The San Francisco call., 1909-11-07

can get along with Miladi Nicotine after dinner, y
Nella had remarked, "but she'd kill if tried her
now" And as l heard the laugh again l thought I
understood something of the influences that had
brought about Nela's conversion.
Dolly" Nella bestirred herself you're perpetual
mockery! There you are, fresh though you'd just
bathed IN the elixir of fe and Gypsy and here alto
gether miserable You must be sharp or hard as
nails"
Dolly sent thread as fine as zephyr whirling and
curling above her head. She smoked with the ease
and grace of foreign DO to be
either?" She smiled the question. mo, dear girl,
this way because l permit nothing to make me
miserable. That is the l quite willing to
play the game of chance and to let the world know
l doing so-it is the spirit of the west-but to be
frightened afraid of losng-poufl" She snapped
her white fingers "And now, Gypsy eyes, who's the
MANI"
"Id scarcely call him thatl" I matched my tone to
hers and proceeded to tell her of the interview with
baron de Berenzig that had SO racked me, but how
my effort to treat it lightly ended more ser-
ously than I'd begun "And now he threatens me
think of it!-threatens publish abroad the vilest
kind of insinuation' 1 cried, springing up, unless
agree to marry him. And with my mother on his
side what chance have 1? Who would believe
LAUGH AT THE WORLD"
"Ah, you're afraidp Dolly flicked the ash from her
cigarette with the topmost tip of her little finger and
rubbed it into the Persian rug with the of
pressive foot "In dread of the world and what it
will think-will sayl My dear GIRL laugh the world
chuck it under the chin, tickle its nose, pull its ear
but let it think you fear it, Doesn't bully al
ways beat the who quails before him? You've
fooled this persistent baron of yours-and must con-
fess latent admiration for his daring-nto beev-
ing you have no fear of him. Go on with it. Fool
bluff the of us! What does the world care who's
ahead in the game? 1t demands to be amused that is
ALL and whether the laugh is your expense or the
baron's"-
you know very well it prefers thousand times to
have in the pillory-she shows her bruises so
much satisfactorily" Nella put in looking us
both through narrowed lids as she half lay, half
leaned against her pillows.
But she must not show her bruises, dear" Dollys
eyes cleaned; that is the point Don't you know one
inch of audacity will cover yard of subtletiesa If
she's sufficiently daring walk to the very edge of
the casm look down without losing her balance then
turn back with smile, people will be too lost in
admiration to think of pushing her over"
| looked at Dolly curously, wonderingly.I "What
an astonishing theory shouldn't like to put it into
practice too often. 1t might prove dangerous
game to play
"Ah, but fascinating one, my dearl" Dolly raised
her above her head with the same abandon with
which she gave herself to dancing. Then suddenly
her eyes mine, the sparkle died from them her
arms fell to her sides and she picked UP cigarette
intent for the moment upon lighting it. Well and
about the baron her voice changed to careless in
quiry. What you gong to dor
TRYING SUBTLETY FIRST
Introduce him to you, of course" laughed. "Tm