Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-18

be true to you forever.
And at that moment he meant to be.
CHAPTER IL
Summer had gone and New York was
starting upon its hibernal excitements with
its accustomed zeal The French actress,
CIarice Rinauld, arrived in New York.
One day the managing editor of the journal
for which Deming wrote, entered his office.
sEYou could make great story out of a
talk with her." he said, looking out OF the
corner of his eye at Deming.
The latter did not reply. interviewing
was not a part of his work, and he had that
permissible professional egotism OF believ-
ing that his time was too valuable to use in
writing picturesque accounts of French
actresses. But after good deal of delicate
insinustion the managing editor obtained
Deming's promise of an interview for the
next Sundays paper. He went up to
Vests apartment that afternoon.
"Ifyou dare laugh at me I'll slay you"
he said to his friend. 'I've come to ask you
to take me up to the hotel where Rinauld
is stopping and present me to her.
West lighted cigar with his usual tan
talizing deliberateness.
$50 soon?" he said between the putfs.
"Oh, bosh 70 said Deming, 'be sensible,
Jack, do for heavens sake Castor has pre-
vailed upon me to make a story about the
creature for next Sunday, and want to
have decent introduction to her, so I've
come to YOU. Will you take me to her?"
"I'll do it, jerome, replied West, "but,
mark nv words, it's the end of you"
He went to his wardrobe and got his hat
and stick Deming looked out of the high
window down on to the avenue. He was
nervous and irritable, he could not say why.
He had been at the Office all day, aud felt
grimy and pulled down. He was not in
humor to talk to woman. He helped him.
self to some whisky from a decanter that sat
on Vests table, and shuddered after swal-
lowing it. When he glanced at himself in
the mirror he noticed that he was very pale.
He swept his hand up through his damp
hair, and told West he was feeling tired.
"But, come along" he shouted with a
reckless toss of the head. "I've got myself
in fine mood for seeing your wonderful
French devil I'll promise you to dominate
the scene every moment we are with her."
West saw clearly enough that his friend
was exhausted by close confinement and
overwork Deming had been up all the
night before worrying over a manuscript
that he was getting ready for magazine.
His ewes were dilated, his mouth set un-
naturally tight, his face as white as marble.
"But handsomer than ever" said West
to himself as they went out into the avenue
and walked uptown together.
On reaching the hotel West took one oc
his visiting cards from his pocket and wrote
something under his name. In a few mo-
ments the bell boy who took this card up
stairs, returned with directions to come to
Miss Rinauld's parlors.
There were several people in the rooms
when the two were ushered in by quiet
looking woman, who was evidently the
actress maid. Deming was conscious of a
number of voices as he penetrated the mar
row private hall behind West, and then he
found himself in large, conventional hotel
parlor. There were figures Of men sitting
about A woman rose from the opposite
side of the room and advanced toward the
newcomers Her hand was outstretched,
her quick moving limbs stirred her heavy
dress noisily, her voice broke the sudden
stiffness with a firm, musical, beautiful
vibration.
''You, Monsieur West? Ah! but 1 am glad
10 see you once again. No one In America
could be more welcome.
There was an accent, far too faint to repre-
duce in print. 1t was beauty added to the
English language. Deming heard the
sound of Vests reply 10 the actresses greet
ing, but did not make out what he said.
His ewes were fixed on Rinauld. With one
comprehensive glance he measured her.
She was glorious. Her hair dropped in a
cloud the color of FURNISHED copper over her
brows and down over one ear. Her face
was pale, but pure in its pallor, and her
wonderful eyes glowed like Goals against it.
Her mouth-Deming actually trembled
when he saw the curl of those bleod red lips.
There was an expression on them which was
either the sneer of devil or the smile of an
angel, he could not have said which. Be |
side these details of the woman's over
whelming loveliness Deming was conscious |
that she was tall, square-shouldered, |
and held her perfect head thrust |
animal Suddenly he became conscious |
of Vests voice repeating his name,
and then he felt those burning eyes turn |
themselves upon him. They gazed, and |
gazed, and gazed. The head was raised to !
to its full height and the actress drew in her |
breath Then she extended her hand.
Monsieur
That is all she said Deming took her |
warm fingers, and the touch of them brought /
him to his senses. He said something about |
the honor of meeting so famous a woman, |
and then offered his hostess a chair, taking |
one for himself by her side. He stated the |
professional import of his visit, throwing in |
the information that he only consented to |
interview the actress because he knew the |
duty would provide so much pleasure for |
himself The actress had not noticed any |
one beside the young critic since she had |
first looked at him. Even West found |
lUSbdulll lBuOICus OuC 4hSl-
ened her dreamy and fairly glaucous eyes |
upon Deming's face as though she would |
devour him. Deming had recovered his |
eomposure, and was soon, as he had prom |
ised West he should be, master of the stu |
alton. 1t was an excitement for him to sit |
face to face with this magnificent creature |
and feel that he was proof against her wiles. |
He had been overcome for moment by her |
exceeding besuty, but now he was easy and |
Indifferent, and he knew that she realized it. |
But suddenly her manner changed, and |
she turned her attention TO a tall man with I
a sandy beard who had been sitting very |
sttfly and gloomily on sofa over against |
the wall.
'Oh, Count" she said gayly; 'T am
afraid we shall miss our drive should we
not start at once"
''The Russian lover" whispered West
into Deming's ear.
There was no reason why a spasm of jeal- 1
ousy should have shot through Deming's
breast at that instant, but there did. He |
rose quickly and asked his hostess pardon
for detaining her. Again those wonderful
ewes turned themselves upon him, and now
he felt himself once more i'll at ease. West
crossed the floor to speak to the Count. The
other occupants of the room were busily
conversing. The actress gazed without
speaking at Deming, and he grew hot and
cold as he stood there waiting for her to bid
him good afternoon. Before he was aware
of what he was saying he asked if he might
call again.
"why would you care TOP" asked the
actress.
"Well to know you better replied Dem