Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
dropped them under their piercing

put them into the big green vase? sald
Mrs. Tudor: this room is so not tneS
vii, wither. Bring them back again.
To Hester the errand seemed nnneces-
sari,y cruel but she obediently rose and
carried off the flowers. returning IN re-
markably short time. vase in hand. Com-
Ing carefully through the room. she
pushed aside q hassock with her 1901
Dios! Il was q pretty foot. with high
instep and delicately shod; 1t might have
been the :nstep OF an Andaiusian! WHAT
a relief,
"Nademoiselle.' he said. as he watched
her rea-rnnse tie roses. my poor flow
ers are indeed honored."
Hester. you reed not mind all Mon
sieur le Marquis says, declared Mrs
Tudor: Ito ladies' his language Is In
variaby fowery."
Dear madame. why are you so unkind
20 me-" he protested-"you. who have
known me since l swan my little boat
and had n spade on the PLACE! Now
want you to be gracious. and Kermit me
to escort You and mademoiselle to the
match % lie Pelote tomorrow
What IS La Pelote?" inquired Miss
Forde. speaking at lass with an effort
you been here long,"
Ten weeks
Notwithstanding out his hands in pro-
test-''and never seen or heard OF the
the world Why. here it Is played up in
the Rue de Pyrenees every Sunday
''Ah. but you see am English and on
Sundays.I go to church
At this announcement he shrugged MS
graceful shoulders and added
well tomorrow will be Thursday and
not Sunday: SO there is nothing to hurt
the conscience OF rnademo!selle. Would
you not like to see It? 1t will be such {,
match 1t is between the French and
IT, Span;ards I am on the committee.
ard am naturally al for Spain. VIII you
come. madame" addressing Mrs. Tudor
'.ard bring Miss For1e?"
ooh ! really don't know, thank you.
Your Telote begins at such odd hour
3 o'clock and twisting ard turning my
head after the ball gives me headache
ard YOU all get excited and shout SO
mach
Il will promise not once to shout. and
you shall have the best seats in the pa
vilion: and I will also. If you will permit
me. come and fetch YOU in carriage"
Your aunts again. and Mrs. Tudor
burst into laugh. THANK you-no.'
"Nevert heless. You Will honor me. Let
me persuade mademoisel!e''-a he
turned directly to Hester: he was we'll
aware OF the power of his own person
ality. and never hesitated to give 1t active
exercise THE game Is superb. You
should see it--gnlf. tennis. racquets what
are they to La Pelote? Let me persuade
mademoiselle. and mademo.selle will per
sEade madame"
II should like to see La Pelote." said
Hester. WITH an dlT III SOll uEC-Slcii. tc
was determined to accept the invitation,
even IL she had to go alone.
"Oh. very well: you may expect US
said the old lady. with a weary sigh.
But I will find my own carriage and
Mrs Tudor and maderoiselle will fat
ter me by wearing my-the Spanish
colors?"
Given an inch you take an ell. What
would our French friends say to that?'
ipr,,lrad Mrs Tudor irnDpriOusly
THAT all is fair in love and war" was
his audacious reply. LA Pelote IS lit
tie war. is it not? and you will be my
allies"
How quickly this hot-blooded Spaniard
had thrown himself into his we'll known
role Of cavalier and courtier! The pose
was his second nature: but this time
there should be no shuffiing. no make
ously fer once. Hester should not be
triled with. Ten thousand pounds a year
should command ct least sincerity and
resDect.
kissed his hostess hand. and bowed
himself out with the Incompatible grace
Of Spanish gentleman. he walked slowly
down the hotel staircase. lost In thought.
The girl would do. She was rather
pretty: she ALREADY liked him ard she
was very rich If he did not decide and
make up his mind promptly some one elsa
would gather this golden fruit And
what OF his other loves. too numerous to
count-and forgotten! There was Do
lores lis cousin-Doores de Los Can
tales. at present in Tangiers. Well. once
he was mad about her, certainly. But
she had no mind and no sense; but what
eyes-what grace! To see her use fan:
smoke a cigarette or walk across room
Above all to see her dance the Spanish,
fandanRo!
She was amasing. she was dangerous
she went to his head like agnardiente.
For mistress yes-but wife! The
tall girl with the red hair would he better
for the family and. unless he was mis-
taken. she was In love with him already
Undoubtedly 1t would be all plain sailing
His mother was holding receotion in a
few days She would send cards to Mrs
Tudor and party His aunt Mercedes
too. must see the young lady. He had
great faith In her Judgment, and mean
while. there was tomorrow and La Pc
lote.
parture Hester walked across the room
and stood In the window. She did not
really intend to watch the visitor leave
the courtyard. but she could not avoid
seeing him. Nor did she wish to talk &c
Mrs. Tudor. She wanted to he alone, to
feast greeeily upon her thoughts: and
yet did not choose. or rather vanture. &c
abruptly r'tire. Surely good fortune was
corning toward her-happiness was look
ing In her direction: but-but-he was. by
all accounts. just as pleasant to every
one She was nothing to him but stiff
red haired English Prot estant.
Well Hester" said q well known
voice. come over here and let me look
at YOU"
Hester turned about with obvious re-
luctance.
Now that you have seen this Marquis
Ge Sarazin IN his everyday clothes and
everyday manrera-pray. how DO you like
him. and a slight. irritating smile
played round the old lady's lips.
Silence
Yes I reed not ask-you do Well
I've made one little Move Il, tha game.
Hester looked up like a frightened
child: hitherto her eyes had been bent on
the floor.
I've told him you are r!ch-an heiress. "
And what did he say" She asked. In a
low voice.
THAT you were fortunate. I said that
I hope you would make some coed man
happy"
"Yes?"
And he suggested that you might
make a bad man good, significant
speech. Do you realize what it IneanS?
rs he-a--.bad man." The quest ion
was 40 low that the words seemed just
breathed into the air.
LAS mon RO-ro. he Is reckless. eX-
travagant scatter-brained and ncon-
sta2t: but he neither drinks nor CANDLES
and. putting aside his notorious f!irta-
lions. have never heard ~ his doing a
dishonorabie action
You mean that he is dshonorable only
TO women?
Well. lie is not a plaster saint Women