Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-09
The Mischief Maker
Bu E. PHILLIPS OPPENEHELM


avoided looking at him.
Let us begin" she said
They wrote for hours. Julien was in
the mood for this final and fierce attack
upon lie Jour and all the powers that
stood behind il. He held up Falkenberg
to derision-the charlatan Of modern
notifies, the Puck of Berlin, whose one
sincerity was his hatred for England,
and one capacity the giant capacity for
mischief! He wound up his article
with a scathing and personal denuncia-
ton of Falkenberg, and a splendidly
worded appeal to the French nation
not for one moment to be deceived as to
the character of this tireless and ambi-
tious schemer after his country's well
fare All the time Anne took down his
words in fluent and flowing writing.
When at last he had finished he looked
at the sheets which surrounded her
with something like amaZement
why, what a pig I've been, Anne.
he exclaimed, glancing from the table
10 the clock. You must have oeen
writing for nearly three hours'
She was busy picking up the sheets.
"ouite. I should say" she answered,
s.but 1 loved it, Now ] am going TO
ring for tea, and afterward you must
read il through. We might get the
manuscript down to the office tonight
Il shall need you when l read 1t
through" he reminded her. There Will
be corrections"
EITHER Madame Christopher or / will
be here" she replied. Madame Chris
tophor may have some other work for
me"
He looked at her curiously.
Even you are different ne muir
INJURED.
ssTeu me at once what you near"
she begged.
81 wish I knew" he confessed. ITO
tell YOU the truth, Anne, curious feel
ing Of detachment seems to have come
over me-during the last few days es-
peciallv. 1t is such a short time since
was living the ordinary sort of mechan-
icaI life in London. engaged to be married
TO you, and my doings day by day all
mapped out-a life interesting OF
course. but without any real variation
And now here I am, hanging on to life
nv the thin edge of nothing, writing
sach things as l should never nave
dared to said from my seat in the house.
practically an adventurer. Do you won
der that 1 am sometimes not quite sure
that it isn't all a nightmare? 1 am
actually hiding here in Paris from as
sassins-in Paris, the most civilized
city in the world-the guest of wom-
an whose acquaintance / made only De-
cause a little manicurist in Soho IN
sisted upon il. And you,i Anne, are
here by my SIDE a professional secre-
tary. the friend of a milliner, more in
innate and on better terms with me
than YOU were in the days when we
were engaged to be married! What has
happened to us, Anne? Hew did we get
here?"
She laughed at him tolerantly.
We've come a little into our own, ]
suppose." she remarked. "As for me, ]
feel a different woman since 1 stepped
out OF the made-to-order world. And you
we'll don't be angry. but you're not
nearly so much of prig. are you, Julien?
You're less starched and more human
OF course, we are more companionable.
We are both more human"
He nodded.
7 suppose that so far as I am con-
cerned Hendricks had something to dc
with 1.-THE was always trying to make
me look at things differently. But 1t
seems such a short time for such an abb
solute change"
She was balancing her pen upon the
ink pot-keeping her eyes turned fron;
him.
1T isn't always a matter of time, you
know. Julien" she said thoughtfully.
never really a machine for wearing a
ready-made smile and a few smart
frocks 1t took shock to make us see
things. but neither of us remained will
fully blind. You'll be back in your world
before long and a better man than ever.
And your
II have hopes some day of becoming a
perfect secretary" she confessed. IF
fail. will at least make more bows than
any one else in a day"
He leaned toward her. showing a sud
den and dangerous forgetfuiness of his
bandaged arm
Anne" he said firmly, IF I go back,
you go back. Sometimes I think that
shall never regret anything that has hap
pened if
The door was softly opened. 1t was
Madame Christopher who entered with a
little pile of letters in he's hand. Lady
Anne. with slightly heightened color, rose
to her feet There was something in
Madame Christophor's eyes which was
almost hercely questioning.
Il am not disturbing you, trust?' she
asked slowly. I bring Sir Julien some
letters"
He caught up the sheets which lay by
his side.
Il will not even look at them until
have corrected my article" he declared.
Madame Christopher settled herself
composedly in an easy chair.
Lady Anne shall read il aloud" she
proposed calmly. and I will assist in the
corrections. For the French edition
may be able to suggest. The papers to-
day are most amusing" she continued.
The German press is almost unreadable.
No wonder that there is a price upon
your head. my friend!"
Julien moved restlessly in his place.
II have had the most extraordinary
luck" he remarked. mo other man, nat
urally. knew so much of Anglo-German
and AnglO-French relations. And instead
og being at home in Downing street, and
muzzled, I happened TO be here on the
spot, to run up against Falkenberg, dis
cover his little schemes, and with my
own special knowledge to see through
them at once. No one else ever had such
an opportunity"
Madame Christopher smiled enigmat-
ically. She was looking thoughtfully
across at her guest.
1T is not every opportunity in life," she
murmured, which a man knows how to
embrace"'
CHAPTER XIV.
NEARING A CRISIS.