Evening star., 1898-05-14
glance at Harewood's placid face 1t was
too placid-and Bourke knew 1t

L tOo pidClQ-dnu bOurk6 Knew IL.
| Whats the trouble?" he asked bluntly.
Harewood said: Nothing much,' and led
| the way into the parlor
AS they entered without knocking, Yo-
ies1e rose hastily from chair at the table
| and came to them, and at the same mo-
| ment, two men, lounging on the sofa, look
| Stauffer.
| iutely controlling her voice, sit is fortunate
you have come-I-I could not stay in this
room another moment"
Before Bourke could understand, Hare
"ood SAID quietly. 'Mademoiselle, it Is all
arranged win you step into the office and
write receipt?''
His eyes told Hide, to go too. She obeyed.
with frightened glance at his face, which
was sun smiling, but white sheet
Spyer had risen; Stauffer also stood up,
close beside Speyer. When the latter be-
| gan to speak, Harewood turned and looked
| at him, and he stopped short.
Bourke," said Harewood in even tones,
would you mind stepping into the office
ard bringing me the receipt"
Bourke's somber, puzzled eyes rested on
Speyer for a second; then he turned on his
heel and left the room.
What do you mean by this?" clustered
speyer.
WHAT" asked Hardwood without emo
| ton
There was no answer. Stauffer instinc-
lively took a step toward the door, then
paused as he met Harewood's eyes. At that
moment Bourke re-entered the room, hold
ing sheet of stamped paper in his hand.
He laid it on the table before Speyer, but
said nothing.
After silence Stauffer's weak face ex
panded into smile. and he picked up the
paper with pitiful little swagger. Then
ne laid few gold coins the table, piling
one on the other in affected jocularity
viii Mr.. Harewood do me the honor of
counting them?" he said, sauntering toward
the door.
Harewood stopped him with gesture.
speyer, glowering across the table,
watched the counting of the coins When
Harewood finished he stepped back pace.
Get out"
"Now
Get out!' he said gently. Stauffer
slipped past the table at once. Speyer hesi-
tated, sneering, fairly weak with rage, then
turned and walked out, followed closely by
Harewood. At the door Stauffer began TO
laugh. His forced mirth seemed to sting
Speyer to madness. He turned, as he
reached the sidewalk. Hides name was
on his lips, but Harewood lashed him
across the mouth with his riding crop.
Co. he whispered with white lips. ''If
you don go I'll kill you. Can't you un-
derstand-can't you understandable kill
you if you don't CO."
He flung him out into the street. and
walked slowly back to the house. closing
the door very softly behind him.
He met Bourke in the hail and answered
his inquiries with a shrug.
Nice pair commented Bourke: "Yolette
SuetulIlS tears, 90 you suppose tney
said anything blackguardly to herr"
Il fancy they did. It's well we came
Cecil?'
and entered. Yolette smiled at them as
they entered. 1T was very silly to cry
she said sedately, seating herself at the
table.
Bourke, not knowing what to answer sat
down gravely and looked at the lioness;
and Scheheralade, who had taken a great
fancy TO Harewood, stole around to mis-
chair and stood there, looking up with
waved in the air
Some day" said Bourke, shell take
fancy to me and we Shall be inseparable.'
His ha!f-serious. y half-pretonded sus-
plclonS as to ScheheraZade's intentions al
ways delighted YClette and Hide. They
loved to hear him catl thE lioness a living
tomb and wish thatdhis bones might have
Hes insulting yoq again" cried Hide,
dragging the lioness across to her ywn
chair; ''as if my Scheherazade would eat
anything she shouldn't! Hear her purr the
darling! l do believe NJ Bourke that YOU
are really afraid.' III
Il am said Bourke ;9"so's Harewood.
Fright keeps him speechless''
Hide 1alse1 her dark eyes to Harewood's
rs that true. monsieur?i
Harewood briShtehed and laughed, nod
ding across the table: but Hides face. al
ways little grave and sensitive even in
iiSl II SW SISNef! ana more sensitive.
1t had changed within a. day; something
had come into it too subtle for Harewood
TO detect; something that even escaped
iolette. The contour of her cheek and
neck was still almost childlike the full
scarlet mouth was also chiIds mouth
yet already lip and cheek were finer and
ptrer, d softer shhdow tinged the eyes an
inperceptiole tenderness touched the lips.
Il cannot See,' said Bourke honestly
how your hands can be so white if YOU
and Yolette wash those dinner things;
I'VE don't" laughed Yoette; I'VE only
dry our little tea cups. Red Riding Hood
does the rest. You haven't seen Red Rid
ing Hood vet? She's the scissors-grinder's
child They live in the passage de rOmbre
and they are vefy, very poor
.,, Hide thought of it first" said Yolette
ihe little thing came to the door last
Wfuer-oh, so cold and hungry She comes
every noon and evening now. Hide made
her red cloak and hood. Her father
drinks"
Il think" said Hide, .'she NAV he in the
kitchen now. Shall l bring her in?''
Bourke nodded. trifle embarrassed. He
never knew what to say to children Hide
looked shyly at Harewood, saw that he ap-
proved. and then rose and went to the
door. Red Riding Hoodw she called. "Arn
you there. little one? Yes? Then won't YOU
come in?'
There came the clatter of small sabots
along the tiled hallway. Red Riding Hood
appeared.
Bourke stared at this thin little creature
who stared back at him with a pair of
great eyes, black jet. But Harewood
easy with anything that seemed HELPLESS or
dependent, held out a strong brown hand
smiling. Children and animals never re-
sisted his smile, and Red Riding Hood was
no exception. She came slowly forward
and gave him thin, red hand never TAX
ing her eyes from his, and he bent forward
and kissed the child.
Hides face changed. An exquisite fem
derness touched her eyes as she looked at
Hardwood, trying to speak, but could NOT
What is your name; mine is Harewood"
he said.
Mine is Marie Ledoux. I should rather
be called Red Riding Hood" said the child
seriously.
Harewood was quiet and attentive.
Exactly he said. "and 1 want YOU to
come to visit me. VIII your"
Yes" said the child; tomorrow"
"Then will you say goodnight to these
ladies and gentlemen Red Riding Hood ?"
The child looked earnestly at him. then
walked to the door.
Bon soir, mesdames; bon soir. mes
sieurs.' she said, gravely, and walked out.
her small wooden shoes echoing along the
tiles
What In the world has tanned our Little
Red Riding HOOd?' exclaimed voIott.