The Cairo bulletin., 1906-07-22
The Hero
Who Ran Away
n E a. #
by j. S. FLETCHER


O'CLOCK OF an April evening, Maxwe
left the rain with sigh OF immens
relief. He was in Paris, and in Par
h he could breathe and think, and pei
v haps make up his mind as to what wa
r to be done at the present crisis OF hi
,. life
!, Anyway, | am freed from the grea
. the overwhelming temptation OF he
/. presence" he thought, as he Wake
moodily about the fiower-scente
streets "A man gets so little chance
/ OF thinking clearly in a woman's pres
ence. or il she is within easy distance
Of him. II I'm going to fight this thin.
our II must be away from her. She
. Maxwell stopped suddenly hough
and step alike came 10 a summary con
clusion. He was dimly conscious thai
he stood at the corner OF the Rue
/ Royale. and that he was shaking hands
with his friend Lady Ravensrode, from
whom in some vague fashion the
spring morning had suddenly borrowed
new charm OF light. shade, color and
scent
! Major MAXWELL" she exclaimed
| But why should one be surprised
Paris is so very much next-door now
adays. Let me sect was night be-
tore last that We met. wasn't it?'
II think so,' said Maxwell II
came over yesterday Dover and
Calais, you know-on business"
Il came over yesterday. too" said
Lady Ravensrode. "Folkstone and
Boulogne you know-also on business.
My business is--frocks."
Maxwell stroked his mustache. He
became conscious OF the presence of
Lady Ravensrode's maid lowering at
a discreet distance; also OF the inter-
est which was being created in the
minds and eyes OF the passers-by. who
glanced AT the English womans gra-
cious figure, copper gold hair. and vi
yacious beauty, with unmistakabe ad-
miration. He looked at Lady Ravens
rode, first furtively, then with a Gu
rious determination in his brouzed |
face
oIAu ypuE Adlu away lie Sdtu+ !
THE frocks, am sure can wait little
IL want 10 talk to you The fact |
is. I'm In a bit-no, ! mean a good |
deal--of hole, and | want your ad-
vice.
Lady Rayensrode obeyed this per-
emPtory order without a murmur.
They sat down on a rustic seat under
the refreshing shade trees of the
Champs Elysees
Maxwell began tracing strange
shapes in the gravel at his feet; he
knitted mis- brow and pursed up his
lips, and Lady Rayensrode watched
him with tiny smile at the corners
of her mouth. Presently he looked
up, regarded her with stony stare,
and said. :
The fact is that I've run away"
Run away? With whom
That" said Maxwell. lis feminine. /
tut silly. ! ran away to think"
oh, she said, blankly.
Well. III tell you the truth" he /
aid. I'm running away from a wom-
~" {
That, she replied. lis exactly what
should expect OF you
He looked quickly and suspiciously l
/ her.
All" he exclaimed Then you do n
hink me coward" 8
Il didn't say So" she said. lis she e
retty?" s
Maxwell raised his eyes and stared
{ her.
"Pretty?" he said. "She-why, she n
the most beautiful woman in the o
'Orld" n
The honesty and simplicity OF his b
ne were so evident that her inquir- W
IL eyes dropped before his. o.
she is TO be congratulated that
1u are so fond OF her." she said. $;
'ftly. ',
All. but then. she doesn't know" he n
lswered The thing sought to /
n her? That's what want to know. al
hats the question | want to decide. NJ
h, I'm horrible coward about IT," III
IF You love her. said Lady Ravens
'de, 'yoa certainly ought 10 tell her al
your love for her. It's wrong no,
!; it's wicked" ye
Wrong? Wicked? Why?" he de-
anded. with signs Of great surprise. wi
Lady Ravensrode turned her face co
ward him and studied him with
ncing eyes and a tightly-closed
)uth. Maxwell frowned stln more
JOInliy. ira
Why 10 you look at me like that?" Wis
asked. II know you're laughing the
me. right away down in your heart Wa
d | want to know why. You raj
;, sometimes | think John Max chs
N. you'll be the luekiest man on his
rth II you can win her-try your
NJ But again | think: Nonsense tor
nj make fool OF yourself. and" an'
ady Rayensrode interrupted MIN
ckly. pla
What, by marrying herr" she said
Good heavens. no." answered Max caii
H. NO. but by thinking that she am
nd consent to marry me. You see
here. She's young. and beauti- noi
and rich. and she is so much ad-