Evening star., 1911-06-11

~1I@&8ru the piano to liven things up bit;
y ! ]: j !; ]. ] ] !
IANa6AX but she was in an impish mood and
I0ZN&Z\ insisted upon playing ragtime. The
RYN10SNNY bridge players objected to the rag
\NNSGMI time and the racket Lydia and Jane
W9G|W Bliss trying to cakewalk, and
W&GU Mrs Abercrombie was frantic. She
NV afraid they would shock his
~ NN @ Grace. | would have given anything
~ - for dozen muShy novels and the
magazines one had seen; but town
0k9 was miles away and the bottom
seemed to have dropped out of the
sky Some of my friends settled at poker in the upstairs
cardroom, some went to play billiards; but it left
others down stairs horribly mixed and scrappng brsky
Our poor little Duke melancholy figure The
detached way which he looked upon the rain told
me he was lonesome plain ordinary lonesome,
even if he did happen to be Duke, with secretary,
two Wallets, butler, and chauffeur. He didn't know
be excused from bridge. The girls who usually amused
and petted him either hilarious grouchy. Mrs.
Cutler who was the only besides myself that could
speak good French to him. was up stairs with head
ache, and Natalie whom he adorcd, had quarreed with
him-or that's what everybody suspected.
| had not ceased to wonder about his Grace,-where
had seen him. if l had and why l should remember
him. but suddenly ashamed of my suspicious,
that vague something of which l not sure. My
about me and my position but he accepted me along
with great many other American institutions he did
not comprehend.
@Have you the gallery, your Grace?' asked.
T you wish pretend the gallery is the Louvre,
and the garden outside the Tuleries Will Gomez
AAh, Mademoisele. you are one great genus!' he re-
II. i
he put his hand his heart, Il have remember my
beloved France l have what you call him over here
the big homesckness have seen the gallery and the
beautiful pictures but l have not seen them with
Mademoiselle Will Mademoisele do me the honor?"
HE offered me his in his formal way, and we
- started for the gallery. | had been there many
times and so, discovered had his Grace; but made
detailed tour quite from new point of view l was
surprised at his knowledge of the pictures their his
tory, their value. We were looking at alien among
all these old masters, called "The Lion Hunter by
entirely unknown American artist who nearly starved
in Paris until the late Mr.. Hazard that picture and
bought it; when suddenly thought of something
"The Lion Hunter fair haired man with
most remarkable face. weatherbeaten, bronzed, the
tragedy of life and death in the tense lines about his
mouth, and huge across his cheek
do you know the Due dAubigny, your Grace?"
asked.
He looked at the picture again before he answered
"Ah, Mademoisele,' he replied "the mark he bears
is not the claw of lion such you in the picture,
but a saber cut most ignominious. One scandal! He
is my friend. l am ashamed for him And when l
tried to look surprised @Mademoselle you have not
heard! He is thief
"A thief echoed, to gather my and wonder
what should say next felt rather foolish having said
anything about the Due dAubgny after he answered
so readily. HE is noble, your Grace. l cannot COM
prehend"
4Noblemen may be thieves, Mademoisee" He
smiled, quick flashing smile then characteristcay
French, he was sad again. at makes my heart of the
ache He was never trustworthy; but, ah! he was
most lovable. Is it not, Madenoisele?"
u do not know replied. "I do not know him."
l had gained nothing except the knowledge that he
knew the Due d'Aubigny and had saddened the poor
little Duke by the mention of an erring friend hastily
spoke of other things.-the pictures, places both
knew and loved in his beloved France.
We were there an hour, much to my amazement. a
long, most interesting hour and wondered that I'd
ever been guilty of suspectng him of anything but being
splendid little French Duke who couldn't help it if he
had an ancient title and all the heresses wanted to
marry him. hated to think that Natalie But then
that wasn't any OF my business