Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-06

| hadn't. But it was too late to wish. Lisa
All knew you did, she cried. looking
as eerie and almost as hagsard as . witch.
Something Is going to happen. Come! Go
with me and be be in IT.: whatever IT Is: %,
either" But she was wierd- She seemed
to lure me. like strange little siren. with
all q SIRENS witchery. though without her
beauty. My voice sounded undecided. and
"Of course I'm not asking you to wander
with me in the night. hand in hand, through
the streets Of Paris: like the Two Or
closed carriage motor brougham. one be-
longing to the hotel. so it's quite safe. It's
ordered already. and / shall first drive and
drive until my nerves stop jerking and my
head throbbing. II you won't drive with
me 1 shall drive alone. But there'n be no
harm in 1t. either way. l didn't know you
were SO conventional az to think there
could be. Where's your brave independent
American spirit?'
I'm not conventional" said.
Yes. you are. Living in England has
spoiled you. You're AFRAID Of things you
never used to be afraid of"
I'm not afraid of things, and I'm not q
bit changed" l said. You only want to
dare me-
Il want you to go with me. 1t would be
so much nicer than going alone, she
begged "Supposing / got i'll in a hired
cab? might, you know: but can't stay
indoors. whatever happens. II We were
together 1t would be an adventure worth
| remembering"
VERY we'll 1 said "I'n go with you.
not for the adventure. but rather than have
you make fuss because try to keep you
in. and rather than you should go alone"
Good grill! exclaimed Lisa, quite pleas
ant and purring. now that she had got her
way: though If I'd refused she would prob
ably have cried. She is terrifying when
she cries. Great, deep sobs seem almost
to tear her frail little body to pieces. She
goes deadly white, and sometimes ends up
BY a fit of trembling, as if she were in an
ague.
Have you really ordered a motor eab?'
I asked.
Yes said She 81 rang for a waiter and
sent him down to tell the big porter at the
front door to get me one. Then / gave him
| five francs. and said / did not want any
body to know, because l had to visit a
poor. sick friend, who had written to say
she was in great trouble. but wanted no
one except me to know she'd come to
Paris
Il shouldn't have thought such an elabo-
rate story necessary to a walter, l re-
marked. tossing UP my chin a little, for l
don't like Lisas subterranean ways. But
this time she didn't even try to defend her
self
Lets get ready at once" she said. I'm
to cover up this dress, and wear my black
toque. with veil. l suppose you'll do the
same? Then we can slip out and down the
Service stairs. The carriage is to wait
I for us at the side entrance"
l looked at her. trying to read her Sc
cretive little face. Lisa. are you planning
to go somewhere in particular, do some
thing you want to spring on me when its
too late for me to get out of it?''
How horrid of you to be so suspicious
of me. You do hurt my feelings. l
haven't had an inspiration yet. so l can't
make plan. But it will come: know it
will. l shall feel where we ought to go,
to be in the midst of an adventure-oh,
without being mixed up in it, SO don't look
Mortified l told you that something was
going to happen and that l wanted to be
in it. Well. I mean to be. when the in
SEPARATION comes.
We put on our hats and long travelling
cloaks. l pinned on Lisas veil and did my
own Then she peeped to see If any one
were about. but there was nobody in the
corridor. We hurried out. and as Lisa al
ready knew where to find the service"
stairs. we were soon on the way down. At
the side entrance of the hotel the motor
seated inside. Lisa spoke in French to the
| driver. who waited for orders.
Il think you might take us to the Rue
d'Hollande. Drive fast, please. Alter
that I'll tell you where to go next
rs this your inspiration? " / asked.
Pm not sure yet. Why?' and her voice
was rather sharp
For no particular reason. I'm a little
curious. tHaI ) Hil
We drove for some minutes in silence.
l was sure now that Lisa had been playing
with me, that all along she had had some
special destination in her mind, and that
she had her own reasons for wanting to
bring me to it. But what use to ask more
questions? She did not mean me to find
out until she ready for me to know.
She had told the man to go quickly and
he obeyed He rushed us round corners
and through street after street which l
had never seen before-quiet streets, where
ing home from theaters and dinners. AT
I last we turned into particularly dull little
street and stopped.
us this the Rue d'Hollande?" Lisa in
quired of the driver, jumping quickly up
and putting her head out of the window.
Mails ou mademoselle." l heard the
man answer.
Then stop where you are, please, until 1
give you new ORDERS
of street where nothing could possibly hap
pen." said l.
wait little and maybe you'll find out
you're mistaken. If nothing does and we
aren't amused, we can go on somewhere
else"
She had not finished speaking when a
handsome electric carriage spun almost
noiselessly round the corner. 1t slowed
down be ore a gate set in high wall, al
most covered with creepers, and though the
street was d!mly lighted and We had
house behind the wall. though not large,
was very quaint and pretty. an unusual
sort OF house for Paris, 1t seemed to me.
Scarcely had the electric carriage come to
halt when the chauffeur, in neat. dark