The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-10-17

doo-. again her fight SNssstsr qua
sued me.
Pardon. monsieur" she called. still
mockingly.
| turned and looked silently At rny
| tormentor
Mischievously she pointed a Jew.
eled finger 60 a placard on the wall
Guests are forbidden to carry away
the papers from the reading room" I
read.
To assume a tragic mien at this do
licious bit OF badlnage would have
been absurd could not help laugh
ing. But answered with some piqpe:
Hotel proprietors are forbidden TO
/ annoy guests with offensive photo
graphs in the hotel reading roomsi
That Is a new rule shall have placed
upon the walls tomorrow"
She clapped her hands delightedly.
"A beautiful and muchoeeded rule
she murmured. her eyes sparkling.
Then she came toward me a few steps,
and stood. a dazzling and fascinating
figure in the full light Her eyes no
longer Knocked; they beseeched.
Forgive me. Il was cruel to laugh.
But when catch you, like naughty
child-ah. that Is too droll!"
ION the contrary. madam. should
thank you. IL was my first laugh foy
weeks"
Monsieur" She came a step still
nearer, her dress cleaning and git;
tefing as she moved. She looked nj
me pitifully.
But her sympathy was too easily
awakened to be convincing. under.
stood perfectly that she had been de
termined to speak 10 me when ! first
entered the room.
Madam" said oynicaiiy. IL is you
who are breaking a rulo nova rule
! of society"
Par example1" she demanded. hsF
eyes darkening.
1T Is forbidden 10 show sympathy
10 one who has been unfortunate"
She sighed her relief Evidently
she has expected from me a hanaliiy
TO the effect that society does not
sanction a woman's speaking 10 @
strange man.
"But'-she made a gesture Of cor.
tempt-"the canard OF a newspaper
Who believes that?"
"All the world. apparently | an
swered. amused at the vigor OF bE
denial.
well. I for one. do not"
I regarded her. still cynical. and vet
/ IA g.
sympathy shown to me. felt in.
stinctively that it was the cheap and
insincere sympathy OF an adventures
who offered Il for her own ends. Size
would demand its price presently.
And yet l was not ungratefui for hof
interest As for the price-well. =
anything quite gratuitous? Whether
the payment be in gold or grautu6e
OF love OF obedionoe-we all hsvs OFT
price.
"And why do you not Oslisse the
account OF this newspaper"
you are a race OF warriors. ore
with such blood In ones Vaihs does
not play the coward. Mo-" she struck
her hand together 10 emphasize hct
conviction.
"a race OF warriors7" repeated
wonderingly.
HAS not every English gentlemsu
the blood OF warriors In his yeinsr
she protested.
But I am an American" I sslc
quietly.
'Imposslblel" She looked at ne
really bewildered now. IAN Ameri
can! But the ladies that you spoke &c
half an hour agog"
And can an American not speak "a
Englishwomen?" I demanded coldly
That she should mention them at al
annoyed me.
Then you are not"-she twisted 9
bracelet about her arm. then looked M
swiftly-"you are not even a rela
| tion?"
Il am not even a friend" I said
still more coldly Good night. mao
am"
Good night. monsieur"
She sank into fauteuil, as one wks
is too astonished TO make even tas
physical effort OF standing. For the
first time since she had spoken she
was not acting As I walked toward
the door she stared after me. froUn
ing In her perplexity.