Evening star., 1907-08-18

sake. go one. and let me have an end of tt;
my patience Isn't proof against the world
or the devil either"
| He looked at her In surprise; there was
| a note of recklessness in her voice which
| was new to him But he was suleny set
| upon speaking his mind. For one thing
| l suppose you know the talk at the club
and everywhere" he said about you and
! Cheever?"
| What do you mean by everywhere 2"
| she asked coldly: II fancy your everywhere
| Is Mrs. Kennett's and Jim Fennel's Be
| sides, i know nothing of any talk about
| me-or about Fred Cheever, who, by the
way, is the husband of the only friend L
| have here"
| Something in her angry tone Modified
| him. The talk is. to be plain, that you
coaxed Cheever into lending money TO
| representative, that you bought Eote pc
| tween you. and they add that Mrs Whiting
| has always been accused of playing her
| cards pretty cleverly. It's confoundedly
| mean insinuaticn-I don't believe you meant
any harm. Mary" he added with benignity.
! but the fellows talk and | don't want
that You can't turn me off and firt with
| Cheever-Ill-In give you away before III
| let YOU do IT,.
Your insinuations and your encroach-
| mentS ara insufferdble Leonard Mary re-
piled at white heat; you forget yourself
| when you attempt to dictate to mel!
/ Il don't forget myself he replied, II
| love you and l don't mean to let this
| CheHver come between us. =
Mary stopped short and looked at him
with d!sdain but you intend to insult
me- she said in a low voice; "Cheever is
married"
Leonard turned uncomfortably red. Il
know it,. he said sullenly, but. hang II,
divorces in the smart set come off as
| easily as lying. Do you suppose I don't
know how you can turn fellows head?-
| Mary"
She had turned her back abruptly and
! was walking away. A little breathess,
go trf,ly hoy No al Of tna
walk below big ma gnolia.
sisted.
| She turned her head with contemptuous
shrug. II shall nOt-unless You speak to
! Inc as you should" she replied: Il am not
! 10 be frightened Leonard; your worst is
| not more than they will all know at last"
He stared at her little aghast: was she
| going To snatch his only weapon from his
| hand? You were always hard on me- he
! complained with almost whimper. ''and
you know its all because I'm head over
| ears i'll love-"
| curious way of showing it," she observed.
| Il know We made a mess of it'-he was
growing humble-"but 1 wanted to warn
| you-to tell you to shelve that fellow
| Cheever-and-'
| Il beg you to remember that Cheever is
! already shelved,' she interrupted: Il do
! not recolect that l was ever accused be-
| fore of flirting with married men, any more
| than l ever permitted you to consider
/ yourself on such terms that you could lee
| ture me. You have shot up into unusual
proportions on the mere assumption that
| am afraid of YOU
Leonard stared: the reckless change in
| her tone. her disregard of his anger We're
| too patent TO be overlooked For some rea-
son, which he could not divine she had
| outgrown her fear of his revelations or she
| felt so secure in her stronghold that she
| dared defy him. Not knowing the bitter
/ ness of Marys heart he could not make
| allowances for her desperation. do you
| mean to say that you do not care if they
| all know that you not Mary Haddng
and that you've been making fools of the
| whole LOTT" he asked.
| She laughed bitterly. angry and d,sgusted
| imagine she said. picture to yourself a
! man who spends his time following a girl
! to threaten her, and gives it as his reason
| that he loves herr
I Leonard was darkly crimson I'm not
threatening you he said. I'm only sup
posing the caSe-hang it all | love YOU
I'm a fool in your hands,
And out of them" trembled on Mary's
tongue. but she suppressed it, last shred
of caution Withholding it. Instead she
looked across the street and saw Madame
Syrene beckoning to her from the upper
window of the embassy. Such a signal at
another time would have been d,sregarCed
and responded with a slight wave Of her
hand. Il must go. she said shortly to
| Leonard; there is Madame Syrene'
| He looked at her amazed. Good Lord -
| he said. "if you could hear the things they
| say of herr"
which seems a reason for me to call
| upon her. doesn't it?' she replied coolly as
| helplessly upon the corner and feeling him
| self a fool for his pains