Show r- r J II 0 q t 31 ROAD ROAD- j 1 E. E r OPPENHEIM Copyright Ay by and CO AND THEN WHAT from a SYNOPSIS Fleeing S SYNOPSIS Fleeing brutal br stepfather an unhappy home and a proposed husband she sho detests Myrtile young oung French girl stands In a country road on the tho verge of ot desperation Halted b by an exploded tire two young Englishmen Lord Gerald Dombey and Christopher Bent Dent aro arc attracted by tho girls girl's distracted distracted dis dis- appearance Sho She begs them to take her away from her misery In a n spirit of adventure they do so so conveying her to toMonte toMonte Monte Mont Carlo and leaving hor her with friends Myrtile speaks English her mother having been an educated educated edu edu- woman Gerald sees sues a beautiful young woman In tho the gambling rooms and Is fascinated fascinated fasci fasci- but can only learn that she II 11 called Paulino do and Is with her aunt He lie Is unable unable unable un un- un- un able t to secure an nn Introduction li CHAPTER III III-Continued III Continued 4 Then 4 why do 10 they look at nt me so strangely she site persisted It must be because I have no toilette tollette no hat my shoes shoat are ugly Indeed monsieur it Is no place for me Here are friends of yours ours coining comIng I am sure the sure the beautifully beautifully beau dressed young oung lad lady who looks at atme atme me DIe so curiously It Is Geralds Gerald's father and sister he whispered She was suddenly Very very ery white and frighten frightened d. d Christopher rose to his feet teet Ind Lady Mary nodded a n little coldly cold cold- ly b Lord acknowledged his greeting with some surprise This Timis Is your little I suppose sup sup- pose Mary remarked looking at atM M Myrtile This is Myrtile Christopher as- as We are waiting for Gerald now BOW to decide what to do with her You wish to leave home I understand understand understand under under- stand Mary asked turnIng to the girl who bpd risen to her hel feet 41 T 1 will never return there Myrtile 1 replied replied- no Ino not even If Monsieur Gerald himself commanded me to I would sooner throw lU myself self Into the pea flen sent that a little extreme her questioner rejoined coldly The liThe misery I should have lun-e to face If It I returned would also be extreme declared I am hoping to find borne bome ork worl here That should not be difficult Mary observed and they passed on Mary with a nod to Christopher which much of Its usual cord cordiality I alIt Myrtile looked after them m and there was trouble in her face They do not like me she said bald They do not think t that nt I ought to bo hr here with you They are ore right of course I am Just a n little pens peasant nt girl girlIn In peasant clothes Let us go Christopher's were In vain She Sile turned and walked awa away and he was v.-as obliged to follow Just as fiS they theyne ne leaving the promenade however they came face to face ts with Uli Gerald Issuing from the hotel He ga e a n little start as os he recognized M Except for a careless thought wl han fen l hL n b had 01 t awn k d l ind u rue U to UlU forgotten all about her leer It was characteristic char char- of him however ever to behave during the next few minutes as thou though h he had t been een thinking of no one else I So Christopher has been heen stealing a fI march cn en me 1 he lie exclaimed Iles II lie shown you ou all nil the sights Myrtile I waited alters ted a long time for tor you 1 0 she replied We pare have b been en sitting on the terrace And nd 1 has hns been a little troll trou- 6 Christopher said She Site Is soing Dack acl to her rooms to hide hille because be be- cause cause- of her clothes Clothes Ch Gerald repeated Why of course she must have hn clothes Wo Wf u ought aught ht to to have thought of that when we brought t her n away wn But monsieur she began timidly even oft the clothes which I have a ahome at home m my communion gown gown It Gerald Gerold waved his rm Come Corne along he Invited We W will wll transform rm you ou We will go to Lenores Lenore's Madame Lenore Is a great pal o of you ou shall have clothes clothe I 1 tit fit for n duchess Then lien they would not he fit for me lIt ht rUl objected doubtfully Nor I should think Christopher added Mell would th they y help her to obtain a situation Gerald however would listen to no lIe He u ushered inhered them into inton H n I filet but sumptuous looking little I establishment only a n few doors from toe t Hotel de Paris farts A oman Frenchwoman dark and attractive came a me forward orward to welcome them Ah Ah monsieur monsieur milord r milord 1 she exclaimed ex ex- claimed It Is good to see you again ladyship was here only three days duy ago I 1 ventured to ask If It you were to tobe he be expected Madame Gerald declared I am here on business We Ve have with us o a the princess the the Princess Princes Myrtile A uA princess Madame repeated with a 0 wondering glance at nt tho the girl A In everything but bat clothes clothe Gerald explained That Is your part We hand hond her over oyer to you ou Dress her madame We e will return In Inan inan an nn hour Madame's e eyes es sparkled She looked at nt appraisingly Mademoiselle will be worth north dressIng dress dress- Ing lag she assured fissured them jo Joyfully Return Re ne Return turn as you jou ou say sUY In an hour milord and I can promise that mademoiselle shall be all nil that you OU desire Christopher for the he first time intervened Inter Inter- Gerald he Ilont I Look here said dont don't think that you ore are giving gl maame ma- ma came ame une quite the right ht Idea In what respect Mademoiselle Is the daughter of working folk foil Christopher explained She Site requires clothes of good quality If you jou ou will but clothes In which she can seek ft x situation That Is so so Is it not 1 The girls girl's eyes were fixed anxiously upon Gerold I should like to have what Monsieur Gerald would wish me to have she replied Mademoiselle has hus a n figure so fashionable fash- fash Madame Lenore murmured so slim yet so elegant and an nn expression expression ex ex- altogether lIe I have some frocks only this tills morning arrived from Paris In which she would seem seema I a n dream We do not desire mademoiselle to become a dream Christopher sold said stoutly We have the charge of ot her heror herfor herfor for or a n abort obort time only and the sort of toilette ollette which you ou ha have ve In your mind J I think Madame Lenore would be highly unsuitable Am I not right Gerald Oh I suppose so the young oung man mon agreed Id rather like to see her In one of or Madame Lenores Lenore's creations though I Milord and monsieur madame said I leave e It to me inc I Return In an hour There shall be he two costumes ready You shall take your oui choice If mademoiselle will have the goodness goodne s sto to step this way way- wa way The he two young oung men men wandered out They made their wn way back to the terrace terrace ter ter- race where Lord s 's walked walled for a time leaning Jenning on Geralds Gerald's arm Mary drew Christopher to one side So that is your jour our little she remarked I That Is she Christopher admit admit- ted I do not wish to seem a prude Mary ary continued or an anything else disagreeable but do you ou really think that you are doing the time right thing Christopher In sitting about on the terrace with a n peasant girl irl dressed dressed- er er according according to her position The whole escapade I think is ridiculous I am not so 50 surprised at nt Gerald but butI I nm am surprised at nt you Christopher was conscious of some sonic irritation He liked and arid admired Lall Lady Mary Mury but It seemed to him that h her r attitude was a n little unsympathetic I cart can quite understand the whole Incident seeming advised Ili-advised he admitted admitted ad nd- but hut looking back at nt It I l honestly cannot se see what else wo we could have done one You could hu e left the girl where she was Mary Iary Insisted Christopher shook his head bead You didn't see her he lie replied fit o one could pare have left lert he her Iier No o actress could have simulated lime horror we tine saw sate shining out JUt of her face I dont don't think that I should ever er have thought of bringing her away n It was Gerald who did hut that 1 I think that he was rl right ht and I should never nc consent to sending her back bick unless she were willing trilling to po go And exactly what do jou you two young men propose to do with her then Mary inquired It Is not you OU OUI I nm am so much afraid of It I. I Is G Gar Gei o ond nd old Ba nt ou d on t b 1011 1 i Ion l hn I u iX y U II a evea eve eve- ie n lJ e ean tan scan an i that I believe Geralds Gerald's Intentions are u nl always s 's go good id she interrupted tl Jie he Is capable even of Idealism On all the other hand hanel ho hp is fatally yak eik eak where women are concerned d. d 1 I fancy she went on you rou will find that you ou lime Have assumed a u dual le reo and I I. I fancy too loo that nine me day you on will iii be sorry for tor it it I Gerald l has ns the spirit of ot the er In hi his b blood If It the girl attracts him sufficiently you j nt at any rate rate- and probably will lie lI he will be sorry you did lid riot not leave her lieI to her village lo r. r You have ha described Gerald correctly Cor ear cor when you OU called him bun a n philanderer phi philanderer phi phi- landerer Christopher admitted I pu put pitt myself in court and on his beha f- f l I plead guilty guilt to the charge On theother the theother theother other ll hand band I t have greater faith h h in inh h hi his kindness of ot heart henrt and his se sense of or honor than you seem geem to ha have This child is helpless and Innocent Fo or 01 that reason I believe that lint she sho he will twill iw be beas at fiR safe with Gerald us as with me ne Jad Lady Mary lary sighed The look o of trouble still stilt lingered In her e eyes es I hope that you rj J iy ty be right rIght the said luht I I Iam am not a n super superstition I It person but I I some some sort of fore foreboding tor fore foreboding boding about that churl child I te teal feel 1 that I ho she Is le going to bring trout trouble te somehow some some- how low or other Chapter IV It Is 18 a n fact that when the two young men re entered the establishment of Madame Lenore they both tolled tailed utterly utterly ut- ut terly erly to recognize the girl Irl who was waa stan tending standing Ing in a n. distant corner talking to o the thc proprietress It was ns not until she he detached herself and came cume hesitatingly hesi- hesi up to them that they realized with varying sensations who she was Gerald laughed with pleasure and held eld out both his hands Christopher's admiration was tempered with a n certain tale nin amount of distinct disapprobation ion tion Well Veil does docs milord think Madame demanded My f I congratulations I 1 Gerald replied re- re plied enthusiastically My Iy dear deur Myrtile Myr Myr- tile He I won wonder lieI if It you yon on realize how bow harming charming you ou ou are are The girl looked shyly up at nt Gerald her face s soft ft and eloquent with pleas pleas- ure Sh She was clad clod In a fl fine white sergo serge costume trimmed with silver braid tier lIer lace blouse was delicately filmy transparent the cut of her skirts skirt ns as s scanty as the last word from Paris had iad decreed her white silk stockIngs stockings stock- stock Ings and suede shoes procured from froma fromn a n neighboring establishment nt Irreproachable Irre Irre- her large hat lint a n gos gossa- gossa a- a e confection of ot tulle and lace loce Of the charm harm of her appearance there could be e no possible question but hut In n exact ex proportion with Geralds Gerald's sat sat- Christopher's disapproval uJ seared caned to grow row I do not criticise your clothes s 's madame madame ma- ma dame or your our our taste he said but wo we have ho given you ou the wrong Idea Mademoiselle Is In search of ot a n slum slum- lon tion She Is a working girl for whoso whose future as a n working girl m my friend and nd I Ore are anxious to provide Those clothes are entirely unsuitable Look here Chris Gerald Interrupted Inter Inter- youre foure taking this thing too serIously We Ve know very ery well that Myrtile 1 must be bo found something something- to todo todo todo do later on on but In the meantime she mn may as ns well have a little fun Cant Can't you ou see for yourself how wonderful she he Is She will puzzle the whole of Monte Carlo for a week And after then Christopher asked Gerald turned Impatiently away Madame ladame held up a n wonderful confection tion lon of white lace and find silk This Is what I figure to myself for mademoiselles mademoiselle's first evening frock rock she said this said this and a n hat of black lace Ince with a string strIng- of pearls which I could p perhaps borrow I promise romise you that she would make a sensation you ou do not dream of It It Is not our wish that she make a sensation of this sort Christopher persisted harshly It appears to me that hat you both wish to provide the child child lie stopped short Geralds Gerald's e eyes were vere filled with sudden fire the girl was trembling Youre talking like an ass ChrIstopher Christopher ChrIs ChrIs- opher Gerald Gerold declared This Tills Is my affair It 1 Is s nothing o of time the sort Christopher Christopher Chris- Chris opher rejoined stubbornly It is 15 our allah I claim an equal ri right ht in dispo dIg dis- po posing ini ing of lit Myrtile and I will not have o her ber ier decked out In these clothes What we need for her is a t plain blue serge suit and und a small hat lint She will always s 's look ook charming she she will always s 's be attractive nt- nt but hut nothing in her future walk of life justifies our arraying her in clothes like these Madame sin shrugged gd her shoulders ers more disparagingly than everIt everIt ever er It lilt Is as fiS milord an and monsieur desire desire de deg sire of course she said suid I can provide provIde pro pro- provide vide such garments as monsieur de deg scribes Gerald Geralel looked ed at nt Myrtile l once more The Tho admiration In his e eyes ejes es this time at nt any rate was absolutely genuine I cant can't see the time harm In having lUl tim tha child properly turned out for say suy one week weel he be protested turning to Chris Chris- r. And nt ot the end of ot that week what 2 There was a n deadly directness s about Christopher's gm gaze e. e Gerald although there was no definitely formed thought of evil e In his mind avoided it If you jou ou are to marry Mythic Christopher continued then th the lathes clothes Jot lies you have lIa selected el are sult- sult able Unless you have made up lip your mind to do rim that I he hog beg that madame will show us something different I Fun for a week for Myrtile and her sponsors and sponsors and then I what Anyway Myrtile is charming I TO BE C CONTINUED |