The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-15
TWO AMERICANS
BY BRET HARTE.
COPYRIGHT. 1897, ov Bret Harts.
PART III.

Z ,yos really carving away on those broad
.hopIders tho character she had so laboriously
gained during her four years solitude. For,
when she came down the next morning, the con-
ciArso bowed to her with an air OF easy Gym
teal abstraction-the result of a long conversa-
tion with his vito the night before. He had
taken Helen's part with a kindly cynicism.
An. what would you-it was bound TO come.
Tho affair of tho Conservatoire had settled
that. The poor child could not starve; penni.
less she could not marry. Only why consort
with other swallows under the caves. when she
could have had q gilded cage on the first ctdOe :
Rut girls were so foolish-in their first affair;
then II was always love. The second time they
pero wiser. And this MANNED warrior and
nain,cr was as poor as she. A compatriot. too.
well. perhaps that saved some scandal; one
could never know what the Americans were &C
crstomed to do" Tho first floor, which had
been inclined to be civil to the young teacher.
was more so, but less respectful. One or two
Young men were tentatively familiar until they
looked In her gray eyes and remembered the
broad shoulders Of the painter.
oddly enough, only Mile. Fiine OF her own
landing exhibited any sympathy with her, and
for the first time Helen was frightened. She
did not show 1t, however,, only she changed her
lodging the next day. But before she left she
had a few moments conversation with the con-
cierge and an exchange of a word or two with
some of her fellow dodgers. I have already
bipted that the young lady had great precision
of statement; che had a pretty turn for han
ding colIoquial French and an ~incisive knowl-
edge of French character. She left 81 Rue
de Friyole working itself into q white rage but
utterly undecided as to her real character.
But all this and much more was presently
blown away in the hot breath that swept tho
l,.-5 nj fha outhurat nf tho Eranrn-
German war, and Miss Helen Maynard disap-
peared from Paris with many Of her fellow
countrymen. The excitement reached even q
quaint old chateau in Brittany where Major
Ostrander was painting. The woman who was
standing by his side as he sat before his easel
on the broad terrace observed that he looked
disturbed. what matters y she said gently.
"You have progressed SO we'll in your work
that you can finish 1t elsewhere. I have no
great desire to stay In France with q frontier
Rarrisoned by troops while I have q villa in
Switzerland where you can still DO my guest.
Paris can teach you nothing more, my friend;
you have only to create now-and be famous"
81 must 60 to Paris" he said quietly. IT
have ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS who may want
me now"
"If you mean the young singer of the Rue dc
Frivole, you have compromised her already.
You can do her no good"
"Madame!"
The pretty face which he had been familiar
with for the past six weeks somehow seemed
TO change It's character. Under the mask of
dazzling skin he fancied he saw the high cheek
bones and square Tartar angle; the brilliant
eyes were even brighter than before, but they
showed moro of tho white than he had ever
seen in them. Nevertheless she smiled with
an equal stormy revelation of her white teeth.
- IN Am ---Al-.
our friendship justified me In being frank. per-
haps too frank for my own good" She stopped.
as II half expecting an interruption, but as he
remained looking wonderingly at her she bit
her lip and went on: You have a great career
before you. Those who help you must DO SO
without entangling you; roses may be as i'm
peding as lead. Until you are independent you
who may in time compass everything yourself
will need to be helped. You know" she added.
with a smile, you have but one arm"
I'm your kindness and appreciation you have
made me forget it, he stammered. Yet he had
a swift vision Of the little bench at Versailles
where he had not forgotten 1t, and as he glanced
around the empty terrace where they stood
he was struck with a Hateful resemblance to it.
And ! should not remind you now of ii, she
went on, except to say that money can always
take its place. AS in the fairy story, the Prince
must have a new arm made of gold." She
stopped. and then suddenly coming closer to
him said h~urriedly and almost fercely: "Can
you not see that l am advising you against my
interest-against myself Go. then, to Paris,
and go quickly before l change my mind. Only
II you do not find your friends there, remember,
You have one here" Before he could reply or
even understand that white face she was gone.
He left for Paris that afternoon. He went
direct to the Rue de Frivole. His old resolu-
Inv 30 aYafl Il w--
the prospect of losing her utterly. But the
concierge only knew that mademoiselle had
Ieft a day or two after monsieur had accom-
another gentleman who had inquired eagerly,
and bountifully, as far as money went, for any
concierge smiled to himself at Ostrander's
Lush flushed cheek: 1t served this ope-armed con
was wiser in this second affair.
Ostrander did not finish his picture. The Prin-
cess sent him a check. which he coldly returned.
sian patronage a local fame which stood him
well with the picture dealers. in spite of the ex-
IN his work. 4 fever Of unrest seized him
which at another time might have wasted
l ieifow in nrtt %sre had ddiSs aIrsdGR $ some Of his
offered bis one arm m hsi sen mili tsFsFs espe ne
The old fighting instinct returned to him with a
certain desperation he had never known before.
lean became famous, until a few days before the
capitulation, when he was struck down by a
bullet through the lung and left in a temporary
hospital. Here, in the whirl and terror OF Com
mune days, he was forgotten, and when Paris
revived under the republic he had disappeared
as completely as his compatriot Helen.
but Helen Maynard had been only OBJ
scured, and not extinguished. At the first out
break OF hostilities a few Americans had still
Kept giddy state among the ruins OF the totter-
ing empire. A day or two after she left the Rue
ae frlvole she was invited by one of her wealthy
FORMER Schoolmates to assist with her voice and
talent at one of their extravagant entertain
ments; You will understand. dear" said Miss
ae Laine. with, ingenious delicacy. as she eyed
her Old comrades well-worn dress, that papa
expects to pay you professional prices, and 1t
friends" 0N'
MI MI! should not como otherwise. dear" said
bliss Helen with equal frankness. but she
Piayed and sang, very charmingly to tao fash
Ena9la assembly In the hotel in the Champs
F.3see-oo cnarmlngiy, indeed, that Miss do
taine patroniZingly exploited her worth and her
better days in confidence to some of the guests.
"A most deserving creature" said Miss do
Lame to the Dowager Duchess OF Soho, who was
passing through Paris on her way to England,
you would hardly believe that papa knew her
fEs.ner when he was one of the richest men In
Your father seems to have been very fortu-
nate" said the Duchess quietly, and SO are