Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-28

" 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, iu-tempered, garrulous dresser
was as necessary to Cordova's theatri-
cal existence as paint, linenght, 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 mme'
Cordo]a, the celebrated singer was
what Mr.. Van Torp would have calieo
"only a side-show."
The letter that had been torn up
before 1t was finished was to nave
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 "wtckedness
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 VIII
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
no. her ideal Of a
husband was SO and so, and this and
that-and here fiction had begun, and
she had put a stop to 1t by destroying
the whole letter instead OF crossing
out a few lines-whioh 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 ne 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 indie
scribable, mysterious something which
disturbed her and made her feel IN
comfortable when she felt it, but
which she missed when she did not
see him for a day or two.
How are your" asked his voice, and
he ran on without waiting for an an
swer. 81 hope you are not very tired
after crossing yesterday. / came by
Boulogne-decent of me, wasn't 1t?
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. l 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.
81 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, 1
don't want to see you a little bit, and
I'm not Jealous, nor suspicious, nor
anything disagreeable. So there!"
How nice of ycu!"
I'm very NICE" Margaret answered
with laughing emphasis. 81 know it.
What sort of work are you doing? It's
only idle curiosity, so don't tell me If
you would rather not! Have you got
a new railway in Brazil, or an over
land route to the other side of be-
yond?"
Nothing so easy! I'm brushing UP
my Tartar"
brushing up what? I didn't hear
''Tartar-the Tartar language-T-a.r
-" he began to spell the word
Eyes, hear now" interrupted Mar
garet But what in the world is the
use of knowing 1t? You must be aw-
fully hard up for something to do"
You can be understood from Con-
to the Pacific ocean If you
can speak Tartar" Logotheu an
swered in a matter-0f-fact tone
"I daresay! But you're not going
to travel from ConstantinopIe to the
Pacific OCEAN"
81 might One never can tell what
one may like to do
"Oh, If it's because Tartar is use
full against the bites of sharks" an
swered Margaret, quoting Alice, learn
it by all means!"
Besides, there are all sorts of peo-
pie in Paris. I'm sure there must be
some Tartars. I might meet one, and
1t would be amusing to be able to talk
to him"
Nonsense! Why should you ever
meet Tartar? How absurd you arei"
There's one with me now-close |
beside me, at my elbow"
Don't be silly, or I'll ring OF"
eff you don't believe me, listeni"
He said something In a language |
Margaret did not understand, and an
other voice answered him at once in /
the same tongue. Margaret started |
slightly and bent her brows with a
puzzled and displeased look.
rs that your teacher?" she asked
with more interest in her tone than