Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-10-12

bright eyes Knocked me.
The name OF the other maiden was
Vice" she cried In hollow, lugubri-
Gus voice MY dear gentleman. you
are too delicious. Mon Dieu. should
be furious with you, You are telling
me quite brutally that your cold Eng
lishwoman-she is Virtue; and /. the
very wicked one-I am naughty Vice"
And again she laughed deliciously.
Pardon me. It Is you who are ap-
plying the moral" I protested awk-
wsrdly.
"Then II Il is applied not correctly.
let us have the true application" she
beseeched.
That must follow the explanation
OF your extraordinary interest in me-
"Humi" She leaned back critical
". shall I say it is because you are
handsome7"
"Not IL you are honest" I chuckled.
cor good2"
why not say brave?" 7 demanded.
bitterly.
"Or that you REMIND me OF a dear
friend?"
"say OF your late lamented grand
mother"
"Or" she flashed. chat It Is be
cause you can be OF use 10 me?"
"Ah. that IS betteri" I assented.
shortly q am TO be OF use 20 you.
then-and hove"
Gently. monsieur First OF all.
are we TO be frlends?"
and again gently" 7 returned with
caution. Your name. II YOU are seri-
GUS"
A rosy-faced page pushed his way
toward us. salver in hand. Il was at
our table he paused. on the salver
was a telegram
For me2" cried my companion
eagerly
The boy hooded. but before he
could hand the telegram 90 her. 7 had
seized It myself I made gesture.
signiiying that I asked her consent
20 read the name addressed on the en-
velope. She smiled. but reluctantly.
thought
Madame Sophie de WARMER" I
read aloud. before I passed the tele-
gram % her
She tore the envelope open with a
jeweled cross that hung from her
chatelaine. AS she read the message.
she became frightfully pale: she
swayed IN her seat IL was not grief
50 much as utter despair that pros
trated her.
Dead" She repeated the word in
French more than once In a dazed
voice Dead. bat it is Incredible"
The seconds passed I did not
speak: 7 regarded her with concern.
A beautiful woman Is always danger
Gus. but "a beautiful woman IN trouble
Is doubly so. The friendship she had
lightly begged OF me q moment ago.
I was tempted to Ofler seriously now.
She had piqued and fascinated me.
Now her unhappiness touched my
heart
But suddenly I doubted. Was Il a
clever ruse. this advent OF the tele-
gram so apply timed7 Was she a con-
summate actress. confident OF her
dupe7 No; the agony the message
bad caused her was undoubtedly genu-
inc. when she looked at me. Il was
with eyes heavy with despair When
at last she spoke. her eyes burned
lercely. her voice was harsh with
anger The words she uttered were
certainly not addressed to ne. They
were spoken rather In spite OF my
presence than because Of IT,
Look stake all In one throwl
I lose all-in a moment. hold IN
my clenched hands the liberty aud
happiness OF 10000 women and chill
dren. And then a cursed fate strikes
from my grasp this priceless happi-
ness. My poor people. my poor peo-
pie Again / fail you: I betray youi"
She stared az me with eyes that did
not see. Her small hands pressed her
temples convulsively.
Perhaps, madam, Il is fate also
who has sent me 20 you now, 20 help
you"
Perhaps" she said, heavily, scarce
" listening.
Then suddenly an expression, quite
merciless. distorted her features. Her
pupils dilated in her fierce excite 1ent
She studied my face critically, coldIy
deliberate. There was something por-
tentous. almost ominous, In this cool
stare. II disconnected me; II made
me already regret my prefer Of friend
ship. She smiled; but the smile was
Medusa-like
Eyes. believe a. Fate has sent
you TO me. And you-are you willing
70 follow where Fate leads?"
why not?" I demanded with more
curiosity than sincerity. l confess.
"Ah. you are courageous enough for
that? Monsieur. you are a bold man"
Surely not so bold as you, madam.
IN asking courage of a man who has
been disgraced for cowardice." II was
difficult 10 keep the sneer out OF my
voice
II know to whom ! speak, my dear
monsieur. The task / would set you
demands not the brute courage OF the
fool, but the devotion OF a crusader.
II is a sacred cause; its servants are
not easily found"
II am Aattered that I fulfill the re-
quirements so admirably" I returned
cynically. But you will find it difficult
to convince me that my extraordinary
courage and devotion TO a good cause
make my services invaluable. Why
should you choose me from a score OF
men to help you?