The Hattiesburg news., 1909-10-07

. nz1&9a~
"My Dearest ChiId!" She Cried.
ter, and Mrs. Rushmore had given
strict orders that until further notice
Miss Dome was mot at home" for
any one at all, no matter who might
call.
When the letter already covered ten
pages, Margaret laid down her pen
and without the least pause or hesita-
tion tore the sheets to tiny bits, ink
ing her fingers in the process because
the last one was not yet dry.
What wicked woman ami" she
exclaimed aloud, to the very great
surprise of Potts, her English maid,
who was still unpacking in the next
room, the door being open
beg pardon, ma'am?" the woman
asked. putting in her head:
Il said l was a wicked woman"
Margaret answered, rising; "and
what's more. l believe l am. But I
quite forgot you were there, Potts, or
probably should not have said It
aloud"
Yes, maam," answered Potts meek.
ly, and she went back to her unpack.
ing.
| Margaret had two maids, who were
oddly suited to her two natures. She
had inherited Alphonsine from her
friend the famous retired soprano,
Nine. Bonanni, and the cadaverous,
clever, ill-tempered, garrulous dresser
was as necessary to Cordova's theatri-
cal existence as paint, limelight, wigs
and an orchestra. The English Potts.
the meek silent, busy and intensely
respectable maid, continually made it
clear that her mistress was Miss
Dome, an English lady, and that Nine.
Cordova, the celebrated singer, was
what Mr.. Van Torp would have called
"only side-show."
| The letter that had been torn up
before it was finished was to have
| gone to Lady Maud, but Margaret her.
self had been almost sure that she
would not send it, even while she was
writing
She had written that she had done
very wrong in engaging herself to Lo-
gotheti that was the "wickedness"
she accused herself of, repeating the
self-accusation to her astonished maid,
because it was a sort of relief to say
the words to somebody. She had writ
ten that she did not really care for
him in that way; that when he was
near she could not resist a sort of
natural attraction he had for her. but
that as soon as he was gone she felt
it no longer and she wished he would
not come back; that her ideal of q
husband was so and so, and this and
that-and here fiction had begun, and
she had put stop to 1t by destroying
the whole letter instead of crossing
out few lines-which was pity; for
If Lady Maud had received it, she
would have told Mr.. Van Torp that he
needed no help from her since Mar
garet herself asked no better than to
be freed from the engagement
Logotheti did not come out to Yer
sailles that afternoon, because he was
plentifully endowed with tact where
women were concerned, and he ap-
piled all the knowledge and skill he
had to the single purpose of pleasing
Margaret. But before dinner he tele-
phoned and asked to speak with her,
and this she could not possibly refuse.
Besides, the day had seemed long, and
though she did not wish for his pres
ence she wanted something-that inde-
scribable, mysterious something which
disturbed her and made her feel un-
comfortable when she felt it, but
which she missed when she did not
see him for day or two.
How are you?" asked his voice, and
he ran on without waiting for an an
swer. Il hope you are not very tired
after crossing yesterday. | came by
. Boulogne-decent of me, wasn't it?
You must be sick of seeing me all
the time, so | shall give you a rest for
a day or two. Telephone whenever
you think you can bear the sight of
me again, and I'll be with you in 35
minutes, | shall not stir from home
in this baking weather. If you think
I'm in mischief you're quite mistaken,
dear lady, for I'm up to my chin in
work."
Il envy you," Margaret said, when
he paused at last. I've nothing on
earth to do. and the piano here is out
of tune. But you're quite right.
don't want to see you little bit, and
I'm not jealous, nor suspicious, nor
anything disagreeable. So there!"
How nice of you!"
I'm very NICE" Margaret answered