Evening star., 1907-08-18
xxi.

Madame Syrene had beckoned to Mary
from second-story window. and when she
was admitted the servant conducted her tc
the boudoir. 1t occupied the southwest
corner of the house and one long window
opened on a balcony which had been con-
rerted into a fashionable garden and was
filled with stunted cedars and lex cut into
fashionable and fantastic shapes and
turned, by the stress of the hard winter,
into every conceivable shade of dingy yell
low and brown The room was furnished
elaborately in green and white, and
Madame Syrene wore flimsy white morn
ing gown which liberal In its display
of her redundant charms, through wide
cracks of lace insertion and a general alb
breviation at the neck and sleeves. Her
maid was skillful, and even in the unmerei-
full morning light her blonde beauty showed
little wear except In the usual fraying out
Of lines at the corners of the eyes and
mouth.
She greeted Mary pleasantly and apollo
giZed for the informality of her reception.
1.-The ambassador is giving a breakfast to
some of his tiresome men. official af-
fair" she explained, and l was here alone,
and there is just one thing in the world
that cannot endure-that Is solitude, and
she shuddered at the thought.
Mary smiled. DO you mind ii in broad
daylight in a room like this?' she asked
as she took her seat among the heaped up
silk cushions on the ottoman.
Madame Syrene was lighting a cigarette
and she paused and let the light draw. the
gleam of fire in the match head striking a
CLINT in the yellowish tint of her eyes, like
fire in topaz, and for the first time Mary
thought her handsome in her feline way.
My dear Miss Haddng," she said light
ly. tossing the dead match into the fire.
place. when l was a child We were in one
of those old castles which we have abroad,
frightful rookeries, too. with oubliettes and
Il, Sloa CHI ycyalE EAr chn dor
and smiled little: there was a ball one
night and my nurse deserted me. in a big
room upstairs. to go and peep at the
dancers. l nearly died of fright. l heard
voices / saw the tapestries sway; my flesh
crept; l have never endured a moment
alone since: am an arrant coward"
Mary leaned back in her corner. luxurl-
ously at ease. and observed her curiously;
was 1t possible that this woman, too was
childish creature, full of whims and
fancies? Her confession made her like
most women who have been frightened IL
tie girls, shvering in the dark at their own
fancies Mary felt sudden sympathy;
after all the whole world is kin.
A servant came In at the moment bear
ing a small tray with a silver chocolate
service which she deposited on low table
thick sweet chocolate, made in the Spanish
ia shion for Mary and then as softly with
drew, leaving the tray behind her.
Madame Syrene meanwhile had continued
ton. She was sitting in a careless attitude
/ in "A large chair by the chocolate table. and
she watched the blue circles of her cigar
cite smoke with half-closed eyes Mary,
who too adroit to take the initiative
until she understood the motive that was
| behind this silence. proceeded to sip her
| chocolate in a leisurely way and waited
with an unmoved manner.
After awhile her hostess broke the pause
You have enjoyed your winter here?" she
asked amably.
Mary looked at her inquringly: they were
| like two duelists measuring their foils
Extremely" she replied. leaning forward
to replace her empty cup on the table
but l expect to return very soon now TO
Paris
All" Madame Syrene knocked the ashes
| from the tip of her cigarette; 1.-The Cheevers
are going in May" she observed, they al
ways go for two three months, you
know, though she is horribly seasick all
the way over"
And you = abroad, too, this spring, i