The Saint Paul globe., 1897-06-06

capricious, eXacting and fretful / felt
myself to have, been most unwarrant-
ably accused and impugned, and all
the tenderness had conceived for the
man who had assailed me seemed
turned to bitterest gall I felt like one
who, having administered a supposed
lnnocuous draught, suddenly finds
hlmSeif accused of murder. 1t is
heavens own truth that the thought of
lmmodesty in the costuming of my
various parts had never so much as
occurred to me. My apparel was as
much tool Of my stagecraft as is a
surgeons scalpel an implement neces-
cary to his profession. 1 had consid-
ered 1t simply in the light of a valu-
able accessory, and had never paused
10 reject that the greater its efficiency
IN operating upon the public favor,
the more dangerous the wounds it was
capable OF inf1icting upon my fair
fame. Now my eyes were opened to
the Wantonness of my attire, and, for
the hrst time since l had made my pre-
nHlnary bow to the public, 1 shrank
lhWardly before the gaze of the multi
tude
Yet I would not alter my Offending
gulse IN any particular. My antagon-
ism had been aroused, as we'll as my
spirit injured, by the manner Of Rich
ara teulntard's attack, and l was far
TOO proud to permit him the satiSfac-
tlon OF feeling that his reproaches had
porne fruit.- carried my head braVely
abort; | availed myself, as never be-
1Gre, or the latitude tacity accorded the
members of my profession l Haunted
my success as a public favourite boldly
abroad; 1 allowed notoriety to toss my
name hither and thither in its dirty
hngers, careless of any smirch it might
receive; L went as far as a naturally
pure-hearted woman can persuade her
self to go, to prove to the man who
had so mercilessly upbraided me that
he mad Just grounds for his censure.
And why? Simply because I was filled
that man-aye, and with love for him,
too, strenuously as I opposed the ad-
mission even to myself.
Two days later, I received a brief
note from him. have it by heart:
Dear Madame: My servant, Leon Picot,
has today brought me a cheque to cash bear
ing your signature. AS it is for a very large
commodating him without notifying you that
ne is drawing upon you to this extent. He
mas told me cock-and-bull story to account
for his having the cheQue in his possession but
nave no faith in the man; nor have |, Of
course. any concern in your motives for en-
rlching him. My only aim in writing you is
TO md out if the cheque is all right Yours
very truly, Richard Eton Quintard.'
AAOS AiS uOl0 ran, ana InuS my reply.
Dear Sir: You may safely, if you wish to
Go so, cash the cheque which I have given
your servant Leon Picot I dare say the
story to which you allude is that regarding
which sought to secure his silence. l am
quite prepared for a breach of confidence
upon his part, for he cherishes a grudge Of
long standing against me- However, if the
truth does not reach my daughters ears,
snail De content with my bargain. AS you
say, the matter does not concern you, and
thereIore, L presume, you will do me the
FAVOR of preserving my secret. Yours truly,
Pauline Mavis.''
And so, for a time, coldness settled
between us. Occasionally I saw him
riding in the park or met him in the
street, but we passed each other even
without recognition. Allan's devotion
to me increased and people began to
gossip about the lads intimacy with
me. 1t was true that he fancied him
self desperately in love with me, that
he Well-nigh lived in my household
that he9Was my escort upon nearly all
occasions, that he dogged my footsteps,
SQuandered large sums of money on
me, and, for the time being, had no
object in life but the qualification of
my Whims and caprices. But what did
1t all amount to? I was nearly old
enough to be his mother, he was never
permitted even so much as to kiss my
hand, and he might have been in far
worse company tnan. that he met
through my instrumentality
I encouraged him; I admit it. That
is, urged his visits, 1 welcomed his
companionship, L fiattered his boyish
pride by singing him out from men
of more mature years and greater dis
tlnction as my especial favourite. But
when it came. toispeech] of love frown-
ed upon him SO heavily that the poor
boy grew timid, and hastened to make
sport of his own sentimentality.
[ was not without purpose in seek
ing so to attach him to me- I was
we'll aware of the strong love that
existed between his father and him
self; [ knew how proud Richard Quin-
tard was Of his son. how ambitious he
was for him, how solicitous lest cor
rUpting influences should taint him.
[ had discovered early in my acquain-
tance with them that Allan had been
withheld as much as possible from close
association woth the fast spirits which
his mother was fond Of gathering round
her There had been no endeavour
made to molly-coddle him, but his faith
er had tried to keep him we'll outside
that questionable orbit in which his
mothers sun reVolved
Therefore, / felt that, misconceiving
me as he had done, Richard Quintard
would be keenly touched by the fact
of Allan's intimacy with such a woman