The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1906-08-01
The Hero
Who Ran Away
By j. S. FLETCHER
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)


When the afternoon express finally
rolled into the Care du Nord at seven
o'clock of an April evening, Maxwell
left the train with a sigh Of immense
relief. He was in Paris, and in Paris
he could breathe and think, and per-
haps make up his mind as to what was
to be lone at the present crisis OF his
life.
Anyway, I am freed from the great,
the overwhelming temptation of her
presence" he thought, as he Wake
moodily about the fiower-scenteH
streets. "a man gets so little chance
of thinking clearly in q woman's pres
ence, or ii she is within easy distance
of him. If I'm going to fight this thins
out 1t must be away from her. She
Maxwell stopped suddenly-thousl:
and step alike came to q summary cor
clusion. He was dimly conscious ,h2'
he stood at the corner of the re
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 row.
adays. Let me sect was night be-
fore last that we met, wasn't it,"
Il think So" said Maxwell. IL
came over yesterday Dover and
Calais, you know-on business"
Il came over yesterday. too" said
Lady Ravensrode. "Folkstone and
Boulogne. you knew-also on business.
My business is-frocks."
Maxwell stroked his nIustache. He
became conscious of the presence OF
Lady Ravensrode's maid, lowering a.
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 woman's gra-
cious figure, copper-gold hair, and VI
vacious beauty, with unm!stakable ad-
miration. He looked at Lady Ravens
rode, first furtively, then with a CT
rious determination in his bro2ZeG
face.
Send your maid away" he s.id
THE frocks, l am sure, can wait a little.
IL want to talk to you. The lac;
is, I'm in a bit-no, l mean a goc
deal-of a hole, and l want your aG-
vice."
Lady Ravensrode obeyed this per-
emptory order without a murmur.
They sat down on a rustic seat unoer
the refreshing shade trees OF the
Champs Elysees.
Maxwell began tracing strange
shapes IN the gravel ct his feet; he
knitted mis- brow and pursed up his
lips. and Lady Ravensrode warcne J
him with a tiny smile at the corner
of her mouth. Presently he locke
up, regarded her with a stony stare.
n said:
The fact is that I've run away"
Run away? With whom"
THAT" said Maxwell. "is feminine.
but silly. ! ran away to think"
Oh" she said, blankly.
"Well, I'll tell you the truth" be
said, I'm running away from a wom-
an"
That she replied, lis exactly What
l should expect Of you"
He looked quickly and suspiciously
at her.
All" he exclaimed. Then you do
think me a coward?"
Il didn't say So" she said. us she
pretty?"
Maxwell raised his eyes and stared
at her.
Pretty" he said. "She-why, she
Is the most beautiful woman in the
world"
The honesty and simplicity of his
ing eyes dropped before his.
"She is to be congratulated that
you are so fond Of her." she said.
softly.
"Ah. but then. she doesn't know he
answered. The thing is-ought ! to
tell her? That's what l want to know.
That's the question l want to decide.
Oh, I'm 4 horrible coward about II"
III you love her" said Lady Ravens
rode. 'yol certainly ought to tell her
of your love for her. It's wrong not
to; it's wicked"
Wrong? Wicked? Why?" he de-
manded, with signs of great surprise.
Lady Ravensrode turned her face
toward him and studied him with
dancing eyes and a ti~ghtly-closed
mouth. Maxwell frowned still more
glOomily.