New-York tribune., 1912-02-25

money | had put myself IN tne wrong, anu
the very fact that she kept her temper before
such an unnecessary insult served only to
render my position more painful and more
bewildering.
NO" she said; "pay me back the money
when | send my bill. Till then please re-
member that I'm a lady as well as your new
friend Mrs. Stuart, though perhaps my blood
is less blue As for the things, keep them
What could do with them' | don wear
pink any more, my child, and don wear
pearls. And the diamond, keep that TOO,
Lii. to remember Victor by; that is, II your
new fianCG will let you. For cannot DOUBT
that the outcome of this clever trick will be
YOU will marry Mr.. Henry Stuart. All my
CONGRATULATIONS to him and to his mother
for the brilliant way thay have played their
cards, They've carried off the beauty OF
the season. And the Duchess too, when she
arriyes-whcn she arrives for the wedding.
The wedding-ah!" She caught her breath
ike 4 sob in her throat. My poor victor
scorncd and refused at the very altar.
Thrown down publicly in the eyes OF the
whole world. Will he ever forgive me: An
Lii. between the two OF us what tool we
have managed to make OF my poor bo-oy:,
She covered her face with her two hands
broke from her in sudden cry.
"Oh. it serves me just night Tor having
trusted to a Frenchwoman!'
All! jumped to my feet. Now indeed
n she had found words 10 flick me on the
raw Of my skin. Through the whir OF my
exhausted spirit, a clear train OF thought
came suddenly forcing itself.
So | had imagined, had |, that, like the
pcrsonagcs in those modern novels that my
Uncle Porthaven at Brent forbade me TO
read. had changed with my environment,
made for myself a new character and new
standard of acton' Because | had found
America charming and delightful, thought
had become an American and forgotten
France9 | had left behind me in France,
had |, all those wornout traditions, all those
moldy ideas of chivalry, that had brought
more than one VauquereS to perfectly un.
necessary death, that quite necdleSSIy mad
stripped my dear papa OF his fortune ana
sent his daughter a pennleSS exile to wander
over the earth!
Yes. | was an exile; but-the realization
hit me in that instant like a stroke was
still French, still a Nauquicrcs. My hand
went 10 my lockct, which on its long, thin
chain hung at my neck. Yes, 1t was there,
with its bombastic medieval motto, giving
the lie to reason, to all practical modern
IDEAS to American law and its clear logical
Interpretation that so short a time ago had
convinced my understanding, "Vdnqnieyes
tieHt ParOle!
On the one hand stood the image of Henry
with love in his eyes, and his arms held out
to me. On the other side, outside Of reason,
or logic, or law, was just my word-my word
that had given. What would Papa tell me
TO choose if he were hcrc3 What had he
chosen for himself? The law had not bound
him; but he had kept his word! And was
a Nauquicrcs too.
Suddenly Mrs Cobb broke the silence.
"Lili, she said in a voice 50 hollow and tone
less that it sounded as though she were very
| far away or very i'll. "as YOU notice, make
no scene. merely remind You Of one fact
| that no legal quibblc could alter, and ii is
! this: You gave me your word Of honor, and
! accepted it, Now, that the time has come,
are you going to keep your promise, or are
| YOU going TO break II,
Il am going 10 byeGk H"-no, my lips
would not form the words they chokcd in
my throat: it seemed TO me that Papa was
| listening and could not say them. threw
! up my head. dare say my gesture was a
! little dramatic; but-oh. when my anccs-
tors marched to their death, at least they
| ,t-.r, lll,ur4l %. ,,.li',. t4u4.h, and drum