The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-25
If unexpected ease and grace. excited

of unexpected ease and grace. excited
some attention.
After an interval. as he stood bacl
against the wall to allow a couple whs
had been following him to pass, the,
drew up in front of him.
Il obey you, mademoiselle," said tn,
man.
His companion. who ware a blacl
domino. made a gesture of dismissal
Then she turned TO Hollywood. 'Yot
have been looking for me?" she said
as her partner moved away.
But naturally. mademoiselle, re
piled Rallywood.
You know who I am?''
Not in the least. / cannot ever
make guess, though have been wait
| ing TO know since this day last week
1T would have been easy to ask the
| questioned any one she said. witt
an odd intonation.
by no means. There are questions
which cannot be asked-of any one. be-
cause the answer touches too closely
Hollywood pulled himself up. with q
sudden sense of being ridiculously in
earnest.
And then they were dancing
Yet you are not stranger in Re-
vonde. Nine. de Sagan could have an
swered your question-had you cared to
| ask it,, the girl said
1t did not strike me to ask her
trusted to the fact that belonging to
the guard. | must some day have the
good fortune to find you again.
You are patient
No" replied Hollywood. 81 am not
patient. But l know that all things
come to him who waits. | wait"
so l see-eXcellentlyi"
Have l not waited long enough to
hear your name first from your own
lips?''
Stop for a moment" Then. stand
ing beside him, she continued, ASK
me tomorrow
IF / am alive I will" he laughed.
He felt her hand move with quick
tremor on his arm.
Il knew it, Which of them has chal-
lenged you, Unzair?" The swift ques-
ton. echoing his own thoughts, took
him completely by surprise.
He passed his arm around her. for the
waltz was nearing its end.
Shall we go on? No; no one has done
me the honor of sending me a chal-
lenge."
Let US have an end of this absurd
mystery" said the girl. impatiently.
Il am Valerie Selpdorf. and you
are
John Hollywood of the guard of
Nassau" he intarposed. Il had my
commission from you in the ante-room
Of the Hotel du Chancellor. But for
that l should have been more than half
inclined to refuse it,
Il wish you had refused it, It may
cost yOu-more than a man cares to
pay. l thought my father held the
powe. to give any commission he
pleased, but one can never reckon with
the guard. They mean to kill you,
Captain Hollywood, j wanted TO warn
you, but ] think you know more. per-
hapS, than l can tell you, or than you
will tell me. What is going to happen?
| want TO help yOu-you must let me
help you
Hollywood laughed. but perhaps his
arm drew her "a little closer as they
moved more slowly during the conclud-
ing bars of the waltz.
My dear mademoiselle, I assure you
that your fears are quite grOundless. I
am proud TO belong to the guacd of
Nassau. and they have so far shown
no intention of rejecting me. Is for
duels. if there happen to be one-are
not affairs common in Nassau? And
afterward fewer funerals take place
than one would suppose likely, Be
sides. Nj. Selpdorf's wishes cannot he
lightly disregarded in Revonde.''
You will be drawn into quarrel be-
fore the night is over" Mademoiselle
Selpdorf stated her conviction very
plainly. without noticing his disclaim-
ers.
The music ceased. Hollywood spoke
once more. ITO prove to you how little
l anticipate anything of the sort. Will
you allow me TO have the last dance
on the programmed
That is nothing, What can do for
you?" she exclaimed.
Expect me. If you would promise
to expect me. l don't yet know the man
who could stop my coming to you
The words were lightly spoken. hut
Valerie Selpdorf. looking up into Rally
woods eyes, understood that he was
likely to be able to make any words of
his good. They were handsome eyes.
the iris of a dense gray bordering on
hazel. as became the sunburnt yellow
of his hair and mustache. and at that
moment they contained an expression
which remained in Valerie's memory as
the distinctive expression of his face.
Whenever in the future she recalled
Hollywood she thought of him as he
looked then.
Il will expect you" promised Valerie.
They both know that for the moment
they STOOD together at one of those
cross roads where life and death meet.
where. moreover. a look and a word
convey a mutual revelation of charac-
ter such as years of ordinary inter
course often fail to supply.
CTo be Continued.)