The Washington herald., 1911-09-03
CHAPTER XXvI-Continued.


came Up 20 the side Of the table beyond
which he had taken his seat. Leaning
her chin upon her hand, her elbow upon
the table, in a sudden posture Of encoun-
ter, she asked him a question whose an
swer took him swiftly far back into his
own past, into. another and torSotten
day.
Did you ever hear Of Mr.. John Parish
siF?" she demanded.
The suave couutenanCc before her was
at first blank, then curious, then intent.
His mind was striving 20 summon up,
from all its many images, this one which
was required. 1t was a brain whch
rarely forgot, even though years had
passed; and had it been able to forget,
so much had been the better for the
plans of a gentleman from Kentucky
and for the success Of his proposed Eu-
ropean mission.
At last, slowly, a faint flush passed
over the face she was regarding so in
tentIy. Yes; I remember him very well,
he replied He has not for very many
years been in this country. He died
abroad, some years since. I presume
you mean Mr. Parish of New Yori-he
is the only one 1 recall Of that name at
least Yes: I know such a man"
That was very long ago.
1T was when I was much younger,
my dear countess"
You knew him very well, them"
- may say that I did, madam"
And you'll tell me; then-tell me, was
it true that once, as wild rumor had it,
a rumor that have heard-that once you
two played at cards -"
Was that a crime?" he smiled.
But with him, at cards with him, Mr..
John Parish, a certain game OF cards
with him-one day-a certain winter day
years ago, when you both were younger
when the train was snowbOund in the
North? And you played then. for what?
What were the stakes, then, in that par
ticular game with Mr. John Parish:
Do you chance to recall?"
Madam, you credit me with frankness.
I will not claim even so much. But since
you have heard a rumor that died out
long years ago-which was denied
which even now 1 might better deny
since, in fact. you know the truth
why should deny the truth?
Then you two played a game, at
cards-fo- a woman? And Mr.. Parish
won? Was il not true?"
A new and different expression passed
over the face of the gentleman before
her. Her chin still rested in her hand,
her other arm, long. round, white, lay
out upon the table before him. He
could see straight into her wide eyes,
Sc the heave Of her throat move under
its shining circlet. see the color of her
cheek feel the tenseness of all her mind
and body as she questioned him about
his long forgotten past.
why do you ask me this?' he de-
manded at last What has that to do
with US? That was long ago. It is
dead it is forgotten. Why rake up the
folly of a deed of youth and V7Ckless-
ness. long years dead and gone? Why.
the other man, and the woman herself
are dead and gone nov, both of them.
Then, why"
7 will tell you why. That happened
once in my own experience
''ImposSible!'
Yes; Impossible. It should have
been impossible am ,lg men at this day
of the world. But it happened 1 also
had the distinguished honor to be the
stake in some such game, and that be-
Cause-indirectly because-I had won the
enmity, the suspicious at least-welI. We
will say, Of persons high in authority
in this land"
But, my dear young lady, the con-
ditiOns cannot have been the same.
Assuredly the result was not the same"
BY whose credit. then? Who thinks
Of a woman? Who is there whose
hand is not raised against her? Each
member of her own sex is her enemy.
Each member of the opposite Sex is her
foe. One breath, one suspicion, and she
becomes fair game, even under the
strictest code among men; and then, the
man who did not dare would be despised
because he would not dare. Her life is
one long war against suspicion. 1t is
one long war against selfishness, a con-
tinued defense against desire, gratifica-
tion. She is, even to-day valued as
Chattel-under all the laws and con-
ventions built about her runs the chatteI
idea. She is a convenience. Is that
alp
My dear lady it is not for me to
enter into discussion of subjects so alb
struse, so far removed at least from my
proper trend Of thought-our proper
trend OF thought, If you please. I must
admit that act Of folly, yes. But I
must also end the matter there"
Then why should not I end our mat
ter there, sir? 1t seems TO me that if
IN any usual way of life. going about
her business honestly paying her obli-
cations Of all sort-even that to her
crucllX al night-a woman who is cl, \
wishes to remain clean, to be herself
why say, if that may not be, among
men great or small distinguished or nm
known, then most fortunate is She who
remains aloof from all chance Of that
sort of thing. Sir. I should not like to
think that, while I was in my room, for
the time removed from the society of
the gentlemen who should be my pro-
tectors, there was going on, let US say,
somewhere in the gentlemen's saloon, a
little enterprise at chance in which"
But. my dear lady. you are mad to
speak in this way! Lightning, even
lightning of folly. does not strike twice
In the same place"
'Ah, does it not?' But IL hast"
What can you mean? Surely YOU do
not mean actually TO say that you your
sell ever have figured in such an Incl
dent?''
She made no answer to him. save IN
look straight into his eyes, chin in hand
still. her long white arm lying out. mo-
ISQlesS, her posture free of nervous
strafs or unrest. Slowly her lips parted
showlnS her fine white teeth in n haIf
smile Ser eyes smiled also, with wis
dom in their look =.
The VENERABLE statesman opposed TO
her all at ONCE felt his resources going.
Re knew that his quest was over, that
this young woman was after all able to
fend for herself.
What would Sou dog'' she demanded
OF him 'If your, were woman and
know you were merely coveted in gen.
eral, as a womaI, and that you. had
been Just cheaply pfayed for in a game
of cards, in public; place-what would
you do, IL You could, to the man who
lost-or the man who Ron2 Would you
he delivered over? That woman. was
she-but she could NOT help herself: