The Washington herald., 1912-11-24

standing before her as courtier might
stand before a queen. when ! said
love | said in that word all that love
implies: respect, lifelong devotion.
Without putting it in words, | asked
you to share my future and my for
tune as my wife"
Madame la Baronne rose from her
chair and bowed.
Standing before her. he bowed in re-
turn. 1t was quaint picture, in keep
ing with the dress and the elegant Gus
toms of the time
He did not again attempt to take
her hand; she had at a stroke put a
gulf between them such as exists be-
tween a powerful potentate and the
ambassador of an inferior power.
TO your offer, Monsieur" she made
answer. as they sat down again, Il
an-oniy reply that | thank you sin
cerely for the compliment it contains !;
that, frankly, / have never met man
liked so much as | like"-she blush
ed slightly-"the Comte de Lusssc /;
that / have taken a deep interest in
him, If for no other reason than be-
cause he is so unlike the fops and
fools of Paris; and that just for that
reason and because l study the welfare
of those whom / like, ought to de-
cline his offer. To do so would mere
ly be fair
Madame"
Zone moment" replied this extraor-
binary woman who TO the genuine was
always genuine. You are Monsieur
lie Comte de Lussac, with large estates
and a splendid fortune, if you do not
spoil it by entangling yourself with
the enemies of the king; you have
fallen in love with woman of no
fortune, no position, an adyen-
turess-
Cease, MadameT cried De Lussae
violently, rising from his seat as
though he were addressing an enemy.
Not another word against the wom-
an l love. Fortune, position! Those
words are blasphemy against the holy
spirit of love Adventures? What
care if she is an adventures? Call
her what you will, you cannot deceive
my heart or tell me against my under
standing and my instinct that she is
anything but pure"
HNludlly III HIS dllkCl anu
of the baroness this idealist had almost
forgotten her presence and the fact
that he was defending her against her
self. The baroness, in amazement,
stared at him as one stares at a prod
ICY. Had this man, then, with the
clear sight of a passionate and lofty
understanding, OWNED in her the true
woman whose presence she herself had
not troubled to search for? Her life
was far from blameless, in the eyes
of strict VIRTUE: love-aRairs. money
affairs, intrigues, filed the story of her
past; yet at heart-the only considera-
ton that matters at all, when all is
said and done-at heart was she as he
declared her TO be? She had neSer
thought OF the question before. She
looked at herself as a woman of the
world who had led the life of the
world. Had any other man said to
her, You are a blameles woman" she
would have laughed in his face, or,
more probably. Smacked it, taking the
statement as a piece OF cynicism. But
De Lussac did not make a statement
he enunciated fact, he spoke with all
the fervor of man who knows; with
the conviction of surety. 1t was fas-
misunderstanding as waking up on
a December morning, opening ones
window aid finding May-day. Madame
Linden was not, however, a woman to
temporize with pleasant fictions. With
the pleasure one feels in destroying a
fair thing, once ours but taken from
us by fraud, she turned to her de-
fender
Monsieur" said she, 81 have already
had four lovers"
And what, Madame" replied the
disciple of Jean Jacques, have those
lovers to do with me? Do you for a
moment think that l belong to that Or
der of men whose philosophy debars
the needs of life and the consideration
of the human heart? When ask
you to give yourself to ME. | ask for
your future, not for your past. Love
is the water of life. God sent you into
the world with a full pitcher TO find
me; that you have on the way given
drink to four thirsty men, is that a
reason for my finding the water less
sweet? But this will swear. you
have never given of that gift but for
generous reasons"
Monsieur" replied she. confused by
this extraordinary speech, almost on