The Irish standard., 1909-09-11

my Iartar.
Brushing up what? I didn't hear"
"Tartar-the Tartar language-T-a-r
-" he began to spell the word.
Eyes, hear now" interrupted Mar
garet. But what in the world is the
use of knowing it? You must be aw-
fully hard up for something to do!"
You can be understood from Con-
stantinople to the Pacific ocean If you
can speak Tartar" Logotheti an
swered in matter-of-fact tone.
Il daresay! But you're not going
to travel from Constantinople to the
Pacific ocean"
u might. One never can tell what
one may like to do
"Oh, if it's because Tartar is use.
full against the bites of sharks" an
swered Margaret. quoting Alice. learn
1t by all meansl"
Besides, there are all sorts OF peo-
F.! pie in Paris. I'm sure there must be
some Tartars. I might meet one, and
1t would be amusing to be able to talk
to him."
Nonsense! Why should you ever
meet Tartar? How absurd you are!"
There's one with me now-close
beside me. at my elbow"
Don't be silly, or I'll ring off,"
IF you don't believe me. listen!"
He said something In language
Margaret did not understand, and an
other voice answered him at once in
the same tongue. Margaret started
slightly and bent her brows with a
puzzled and displeased look
'ls that your teacher?" she asked
with more interest in her tone than
she had yet betrayed.
Yes"
II begin to understand. Do you
mind telling mo how old she is?"
Its not She it's young man. I
don't know how old he is. I'll ask
him II you like"
Again she heard him speak few
incomprehensible words, which were
answered very briefly In the same
tongue.
"He tells me he is co." Logotheti
said Hes good-looking young fell
low. How is Mrs. Rushmore? 1 for
got to ask"
She's quite we'll, thank you. But
should like to know"
"Will you be so very kind as to re-
member me to her, and to say that
hope to find her at home the day after
tomorrow"
Certainly. Come tomorrow II you
like. But please tell me how you hap
pened to pick up that young Tartar.
It sounds so interesting! He has such
q sweet voice"
There was no reply to this ques-
ton, and Margaret could not get an
other word from Logotheti. The COM
munlcation was apparently cut off.
She rang up the central office and
asked for bis number again, but the
young woman soon said that she could
get no answer to the CALL and that
something was probably wrong with
the instrument Of number one-hundred-
nd-six-thirty-seven.
Margaret was not pleased, and she
was silent and absent-minded at din
ner and In the evening.
It's the reaction after London" she
saiS with smile, when Mrs. Rush
more asked If anything was the mat
ter. II find l am more tired than
knew, now that it's all over"
Mrs. Rushmore was quite Of the
same opinion, and 1t was still early
when she declared that she herself
was sleepy and that Margaret had much
better 90 to bed and get good nights
rest.
But when the prima donna was sit.
ting before the glass and her maid
was brushing out her soft brown hair.
she was not at all drowsy, and though
her eyes looked steadily at their own
reflection In the mirror, she was not
aware that she saw anything.
Potts" she said suddenly, and
stopped.
yes. ma'am?" answered the maid
with meek Interrogation, and without
checking the regular movement of the
big brush.
Potts" she began again, you are
not very imaginative, are you?"
mo, ma'am," the maid answered,
because 1t seemed to be expected Of
her, though she had never thought of
the matter.
do you think you could possibly
be mistaken about a voice, If you
didn't see the person who was speak
ing?"
"1n what way, ma'am?"
Il mean, do you think you could
take mans voice for woman's at
distance?"
"Oh, I see!" Potts exclaimed "As
1t might be, at the telephone?'
"Well-at the telephone, If you like,
or anywhere else. Do you think you
might"
ut would depend on the voice,
ma'am," observed Potts, with caution.
"Of course it would" assented Mar.
garet rather impatiently.
well. ma'am, I'll say this, since you
ask me. When I was last at home I
was mistaken in that wav about NV