Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-25
The Mischief Maker
Bu E. PHILLIPS OPPENEfELM

| and chimneys, it's tall white buildings
with funny little verandas the sweep
of boulevards and statelier buildings
in the distance. She looked up and fol-
lowed his eyes.
Don't YOU like my We've" she asked.
zone misses the roar of London. Do you
notice how much shriller and less per-
sistent all the noises are? Yet it has its
own inspiration, hasn't it?'
without doubt" Julien answered.
"Of course, you can guess what / came
for?"
cit were to ask me to lunch" she
said, composedly threading her needle,
II am sorry. but I can't come. l have
to make twenty-five of these bows and
1 am rather slow at it."
Luncheon might have followed as an
after-thought. he replied. MY real
mission was to suggest that you should
marry me-"
Lady Annie's fingers passed for NOM
ent in the air. She sat quite still. Her
eyes were half closed. There was
curious little culver at her heart,
little throb in her ears. On the whole,
however, she kept her self-control mar
velously.
whatever put that into your head"
she inquired, going on with her work.
He hesitated. 1t was in his mind TO
/ tell her of that evening at Clonarty, to
speak of IL, to recall that one wave or
emotion on which, indeed, they might
have fioated into a completer under
standing. He looked at her steadfastly,
nuright in her poor cane chair, bend
ing over her foolish little task. But
he missed any inspiration which might
have guided his tongue, she looked so
thoroughly self-possessed, so splendidly
superior to circumstances.
Isn't il natural?' he asked. You and
were always good friends. We have
come together here and we are both a
little lonely. have never known any
one else in the world, Anne" he contin-
ued. with whom 1 have been able 70
think of marriage with more-more con-
tent. One might live quite a pleasant
life here. We should not be paupers.
| At any rate, there would be no reason
/ for you to sit in this stuffy room max
/ ing bows. or to go and write Madame
| Christophor's letters"
! as that ALP
/ Again he was tempted. For a single
/ moment she had raised her eyes ano
/ he had fancied that in that swift up
ward glance he had seen the light 81
an almost eager questioning, an almost
path etic search. He bent toward her,
] Out 6nC AtluSGu ObSAAAoNSAS' " @0S@@ -
/ him again.
Dear Anne" he said, II have al
ways been fond of you"
| Again her fingers were idle. An Idea
seemed to have occurred to her. she
asked him question.
How long is it since you have seen
my mother?"
He did not at once reply! She raised
her head and looked at him. Then she
knew the truth. She set her teeth ano
fought A little sob was strangled in
her throat.
IT left your mother a few minutes
ago." he told her ''She arrived in Paris
! this morning and sent for me-"
Lady Anne worked for time in ST.
lence. Then she laid the bow when
she had finished upon the table and
leaned back in her CHR, clasping ner
right knee with her hands.
"You really are the queerest person,
4 Julien" she declared. How you were
ever a success as a diplomatist I can't
J imagined You came in with the air
of one charged with a high and holy
mission. It was so obvious, and yet
for a moment it puzzled me- How
would love to have been with you this
morning-with you and my mother. 1
mean somewhat behind a curtain!
Never mind, you've done the really right
and honorable thing-yon have given
me my chance. am very grateful,
Julien"
She looked frankly enough into las
face now and laughed. Julien remained
silent
Cant you see, both of you," Anne
went on. you silly people, that some
thing quite alien to us and our set l.. Is
found its way into my life--a sort OF
middle-class complaint-Heaven knows
what you would call it!-but 1t came
just in time to place me in a most
awkward position. / still haven't any
doubt that marriage is a very respect
able and desirable institution, but to
me the idea of it is matter of son-
venience has suddenly become-well. n
little worse than the thing which We
all shudder at so righteously when We
pass along the streets of Paris. Or
course, 1 know" she added, that's
shocking point Of view. My mother
would hold. and you, too, that a legal
lied sale is no sale at all, that matrI-
mony is a perfectly hallowed institn-
ton, a perfectly moral state, and all
the rest of it. You see, I very nearly
admitted myself very nearly sold
myselfp'
She shuddered Then she rose to her
feet straight and splendid, with all .he
grace of her beautiful young woman
hood.
Men don't think just as we do about
this" she continued. You are all
much too Oriental. But a woman has
at least right to keep what she
doesn't choose to sell, even If in the
end she chooses to give it,"
Julien moved a step nearer to her
Anne" he said, ''supposing one
| cared?"
Every fibre of her body was set in
an effort Of resistance. The hooking
laugh rose readily enough to her lips
the words were crushed back in her
/ throat. Only the faIntest Shadow
shone for a moment in her eyes.
"Ah. Julien" she murmured lightly,
IF one cared! But does that really
come, I wonder? Not to such men
as you. Not often, 1 am afraid. to
such women as l."
The door was suddenly opened. Lit
tie Mademoiselle Rignaut was covered
with confusion.
But, milady" she exclaimed, "a
thousand pardons-"
"Janette," Anne interrupted, 'if
hear that once more L leave-I seek
another situation"
But, mademoiselle, them" Madem-
oiselle Rignaut corrected, "a thousand
pardons, indeed! 1 had no idea"
my dear Janette," Lady Anne pro-
tested, "why do you apologize for en-
tering your own workshop? 1t is fool
fish, this. 1 go now, dear julien, to put