The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-11-30

IWantcd to knoaU II nc made love to her.
the least, but l salu It: indeed, 1
hardly think it is l who happen to be
the lucky ono. 1t seems to mo he pays
you q great deal the most attention"
Mrs. Wallis is 40, but extremely
stylish and a fully equipped woman of
the world in most things, but to my ut
ter surprise she met my little sally with
an embarrassed laugh and n vivid, burn
ing blush. In my establishment ! could
not take my eyes from her face. Sho
was turned away from me, looking out
Of the window.
"Oh, no, my dear madamel" /
thought. SIS it thus the wind blows?"
It would be Il fine finish to her life to
die amarquise. 1t was necessary to look
to my ~laurcls. l, Jean Modlicott, find
ing q rival in Mrs. Wallis! Oh, it was
too absurd to think about. Mr.. Valois
camo around to dinner that evening,
and l put on my pl %ettiest dress. 1t was
a pale green thin thing, and l thought
l looked unusually we'll until l saw
Mrs. Wallis in all of her wal paint.
She was positively regal in a dark red
velvet and black lace. Her beautiful
hair was piled high, and there was a
diamond here and there. After dinner
Mr.. Valois took us to tho theater to SEQ
Mary Anderson. / shall never forget
that evening, My dreams seemed to be
all broken up. My castles were coming
down like cards. Mrs. Wallis was owl
IDENTIFY in love with Mr.. Valois, although
he was fully ten years her junior. l
must have been blind not to have seen
ff Hpfnrn t,l Ens H. ,,,, lD.,
courteous to me, but that grand defer
once was as certainly paid to Mrs.
Wallis.
We all went up TO London the next
day. All the way Mr.. Valois spoke of
the sights to be seen in tho great
metropolis, but begged us to mako a
short stay there ut first, going over to
the continent for awhile, and then COM
ing back. He said-very justly-that
coming at once into a country where
our own language was spoken We would
begin to draw comparisons with
America and belittle the magrifcence
Of England. But while we were here
there were u fow places that we must
see. Mr.. Valois, who evidently knew
London like u book, suggested that in
stead Of the Langham we should go to
a small hotel, almost like q private
house, and enthusiastically English,
where the maids brought tho hot water
up in jugs and pots Of flowers bloomed
on our parlor window stills. From hero
we made excursions into tho old world
about us, and it was here that we had
afternoon tea and dinner by the soft
light of wax candles. Mr.. Valois was
| nnt,cfaa,f1u xtrttl nc NJ -,
up again. I began to SEQ differently.
MIR. Valois treated Mrs. Wallis as he
would have treated my mother, and he
seemed perfectly unconscious Of her
in%fatuation for him.
But for the first time since we had
known each other there was a little
GOODNESS between Mrs. Wallis and my
self. 1t was nothing defined. Just ono
OF those uncomfortable, constrained
states that seem to como sometimes be-
tween friends like tho breath of a north
wind.
One day we had been drinking tea
and were standing about with tho cups
In our hands when there was q commo-
ton in tho street. There had been a
collision between % carriage and q cart.
The occupant Of the carriage was just
alghting as we looked out. He was n
small, wien faced creature in tho most
correct afternoon costume, and he SEEM
ed to be in q terrible rage.
Mr.. Valois looked and then started.
WHAT" he cried oXcitedly. "That
Is the Prince Gortohoff. l will 40 to
him."
But just then the old man stepped
into the carriage again ard was driven
off. A maid had just come in after the
tea things.
Fir. Valois took q card from his peck.
ct, wrote something on it and, putting
1t into an envelope, bado tho maid run
Town unG send the missive after the
old gentleman's carrinGa. Tt wna all
uone In a'second, but Mrs. Wallis and |
looked at each other. We had seen that
tho card was not like tho one Mr.. Va
lois had sent us. There was a title after
the name.
The next day Mr.. Valois didn't come
until evening. Mrs. Wallis was out
first, evidently waiting for him. AS l
opened my room door to go into tho
parlor l saw that they were In earnest
conversation, and / could hardly holp
overhearing a little Of 1t, and I did
want to know if he made love to her.
He didn't.
And did you 60 to zee the prince
l cannot remember his name2'' she ask
ed sweetly.
prince Gortchoff? Yes, madame; l
was with him today. He is a Russian,
one OF the great mobiles of that empire.
last saw him In Vienna, to which city I
had travelled with him from st. Peters.
burg"
Iconld soc Mrs. Wallis fairly pluming
herself at knowing SO great a parsonage
even at secondhand.
And when" she said softly, "are
we to SEQ the cards you send to the
prinoe2"
MIR. Valois gave q little laugh and
walked away. "Oh, I am Of service to
you here as / am, madame. Ipromise-
when you reach France"
Then l opened the door and walked
in.
Two daya after we left England and
crossed tho channel to France. At the
last minute Mr.. Valois found that he
could not accompany us, but promised
TO meet us In Paris within O few days.
i don't know why, but l didn't believe
he would come. | felt that 1 was saying
'goodby" TO one Of tho pleasantest 40.
quaintances | had ever made. And, as
SON etimes happens, my presentiment
was not far from wrong.