Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-02-03
CHAPTER III-contInued.

CHAPTER III.-contInued.
81 said l was a wicked woman"
Margaret answered, rising; land
what's more, believe l am. But /
quite forgot you we're there, Potts, or
/ probably should not have said it
aloud"
Eyes, ma'am," answered Potts meek
ly, and she went back to her unpack-
ing.
Margaret had two maids, who we're
oddly suited to her two natures. She
Ihad inherited Alphonsine from her
friend the famous retired soprano,
Mime. Bonanni, and the cadaverous,
clever, ill-tempered, garrulous dresser
was as necessary to Cordova's theatre
Gal existence as paint, limelight, wigs
yand an orchestra. The English Potts,
athe 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 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 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
husband was so and so, and this and
that-and here fiction had begun, and
she had put stop to it by destroying
the whole letter instead of crossing
out few lines-which was pity; for
IL Lady Maud had received it, she
w aid have told Mr.. Van Torp that he
/eeded 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
pIentifully endowed With tact where
i women were concerned, and he ap-
piled all the knowledge and skill he
had to the single purpose Of pleasing
j 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 your" asked his voice, and
ne ran on without waiting for an an
swer II hope you are not very tired
after crossing yesterday. I came by
Boulogne-decent of me, wasn't 1t?
You must be sick Of seeing me all
the time, SO shall give you 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 S5
minutes. I shall not stir from home
In this baking weather. II 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 plano 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 therel"
"How nice of you'll"
"Fm very NICE" Margaret answered
with laughing emphasis. Il know it,
What sort Of work are you doing? It's
only idip curiosity. so don't tell me If
you would rather mott Have you got
new railway in Brazil, or an over
land route to the other side of be-
yondT
Nothing 30 easy I'm brushing up
my Tartar
rBrushing up what? didn't hear"
"Tartar-the Tartar ianguage-T-a-r
- he began to spell the word
yes. hear now" interrupted Mar
gareL But what IN the world Is the