The Irish standard., 1909-09-11

II >zzmz@s\95@
"My Dearest Child" 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-
ton 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, believe am. But I
quite forgot you were there. Potts, or
l probably should not have said 1t
aloud"
Yes, ma'am," answered Potts meek
ly. and she went back to her unpack-
ting.
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 tho 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 1t
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 a sideshow."
The letter that had been torn up
before 1t 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 1t 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 sort Of
natural attraction he had for her, but
that as soon as he was gone she felt
1t no longer and she wished he would
not come back; that her ideal of
husband was 80 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 a pity; for
II Lady Maud had received 1t, 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 ver-
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 indie
scribable, mysterious something which
disturbed her and made her feel un-
comfortable when she felt 1t, but
which she missed when she did not
see him for a day or two.
"How are you?" asked his voice, and
swer. II 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, 80 shall give you rest for
day or two. Telephone whenever
you think you can bear the sight Of
me again, and I'll be with you In 35
minutes l 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." t..r
II 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, l
don't want to see you little bit, and
I'm not Jealous, nor suspicious, nor
anything disagreeable. So there!"
Il How nice Of .yop!"