The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-06

| a-- regarding her with an unusual amount pr interest At frst she attributed this to the fascination which beautiful frock has for women, and especially for women who have to study the art of dressing for stage purposes. But after terest she excited was due less to her clothes than her personality. The one was compliment but the other was | an impertfnence. Laura Tankerlane be- gan to grow uncomfortable under the frequent glapces which the actress cast at her, and she was glad when her hus- band suggested that 1t was time to go | home.
 Lord Portlington helped her on with her long sable opera cloak, and the waiter come forward with Tankerlane's overcoat and hat For one brief moment fankerlane's face was turned towards | Mademoiselle Jackson. and he saw to l his horror that an ostentatious smile of recognition had flashed across her face. She rose to her feet. came across to him. and held out her hand.
 | Wal, this is treatp she said. with | a rather forced American accent; "and how did you get here? Why, it must be | three years since we met in Chicago" Really. mademoiselle," said Tanker lane. with 2 bow. T think--Tm afraid you are mistaken. You are Mademoi- selie Jackson. are you not?" | 'Yes. now" she replied, with laugh, but when I met you was called Mrs. | Bonsal, and that's my name still. If there's any good in being married and | getting ones husbands name" Mrs Bonsalr' cried Tankerlane. with course What duffer I am! Do you l know, I never recognized you. And I've been watching the piece tonight You were splendid--yes, splendid. Laura, let me introduce Mrs. Bonsal to you. I | saw good deal of her and her husband l some years ago in America. Mrs. Bon- | sa1-Mrs Tankerlane; Mrs Bonsal--Lord 1 you have altered, haven't you? I never recognized you. Well. this Is pleas | ure." t
 | .It is indeedl" said Lord PortIington. | And tomorrow morning Mrs. Bonsal | will awake like Lord Byron, and find | herself famous
 T am pleased to meet you" said l Laura, with a smile. Any old friend of my husbands Is a friend of mine" Your husband?" said Mrs. Bonsal, with an inauiring glance from one to the athAr .nh4 -szes. sf ees=se;;- Ahet===f 1 stupid of me! I got mixed up with the | introductions. One always does, you know; I thought the other. gentleman was your husband. And so you're mar
  ! erlane with a most bewitching smile. 'Ch yes. I'm married" he replied with a smile.
 I'm so glad" she continued. q think every man ought to be married. only hope your married life will be as happy as mine has been My husband will be in Paris tomorrow
 William Tankerlane's face was mere mask of his feelings as he listen ed to these words. His features were moulded into a polite smile of candid interest. Only one of the little group knew what was passing in his mind, and she had the exquisite pleasure of goading the man to madness with every word that she uttered.
 Lord Portlington and Mrs. BonsaPs companions saw nothing of the scene that was going on before their eyes, scene which, if they had only known the facts, was in its way as dramatic as any they had witnessed in the theatre that night The woman's words were commonplace enough, and might have been uttered by mere acquaint- ance who took polite interest In the affairs of a man whom she had met some years previously. They did not know the bitter irony of them, Tor there was nothing in the woman's voice to betray her thoughts.
 Laura Tankeriane. however. was well
 
 surface, and that this woman had been more to her husband than mere acquaintance in the past. Her instinct had told her this, directly the woman had spoken to William Tankeriane She remembered the almost impertinent at- tention the actress had bestowed on her during the meal And her observant mind had not forgotten the unsatisfact- ory way in which Mrs~ Bonsal had con- cealed her surprise at hearing of Tank erlane's marriage,
 She turned to the woman with one of her sweetest smiles.
 "You and your husband must come to see us. Mrs. Bonsal," she said genially. We shall be delighted to know some- one In Paris. Come tomorrow after noon. four o'clock, to tea. And if MT Bonsal has not arrived, or doesn't care to come, well-we shall be just as glad to see you by yourself. We are staying at the Imperial"
 q shall be more than delighted" Mrs. Bonsal replied.
 MT. Tankerlane bit his ID with vexa- tion. He had intended leaving Paris the next day. but he was caught now like rat in trap.
 We must go now" said Laura, with a sharp glance at her husbands face, and remember tomorrow"
 T shall not forget. Good night" she
  lane took 1t. Something in the woman's face appealed to her. She realized that this was no common adventures, but a woman of distinction. And. if she had turned back as she left the--Ioom. she would have seen that there was no ex- precision of anger or jealousy on Mrs. Bonsal's face, but only a soft look of pity in those large bright eyes.
 William Tankerlane hardly spoke till they reached home. He was planning some way of escape from Paris.
 "Why did you ask that woman round to morrow?"' he said, after he had taken | off his overcoat.
 My dear Will" she replied sweetly. i T Thought she was an old friend of yours. and, besides, like her face. She | Is a woman I should like to know" Well, shan't be in at four o'clock tomorrow" he said sullenly. You don't | know who the woman Is, or you-- wouldn't have asked her."
 T can guess who she was," Mrs |. Tankerlane answered with smile; you were once in love with her. should ad- wise you to be present at our interview