Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-21
CHAPTER XII.

love. LORD EiilnSndm eNcidlllt"' iai'ihS
his glass What is there left in life for
which we could ask
Nothing" Gilbert Hannaway declared.
with conviction. IF this is toast, 1
drink TO it."
They were a partie carree, dining out
of doors in the courtyard of ancient put
fashionable Partisan hotel The round
table at which they sat was brilliant with
silver. beautiful cut glass an6 dropping
clusters of scarlet flowers. few yards
away the water from dainty fountain
fell with soft insistent splash into
marble basin. A band was playing quiet
music in some hidden retreat. All around
them We're other little parties OF diners
beyond. the high gray walls whlch
screened the hotel gardens from observa-
ton Chicot. fat and sleek. but with his
face more wrinkled than ever, reclined
upon a chair, regarding with disdain a
small gold bracelet on his ann.
1t is beautiful" the marchioness muir
INJURED land yet in a way il is little
unnatural. From the silence. the breeze
in the trees, the open skies. we should
he buried somewhere i'll the country, sur
rounded by woods and meadows and hills.
And here we are i'm the heart of Paris.
Scarcely a quarter of a mile away is the
boulevard. One can even hear the roar
if one listens
..One need not listen" Christine remark
ed smiling AS for me. | think that |
have heard enough of the tumult of cities
To last me all my life. ! am looking for
ward to spending the rest of il in the
quiet places.
1T is fortunate" Hannaway whispered
in her ear that my home is in the
country
The marchioness leaned toward her hus-
band You have told me nothing" she
murmured. about Your interview
lie smiled. There is very little to he
told" he said Il was received by the
chief of police and introduced to two
members of the government We talked
intimately for more than an hour.
learned from them. among other things,
that I.eblun had never communicated TO
them any of his suspicious. They had
absolutely no idea as to the identity OF
the person for whom he was searching In
London.
She shivered little. 1T was danger
Gus. was it not. 10 open the subject at
ALP" she asked.
1t was dangerous. perhaps. he an
swered. but ! very anxious to turn
down that page and seal il fast. | am
more than ever glad now that ! deter
mined to do So. We avoided. of course.
anything in the nature of direct state
ments The case put TO them was a sup
I,osititious one. but ! am quite sure that
four four million francs ma ie everything es-
ceedingly easy.
You will never he troubled again?"
she said. softly.
Never again" he answered = have
the word of one of the greatest men in
this country.
And poor Christine" she said, has
lost her fortune
christine he declared. will have to
come TO me for a dowry.
Christine sighed and stroked Chicot. Il
am afraid she said, that it will never
be necessary.
Let me relieve YOU of all fears Han
naway said. Il am urgent sutton
that | declare at once that the matter of
dowry does not interest me-"
The marquis laid his hand upon his
shoulder. You are the son-in-law for
me-" he declared. What with an eX-
travagant wife and my falling rents. 1t
will be a godsend to have some one
from whom / can borrow money. Now
what are you people going to do? Mar
saret and I are due at the embassy. In
fact we are rather overdue now. DO
You want 10 send for tickets for the
theater?
Christine shook her head. We are GO
ing 10 drive in the Bois,'' she said. II
am going to sit hand in hand with Gill
bert and | am going to try to make up
my mind whether II Will ever be possible
for me TO marry him..
I'VE shall see you later. them the mar
uuis remarked. You are ready, Mar
garrett?
They left the table together and made
their way toward the hotel entrance. a
very notable couple The marchioness
with the figure OF girl. the carriage of
an empress and the toilet of Partisan.
excited the admiration of every one. The
marquis too, slender. distinguished look
ing. seemed years younger than a few
months back. His servant was waiting
in the foyer with his coat and hat The
marchioness turned toward the elevator.
Il told Hortense," she said that j
would come up for my things. She was
afraid that the breeze in the garden
would disarrange my couture. Francis"
My dear?" he answered.
You don't think" she asked, that
Christine regrets the loss of her fortune?
Not in the least he answered, grave
~ You must remember that though it
has lain for all these years banked in her
name she knows whence it came. There
was no course open 10 her but to return
it,
Il wonder she murmured what that
strange little man would have said?''
Il think" the marquis answered. that
lie would have approved. Half mad
though he was there was one thing at
least in which he was sincere. and that
was his devotion TO Christine and his de-
sire for her happiness"
The marchionesS nodded thoughtfully.
You are right. she said. Yes, | am
sure that YOU right
They drove off together a few minutes
later in an electric coupe. Her hand stole
into his.
This is really the end of il. then, Fran
els" she said, 1.-The end of our night
mare?
1T is finished he answered Il sup
ose an impartial person would say that
am very lucky. that I got off very light
~ Yet | did discover that h-ll is not
mere scriptural parable. felt the flames,
Margaret. think they have left their
mark forever"
1T is over and done with now" she
said. softly.
He raised her fingers to his lips 1T
has taught me more than endurance"
he said. fondy. Il think il has brought
US closer together for all the years.
For all the years. she echoed, press
ing his hand gently.
Hannaway would have called for an
automobile, but Christine stopped him.
bourgeois tonight | want one of those
little crazy voitures ordinaircs. Once
used to watch the couples drive out i'm
them. up the Champs EIysees, on Sun
days and envy them. | want to see what
il feels like
lie laughed as he handed her in and
arranged mat for Chicot. We'll, there
are rubber tires. at any rate he said.
Il warn you. though. that / shall insist
upon holding your hand"
II should be very much annoyed if you
did not" she answered. laughing In
fact | believe that when we get right
up in the Bots it will be quite the cor
rect thing for you TO assume that | need
even further support. Gilbert, what
wonderful night, Look at the stars. and
look at the lights in front here on the
Place concorde and up the Champs Ely
sees.
1T is a wonderful world he answered
Wonderful when ! realize that we are