Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25

IL may be III my
power one day to do as much for YOU !
suppose there is no mistake? You did not
get the story from our special editor OF
the Biarritz Daily Scandal?'
"Oh. dear no: DIR. Dubois will tell you
that He was on the spot. and is attend
ing Monsieur Guichard in his rooms, and
she beckoned to the doctor with an I'M
perious pince-nez. Mrs. MacJames was
an influential resident. and Rad obtained
him numbers of English patients: he was
Therefore. in her debt
II have been telling Mrs. Tudor your
niece of news" she said. lowering ner
voice land Mrs Tudor cannot believe her
ears"
"Of course it will go no further" he
said looking round uneasily: and. IN
deed Mrs. MacJames. I strained a point
in telling you: but we know that MRS.
Tudor is discretion itself"
Then there was a duel?" she said.
sharply.
Certainly, my dear madame-at
o'clock this morning. ] was present The
whole affair was mere child's play to such
noted swordsman as the MARQUIS.
"Only Just one of his little jokes
amended Mrs. MacJames. who hated him
bitterly. since he had ignored the ad-
vances of plain niece
His point seemed everywhere at once
a
could have killed his man at the second
pass: but he just amused himself and
spared him. OF course. duel is an at
fair of honor with
Regard to the honor Of lady sup
plemented Mrs. Tudor. ''What piece of
excitement! A duel-why. 1t takes one
back a hundred years.!
well. madame. you will be prudent.
will You not? 1t will never do to have
this little affair the talk of the place"
GOOD enough TO saw.
discretion itself" rejoned Mrs. Tudor.
stifly. "I suppose Monsieur Guichard is
en- retraite. and where is the Marquis de
Sarazin?'
broad Observation-Disclosures asks the i'm
possible. But he is not in Barritz."
Mrs MacJames had already moved
away. and Mrs. Tudor. with a gracious
bow took leave of the doctor: who had
many patients. and now hurried out to
his coupe For moment the old lady
seemed buried in thought as she gazed
out into the sunny courtyard: then she
turned about briskly. rang for the lift
and assembled to her own sitting room.
Here she discovered note and bouquet
on the center table. and Hester sitting
in the window. with her chin in her
hands. idle staring out upon the sardine
boats.
It struck Mrs. Tudor. from her attitude.
that her friend had something on her
mind. Could 1t be possible that she al
ready knew? The face turned to' hers
was CHASTITY. Yes. to Hester the spell
had indeed vanished from the sea and
the sunshine from the air.
Mrs Tudor walked over to the table
and deliberately opened the note-a few
lines from Paul in his firm. clear writing:
to say that urgent business had called
him away from Biarritz for ten days. and
he desired to make his temporary adieu
to her and to Mademoiselle Forde.
"The hypocrite!" she muttered to her
self. as she put down the note and took
up the bouquet. With her face half
voice:
'I suppose you had one. too. Hester?'
(She must approach the subject deli
cately and by degreeso . ~,
yes.'-rising to her feet-"and threw it
out Of the window.
''why?"
'Mrs. Tudor, I am sure you know
whyr' she answered. steadily. '1t fell on
a mans head. he picked 1t UP and seemed
delighted. 1 am certain he thought I
meant it for him." and she gave little
hystericai laugh.
Sarazin?''
"Affront or not. will never accept any
more OF his flowers"
"Ah. I see you know. Who told your
asked Mrs Tudor. removing her bonnet;
and in her fur coat. a black silk skull cap.
she now looked like a little old man.
Mrs. MacJames whispered it to me on
the staircase as I came in from golf.
"Ah she is generally the tale-bearer!
..She told me about the duel-and it's
I'VE really know nothing of the cause.
Hester. The effect Is that Monsieur
Guichard is laid up and unpresentabie"
1T would never have believed 1t OF him., -
exclaimed the girl inconsequently.
Fancy his fighting duel."
"Oh. I'd believe almost anything OF Paul
de Sarazin.' rejoined Mrs Tudor; cit Is
by no means his first affair"
Hester gave an involuntary gasp: she
had suddenly become strangely pale and
her lips were trembling. II see you have
a note?" she remarked, and she eyed It
greedily.
yes" and Mrs. Tudor tossed it over to
her.
ITO take leave for ten days, You have
never been favored with his billets-doux.
At least you were spared that she said.
bitterly. Mrs. Tudor was deeply wounded
In her pride and greatly incensed against
her favorte. mo one knows better how
to serve up his heart on a sheet of note
paper than our marquis.
HE is nothing to me- declared Hester.
folding up the thick crested paper and
replacing 1t in its envelope. Then she
was suddenly seized with wild fear OF
what she might be tempted to say.
IT thought he had turned over new
leaf" resumed the old lady. IT hoped
close on thirty years of age. This esca-
pade is not known in BiarritZ-only to
Mrs. MacJames, the receiver of stolen Sc
crets" After a long reflective silence
she said: 'Hester. what do you say?
Shall we go away for little changer
Very WELL" she answered. Oh. she
could leave BiarritZ now; yes. and the
sooner the better. she reflected. as she
reviewed the situation with surprising
self-control.
Shall we run into Spain for Easter?
Ten days or fortnight will do and you
will like to see bit of the world? You
know my sister-in-law, who married a
Spaniard lives at Cordova. I've often
told YOU about Dona Luisa?"
"Oh. yes.
"She has invited me several times late
w. and I've not been to Cordova for some
years. Luisa is widow; I'm rather at
visit. and you shall see Spain from the
domestic side and stay in a Spanish
house Here I will give out that I've al
ways meant to spend Easter in Spain
Til write tonight and we will start the
dav after tomorrow"
Just as you like" agreed the girl. list
lessly.
You will like it too. 1 feel that we
must do something. Will one maid be-
take Marietta-she speaks Spanish-and a
courier 10 keep us from getting stolen.
eh Hesterp' and rising, she went over
and took the girls white face in her two
hands and looking down into 1t said: My
dear don't let me suppose that that
handsome good-for-nothing has stolen the
best part of you-your heart!
Hester smiled and shook her head, but
tears slowly rose and filed her gray eyes.
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