, 1912-02-29

N""ehtei II. Inc auU11r1i, / De
heve. occupies himself with his books
his butterflies and his cruises"
"A daughter. She is cultured, you
say? So long as she is not capricious
and does not interfere with my work.
OF peace OF mind interrupted Fitz-
gerald. with prophetic s~uddenness.
which was modified by laughter.
NO, my friend; no woman has ever
yet stirred my heart. though many have
temporarily captured my senses. A
man in my position has no right to
love-" with n dignity which surprised
his auditor.
Fitzgerald looked down at the wheels.
There was something even more than
dignity, an indefinable something. a su-
periority which Fitzgerald's present at
titude Of mind could not approach.
This man." he unused, will afford
interesting study. One would
think that nothing less than a grand
duke was riding In this rafting old
carryall." There was silence for a
time.
How long will you be here?" asked
Breitmann.
Cant say. Three or four days per
haps. 1t all depends, What shall I say
about you to them?'
AS little as possible"
And that's really about all I could
say" with a suggestion
But the other failed to meet the sug
gestion halfway.
"You might forget about my ragged
linen In Paris" acridly.
I'm omit that" good naturally
Come. be cheerful. Fortunes wheel
will turn. and 1t pulls up as we'll as
down. Remember that"
II must be on the a%scendency, for l
am at the nadir just at present" He
breathed In the sweet freshness which
still chung TO the morning and settled
his shoulders like a recruiting sergeant.
How well the man has studied his
English" thought Fitzgerald. He rare
ly hesitated for a word. and his idioms
were always nicely adjusted.
The admiral was alone. He received
them with an easy courtliness. which
Is more noticeable In the old world
than In the new He directed the serv-
ants to take charge of the luggage. and
to Breitmann there was never a word
about work. That had all been decided
by letter. He urged the new secretary
to return o the library as soon as he
had established himself.
Breitmann was rather grateful for
Fitzgerald's presence. This occupatic
was not going to be mental: at least.
there would be pleasant sides to 1t.
And. then. 1t might not take him a
week to complete his own affair.
There was no misleading the admiral.
He was "a gentleman, affable. kindly
and a good story teller. too. crisp and
to the point. sailor fashion.
do you know butterflies. Mr.. Fitz,
gerald?'
..Social?"
The admiral laughed. mo. The law
doesn't permit you to stick pins in
that kind. No: l mean that kind" in
dicating the cases.
Both young men admitted that this
field had been left unexplored by either
of them.
1t was during a lull. when the talk
had fallen to the desultory. that the
hall door opened and Laura came in.
Her cheeks glowed like the sunny side
of a Persian peach; her eyes spar
kled. Between her moist red lips there
was a fash OF firm. white teeth. The
seal brown hair glinted a Venetian red.
for at that moment she stood in the
path of the sunshine which poured in
at the window. and blown tendrils in
picturesque disorder escaped from I'M
der her hat.
The three men rose hastily-the ia
ther with pride. Fitzgerald with glad
wonder and fear.
CHAPTER VII.
SOME BIRDS IN A CHIMNEY.
- might be truthfully said that the
tableau lasted as long as she
willed 1t to last. Perhaps she
- read In the three masculine faces
turned toward her a triangular admira-
ton, since 1t emanated from three CIV
en- points, anu tooh irom IL moue
pinch for her vanity. Vain b never
was. Still she was not without a
share of vanity. that vanity of the art
less. needing no sacrifices. which is
gratiHed and appeased by a smile. 1t
pleased her TO snow that she was love
ly. and 1t doubled her pleasure to rel
ize that her loveliness pleased oth
ers. She demanded no hearts. She
craved no jewels, no iattery.
She had an inherited love OF the
open. With almost unlimited FUNDS
under her own hand. she lived simply
She was never happy in smart society
though it was always making de
mands upon her. When abroad she
was generally prowling through queer
little shops instead of mingling with
the dress parades On the grand hole