Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-19
The Yellow Crayon
The Further Adventures of mysterious MIR. Sabn"
BY E. Phillips Oppenheim
History The "Ths Master Mmme"
"Th< Betrayal" "A Of Sinner,"
(Copyieh by AID Company
BY E. Phillips Oppenheim.


fate, what cursed stroke of fortune brought
you once more into my life?''
She threw her head back and laughed at
him, this time heartily. unaffectedly.
What adorable candorr she exclaimed.
MY dear friend. how amiable you are
He looked at her steadfastly, and some
how the laugh died away from her lips.
Lucille. will you marry me?"
Marry you? l? Certainly not
And why not?"
For a score of reasons. IL you want
think it is delightful to have you for a
friend. 1 can never quite tell what you are
going to do or say. AS husband l am
almost sure that you would be monotonous.
madness to think Of destroying a pleasant
friendship in such manner
You are knocking me- he said sadly.
We'll" she said, why not? Your own
proposal is mockery.
"A mockery! My propOsal!''
Yes" she answered steadily. You
know quite well that the very thought of
such a thing between you and me is an
your party. You are ambitious, l know.
You intend to be prime minister. a people s
prime minister. Well. for my part. 1 hate
the people. l am an aristocrat AS your
wife l should be in perfectly ridiculous
position. How foolish! You have led me
into talking of this thing seriously. Let
us forget all this rubbish
He stood before her-waiting patiently,
purpose.
that l shall be prime minister. 1t is true
also that you will be my wife,
She shrank back from him-uneasily.
The fire In his eyes, the ring in his tone
distressed her.
las for my politics. you do not under
stand them. But you shall! ! will convert
you to my way of thinking. Yes. I will do
that. The cause of the people. of freedom,
is the one great impulse which beats
through all the world. You. too. shall
hear it."
Thank you," she said. II have no wish
to hear it. 1 do not believe in what you
call freedom for the people. l have discov-
cred in America how uncomfortable a peo-
pies country can be"
-"Yet you married an American. You call
yourself still the Countess Radantz -
but you married Mr.. James B. Peterson"'
ut is true, my friend" she answered.
But the American in question was a per-
son of culture and intelligence, and at heart
he was no more a democrat than 1 am.
Further, I am an extravagant woman, and
he was a millionaire
And you, after his death, without neces-
sity-went to bury yourself in his country"
why not?'
II am jealous of every year of your life
which lies hidden from me-" he said slowly.
Dear m"-how uncomfortable"
Before you-reuppeared.' he said, II
had learned, yes 1 had learned to do with
out you. 1 had sealed up the one chapter
of my life which had in it anything to do
with sentiment Your coming has altered
all that. You have disturbed the focus of
my ambitions Lucille! l have loved you
for more than half a lifetime. Isn't II
time l had my reward?''
He took a quick step toward her. In his
tone was the ring of mastery, the light in
his eyes compelling. She shrank back,
but he seized one of her hands. 1t lay be-
tween his, a cold, dead thing
What have my politics to do with it?'
he asked fiercely. You are not an English
woman. Be content that / shall set you
far above these gods of my later life.