The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-19

At the sound of the name 'Larouque," the
earl noticed that Odille started, and looked
handsome woman with the touched up"
face, and whose gracious smile vanished in
most remarkable fashion as her keen brown
eyes rested upon Odille.
"A great deal too beautiful to live in
bachelor establishment" was the French
womans inner comment mo doubt she sets
her cap at the earl. If he has not already
fallen in love with her, he will do so. She
is dangerous rival. L must watch and see
what he thinks of her. 1t may not be too
late to spoil her little game
She had not long to watch. Only to see,
as she did, the expression of Lord Roserayes
eyes he looked at Odille was to know that
he loved her man loves but once in his
lifetime, that she was the woman in the
world for him.
With her swift, searching glances, Stepha-
ME Laroque quickly aScertained how matters
stood, and being a wise woman, she accepted
the situation with resignation, if not without
sigh of disappointment at the sudden col
lapse of her own secretly nourlsned hopes and
plans. If, however, she was not foolish
enough to attempt the impossible, or waste
her time in vain regrets, she, woman-like,
vented her veXation, not on the man who had
outlived his love for her, but the woman
who had supplanted her in his affections.
Madame Laroque resolved to pay Odille out
if possible at the very earliest opportunity.
While turning over in her clever mind how
best to bring this about, her quick eye was
attracted by the look in Odilles face, a look
of terror and dismay, that flashed into her
eyes as the earl turned to Rene Laroque and
presented him to her. 1t was but the work
of minute Odille was habitually pale, and
it did not take her long to recover her COM
posure. Another person besides the earl had
noticed with surprise the violent emotion she
had betrayed when confronted py the young
Frenchman AS for the latter his calm,
smiling, handsome face showed sign of
toniShment or annoyance But the earl re-
membered that he had already mentioned the
nf SSte fn
Laroque before she enetered the room and
the name was an uncommon one, he had
doubtless recognized it, and prepared himself
for the unavoidable meeting. Odille, however
had been taken unaWares, and had betrayed
herself.
That these two, Rene Laroque and Odile
Thorne had met before was evident to the
earl and to Madame Laroque nor was there
anything surprising in the fact. What was
there to hinder them from openly acknowl
edgng it? Why have made mystery about
the matter? Secrecy generally, if not always,
hides shame, especially where a woman is
concerned, SO the world at large thinks.
In the earl's heart jealousy stirred up the
suspicious that had been awakened by the
sight of Odille's habitual and unnatural sad
ness The very love he felt for her was
numbed by the chill doubt that breathed upon
it. The words in which he had meant this
very evening to ask her to be his wife were
frozen upon his lips.
Odille was aware that her start of surprise
and her emotion had not passed unperceived
by the earl and her heart sank within her
as she saw his eyes, that had never looked
otherwise than kindly on her, grow suddenly
hard and cOld and that each time her glance
met his throughout the evening he turned
away his head.
1T is fate that 1 should meet that man
again-a fate which have brought upon my
self by that one act of supreme folly
Throughout the evening the earl avoided
her. Only once, when she seated herself at
the piano at Lady Lilians request, did Lord
Roseraye look at her. The song she had
chosen was one of his great favorites and it
suited her rich, full, clear contralto voice.
Rene" whispered his mother behind her
fan to her son, under cover of the singing;
Il saw that girl start and grow pale when
you and she were presented to each other
Have you ever met her before?'
Not that am aware" he replied with a
shrug of his shoulders, as he plunged his
hands in his pockets. Il really cannot re-
member the faces of all the women 1 have
met"
Il don't suppose you can, but that girls
face is not the sort of face one forgets, and
she certainly looked at you as if you were a
ghost
Rather substantial one, at any rate.
do not generally produce that effect on the
ladies of my acquaintance l can assure Won y
L thought perhaps Miss Thorne might be
one of your many victims,' said Madame La
rogue, with searching glance. Her mother
tells me she spent a summer in France q
couple of years ago."
Possibly another shrug-'but. as
tell you, have never met~the girl. I prob
ably resemble some person she once knew
The ,FrenchWoman said no more. 1t was
evident to her that her son was not dis
posed to confide in her, and though only half
satisfied by his answers, she wisely desisted
from further questioning.
What do you think Of the earl's sister?''
"She is the lovelest girl I have ever set
eyes on, and it won't be my fault if I don't
win her. replied the young man, promptly,
but in the same lowered tone.