The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-20

ouore lie Nersana because, II he was not
actuaLy original, he was a new type to
her. Ills conversation amused her and
gave her delightful thrills He seemed In
reVea! to her glimpses of an unknown
world of passion which she did not cara
to venture into. but liked to peep at Tie
danger was that one day she might be-
come cloyed with watching
People began to make remarks when
they found lie Versana always at her
mouse They wondered how she could be
such a fool The mans mere manner
WIS so dreadfully compromising OF
course 1t might be simply the blatant
PAD taste Of the perfect bounder-which
lie, undoubtedly. was-or 1t might be the
9Hioke winch was the sure sign of fire
IN any case, it was a glaring mistake TO
rantly
AS Tor Le Fersana, he was accustomed
TO devotion, but he had never insDired
IL before In a woman OF Lady LsIlra's
stamp Her infatuation gratified his
vanity. but his eminently practical nature
was at least as much delighted nv the
luxury which he found at her house the
people whom he met there and whom he
hoped might be useful to him, and the
eclat which the friendship brought him
among his less distinguished acouafnt
ahces. Ihere We're times when more
dazzling visions crossed his mind, but
or the most uncultured kind If Lady
Laura had been Gorgon instead of a
tIouri he could not have INDUCED i'm
wilder imprecations at the Thought that
perhaps he had but to speak the word
and she would lay herself and her nos
sessions at his feet. What an excellent
marriage 1t would be! He saw himself
as the master of that delightful housel
Then his passion overcame him.
1t was foolish Of LADY aura IN av
mott her inclination for LIE Versana's So
clety In so marked manner at her own
house: IT was still more foolish to allow
him to escort her about to public places.
where the pair We're liable to be OBJ
served of many. Probably the least SEN
Sible thing that she did in her whole life
was when, proposing to run down to
brighton for week for breath of sea-
air, she suggested to lie Versana that he
should go too. She had intended. It is
TRUE, that he should follow her and
should stay at a different hotel; but the
actual fact shows the danger of dealing
with that sort Of man. lie Versana did
not In the least mind if she were COM
promised 1t would mean ali the more
glory to him. 1t would be sort Of re-
turn for his expenditure Besides he in
tended to bring matters to a crisis
Therefore, he ordered a room at the Same
hotel, and cOmbated her objections to the
went down together. Therefore, what
ever happened. the worlds verdict would
be that it served her right
Everybody says that the great charm of
the Hotel de Luxe Is that It is so anus
ing. This practically means thaz verta-
bel procession of life, or. to be more OK
act, masque of plutarchy, unfolds itself
before the eyes Of those who sit in the
luxurious hall All sorts and condition;
OF men and women Of the moneyed class
pass In and out. the dresses and the dia-
monds vie with each other in brilliancy,
and the Chosen People are as much en-
evidence as the mosaic floor.
1t was a highly painted and much be-
dizened woman who accosted La Versana
in the hall when he and Lady Laura came
out from dinner
Halo. old mani Didn't expect to SEQ
you here! Who's your smart friend? In
troduce me. Oh, don't give yourself airs,
young woman! II you are not too good
to carry on with a scamp like my hus-
band: you are not too good to know his
wife"
Lady Lauras cara and cheeks famed
scarlet with shame and Indignation lie
Nersana had talked of love all the way
down. He had limited at his passion not
obscurely over the champagne. 1t was
quite certain that the evening would have
brought a proposal to which she had not
now oh, the shame and disgrace thar
he should have dared to treat her so,
that he should have dared to think her
that kind Of a woman! She turned and
lied to her own room and locked herself
in.
The next day she breakfasted up stairs
and made preparations to leave that same
morning. When she came down lie
Versana was watching for her. He spoke
to her. She declined to see him. He
placed himself right before her as If to
bar her way. Anxious to avoid a scene
she turned aside and made toward the
office. LIE Versana, half mad with rage at
the total collapse Of his scheme, followed
her.
In this particular move that illustrious
man committed tactical error. AS Lady
Laura entered the office q man who had
been arranging for a room came out. 1t
was Sir Maxwell Raynor. With a glad
cry Lady Laura appealed to him. This
wretch Is insulting me. Oh, protect met
By way of reply srr Maxwell dropped
his stick and overcoat on the floor. hit
out with the most brutal promptness
straight from the shoulder. caught the
eminent bard on the nose, and knocked
him down.
81 have longed to do that for months"
said Sir Maxwell, with barbarous glee.
Then, of course, there was fuss: but,
as no one sympathized with the fallen, it
was easy to allay 1t. Sir Maxfeld insisted
on seeing Lady Laura safely off to the
station, and during the drive she told him
her version of the story
"Oh. the shame of it," she moaned
What will people say? What shall [
do?"
Marry me-" said Sir Maxwell, without
a moments hesitation. THAT will give
the lie to any lies people may dare to
start"
And, in spite of the indecent haste OF
this proposal, that was what she eventu-
ally did.