearily hut very contentedly upon his shoulder. shoul-der. "Louise, dear," he "begun, "I usked Sophy a question tonight which I ought to have asked you. Quite properly, prop-erly, she told me so." "Nice little soul, Sophy!" Louise murmured. "Whnt wus It, John?" "Once or twice I have wondered," he went on, "whether you have ever eared la any sort of wuy, or come near to caring, for the prince of Seyre?" For a moment she made no move ment. Then she turned her head and looked ut him. The sleepy content had gone from her eyes. "Why do you ask?" "Isn't It quite a nnturnl question from a Jeulous man who believes thut everyone who sees yon must be In love with ynu? You have seen a great deal of the pi'liice, haven't you. In tin last few years? He vnderstands you.-art. you.-art. Then- are many things that you aiul Be havclu conimwo." Louise wart lookiiu? out of the window win-dow at the thin stream of people still passing aUng lMeudi'lly. She seemed suddenly to have Became only the shadow of her former brilliant self. "I think thnt once pertnips twlc.-." she confessed, "I -"line very near to oaring for him." "Aim now 1 "And now," she' repeated, sudd at gripping John's bniuis, T tell you that I am vory much, nearer haling hrm. So much for the iirlnee! In ten manatee man-atee wo shall fce ut home, and you are siKft a dene stupid ahout coming in. You musi iy UA say nil UarfJ things In (he v.'irld to me quickly lu :nn minutes!" 1 "Hirtv shall Ubetn?" he whispered.' Sim leaned anm more townrd him. j "You, don't uuedi any hints" "he mm niur-d.. "Ynuit: really quife good ai It!" e-NAPTER X. Tin- tco. mfcautea patted very mneb , to quickly. She was gjana, and John, IhfMlod thlllgtl lie was. through all his lenses By the almost is.slonate fervor, of he hMve-taklngj, found bjkneelf once more confronted by thai little black: demon. Tluie was soniethiiii: Bbeajj u nf tbena all thesa people wheaa h- knew to la hla friendes which eeeaecd ro htm im tot (,f apptplra- j. There was willing tint could l' , part: Into deflnltoj shape Ju-4 the ghost vn torturing, Unpeetdble thjrushta, lie ws. in no hnajM to go I bum, Chang gag the order-Be had firs given to tin rnanffenr, hp was driven Inatead to, a small Boueenlun club, which he had joined at Qralltat'r tnatlgntlon, Be had 11 vatfUe hope tut he mUht lind the greal dramatist, there. There were no sigi of him, however, in Un smoking smok-ing reran, or anyone else whom John I I II. Ha threw hlnttelf Into nji easy chair an! ordered a w lllsky-avd-soda. Two am close at hand were writing ut desks; others were toiinglng about, discussing me. evenlape recepttor aa man, sitthjg upon the table, u recognized recog-nized authority, was treating Uu- company com-pany t- a fluent dissertation upon modern actreeeaa, winding up by con- trustlag Louise Maurel's style with that of her chief French rival. John found himself listening with pleated Interest. The man's opinion was certainly cer-tainly not unfavorable to Louise. "It Is only In the finer shades of emolioualNin." the critic declared, "that these French uctresses get ut I us ti little more completely even tltM Loulae Ifauret Do you know the, rr son? I'll tell you. It Is becaiuo they live the life. They have a ijOPN new emotions In a seasou. Thy make a cult of feeling. They use their bruins to dissect their puaalons. They cut I their own life Into small pieces ami give u-r the result without conceal I meni. That g where they score, II anywhere. This Mme. Latrohe, who opens over here tomorrow night. Is In love nt the present moment with Jcaa Tonrbet. She had an affair with that Italian poet In the summer, so thef tell me. She was certainly In Madrid In October with Bretoldl, the sculptor. sculp-tor. These men nre nil great artists. Think what she must hnve learned from associating with them ! Now Louise Maiirel. so far us we know. B 4 has never had hut one affair, the prlnco of Seyre, and has been faithful to him all the time." it was nut at last ! John hnd henrd It spoken In plain words. The black demon upon which his bund bad lain so heavily, was alive now, withoutL doubt. Jeering at him, mocking at 'dng nllve und self -assertive In the sN words of the elderly, well-bred mao who lounged upon the table. For a moment or two John waa stunned. A wild impulse nssniled him to leap up nnd confront them nil, to chokp the lie buck down the throat of the mini who had uttered It. Kvery ; nerve in his hody was tingling with the desire for net Ion. The stupor of bis senses alone kept him motionless. and 11 strange. Incomprehensible clar-j clar-j Ity of thought. He realized exactly ' how things were. This man had not spoken Idly, or as a scandalmonger. I He hud spoken what he had accepted as a fact, what other people believed. John rose to his feet and made bis ; way toward the door. Ills face showed 1 little sign of disturbance. He even 1 nodded to some men whom he knew 1 slightly. As be passed down the stnlrs, he met Oralllot. Then once more Ids self-control became In danger. Ho seized tin- frenchman savagely by the arm. "Come this way." he said, lending hlin toward the curd-room. "Come in here! I want to speak to you." He locked the door a most unheard-of and Irregular proceeding. Qratllet Ml the coming of the storm. "Well!" he exclaimed grimly. "Trouble "Trou-ble already, eh? I see It. In your face, young man. Out with It!" "I was sitting in the smoking room there, u few momenta ago," he begun. Jerking his head toward the door. "There were some men talking decent de-cent fellows, not dirty scandal-mon- gms They spoke of Louise Muurei." Oralllot nodded gravely. He know very well what was coining. John felt his throat suddenly dry. The words he would hnve spokeo choked him. He banged his fist upon the table by the side of which they were standing. "Look, here, Oralllot," he cried, al- most plteously, "you know It la not true, nor likely to be true! Can't you say so?" "Stop, my young friend !" th frenchman interrupted. "I know noth iug. It Is a habit of mine to know nothing when people make suggestion, of that sort. I make no Inquiries. 1 accept life and people as I find them." "But you don't believe thut such a thing could tie possible?" "Why not?" Oralllot asked steudlly. John could do no more thau mumble mum-ble 0 repetition of his words. The world was falling away from him. "I will not discuss this matter wlU you, my friend. I will only ask you to remember the views of the world in ivhlch we live. Louise Mnurcl Is 1111 artist, a great artist. If there bus been snch an uffuir aa you suggest, be. tween'her and any man, If It were something which appealed to her uf-fcctlons. uf-fcctlons. It Is my opinion thut she Would not besltute. You seem to think it an outrageous thing that the prince 'hould rhniabeen her lover. To be very much more buTprfst-u arnelf'iLA'i ruige." (Continued next week.) |