Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19
BOOK II.
CHAPTER XIV.
Nearing a Crisis.

dined downstairs. To his surprise, when
he presented himself in the smaller salon
to which he had been directed, he found
the table laid for two only. Nine. Chris
tophor, who was standing on the thresh-
old of the winter garden opening out from
the apartment, read his expression and
frowned
You expected Lady Anne to dine?' she
asked, bluntly.
julien was taken little aback.
''It seemed natural to expect her he
admitted.
Nine. Christopher moved toward the
bell, but Julien intercepted her. He re-
membered all that he owed to this wom-
an. He was ashamed of his lack of tact.
Dear Nine. Christopher he pleaded,
forgive me II for moment forgot how
altered things are. Indeed, It was not a
matter of choice with me. OF course, 1t
will give me the greatest pleasure to dine
tete-a-tete with you
He was, perhaps, a shade too impress
sive, but Nine. Christopher, as all women
who greatly desire to read in man
words what she chooses to find there,
hesitated. Finally, with shrug OF the
shoulders. she turned away from the bell.
Three is such an impossible number"
she declared, with we'll assumed careless
ness. Lady Anne has ner own salon ad-
joining her apartment. She dimes there
always If / am without company l
enjoy the rest of being alone. She Is
very delightful in her own way, your dear
Lady Anne, but she and L have not much
in common. Come and see my roses.
She led the way into the conservatory.
dome-shaped building with covered glass
F,,D< a rrnn
the perfume of roses and dropping ex-
otics. little fountain was playing in
the middle. When the butler announced
the service of dinner and they returned
to take their places, she left the door
open.
Tonight" she announced, as they sat
side by side at the small. round table. Il
am going to take advantage of the situa-
ton. / am your hostess and you are an
invalid. It is my opportunity to talk. Are
you good listener, Sir Julien
She had dropped her voice almost to a
whisper Those beautiful deep-set eyes
were challenging his. She seemed to have
made up her mind that for that night. at
any rate. her beauty should be unques-
toned. She wore a dress of black net,
fitting very closely, wonderful back
ground for her white skin and the ropes
of pearls which were entwined about her
neck. He had never seen her decollete.
but he remembered reading in ladies'
once declared her neck and bust to be the
most beautiful in Paris. She had even
added the slightest touch Of color to her
cheeks. There was no longer any sign of
the wrinkles at the sides Of her eyes: She
read the half ingenious. half unwilling
admiration in his face, and she laughed
at him.
"Ah, my friend" she murmured, Il can
see that you object to the role of listener!
Very we'll, then, you shall talk. You shall
Toll nf fa in, OILS Vnr oh
tell me what dreams have come to you
for the days when once more you shall
help to shape the destinies OF your nation.
Tell me how you mean to live. Shall you
be again-what was 1t Lady Anne thought
you-a prig?'
II am like many other and more ia
nous men," he remarked. Il have learned
much in adversity.'
Il read the English papers" she con
tinued pfesenty have also large large
is nearly rebellion in your party? Cues
tons have been asked about you in the
house. Both sides want you back. There
is feeling that you were allowed to go
which you were guilty was a trifle. This
man Carraby is what you Gala cad
That does not do in the high places. Ma
tionality cannot conceal lack OF breed
ing
81 have thought over many things Ju-
for me, shall go back. Why not? 1 be-
lieve that l can serve my country. and
it is the life for which / am best fitted.
Carraby may have his good points, but
his ambitions have been little too ex-
tensive. He would have made a better
mayor of the town where he was born"
You are right" she declared. There
is no place for such men in the great
world. You will go back. 1t is written.
See-I drink to Englands future prime
minister"
She raised her glass. which the butler
had just filled with champagne. She
looked into his eyes as she drank and Ju-
lien was conscious OF a passing uneasiness.
She set the glass down. empty. Her hand
lay for moment near his.
You will go back" she murmured.
You will forget. The people whom you
have met in your brief period Of adver-
sity will seem to you like shadows. Is it
not so?"
He took her hand and raised 1t boldly
to his lips.
TT will never be like that with you,
dear hostess he assured her. There
are things which one does not forget
She did not withdraw her hand. It's
pressure upon his fingers was faint but
insistent
DO you remember when we first met"
she said, softly. chow bitter we were
against the others-even at first against
one another? You had been betrayed by
sex was hateful to you. l had just come
from seeing the tragedy caused by a
mans Grass selfishness. /. too. was wear
ing the letters. To me the whole of your
sex seemed abominable. . You see. !"
she went on. my marriage was terrible
disappointment 1 fancied that l was
marrying a great man, a genius, an in
spred statesman. and l found myself al
lied to a political machine. My wealth
have l told you, l wonder. that ! am very
wealthy?-helped him. For the rest,
was a puppet by his side. l lived in Ber-
lin for one year. Official life in Berlin
for an American woman. even though she
be Princess Won Falkenberg, is still in
tolerable. The men were bad enough. the
women worse. l could not breathe.
was no part of my husbands life / was
no part of any ones life. The German
women did not understand me. My hus-
band-oh he is very German in his heart!
only laughed at my complaints. He
would have been perfectly willing to see
me become as those others-hausfrau-
bearers of children. domestic article.
So we observation-disclosures at that moment
was impossible. / came back to Paris
You had no children Julien asked
"One boy she answered. her eyes be-
coming very soft. DO not let us speak
of him for a moment.
side, the water from the fountain fell into
the basin with a gentle. monotonous
sound. The perfume of the roses stole
through the open doorway. One softly
shaded lamp had been lit, but the rest of
the lofty room remained in shadowy OBJ
security. The light from that one lamp
seemed to fall full upon Nine Christie