Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-25

/ OF the country gardens the distant mu-
I sic. the delicious Stiffness the queer,
f, troubled look in Anne's eyes. her sudden
I ~ quickened bres tn. that moment which
had passed so soon! IL came back to
I him with a peculiar insistence during
I those few seCondsi Then he brushed 1t
away.
My dear Duchess" he said slowly.
I you are laboring under some extraor-
binary mistake. Anne and I were very
good friends and I think that we should
have made a reasonably contented couple.
That. however. was naturally broken off
at once owing to my misfortune. Anne's
visit to Paris her sudden fight from
London, had nothing whatever TO do
with me. met her here entirely by &C
cident. No word has passed between
us which would suggest for a single mo
/ ment that she looked upon this matter
any differently
The duchess listened to him steadily.
At first there were signs OF a coming
storm. Like a skilful general, however,
she abandoned her position and changed
her tactics. She got up and walked to
the window, produced a handkerchief
from her pocket. and stood dabbing her
eyes. She looked out over the Place
/ Vendome. Julien, who had not the least
idea what TO say, kept silent
Julien" she said at last, turning
/ around, "this-this is a blow to me. II
what you say is true, and OF course 1t
is dear Anne's life is ruined. At present
I every one sympathizes with her. You
/ know, Samuel Harbord Notwithstanding
his enormous wealth-you have no idea,
julien, how horrid he was about the
settlements-is very unpopular. There
wasn't a soul except his own people
who didn't thoroughly enjoy his posi-
ton. Anne had run away TO Paris they
/ al said. because she declined to give up
her old sweetheart. You know what
they will all say now? She came and
you would have none of her! ask you,
Julien. as a man of the world. isn't that
the view people are bound TO take?'
''It is a very stupid view" Julien de-
/ cIared. Anne cares no more for me
than for any other man. She isn't that
sort. Even If I were in a position to
marry any one. I am quite sure that she
would refuse me-"
The duchess began to see her way
She tried. however. to Danish, the look
of relief from her face.
MY dear Julien" she said very gent
IL, you men. however well. you mean,
sometimes make such mistakes want
to show you what 1 am sure you will
see to be your duty. Things, of course.
can never be as we had once hoped. On
the other hand, I am a mother, Julien,
and / want to see my daughters happy
We are very, very poor but a little pri-
walton is good for all of us. The
duke will settle two thousand year
upon Anne, and I am quite sure that you
can earn money with that wonderful
pen Of yours. and then. of course. there
is your own small income"
ANNE doesn't want to marry me,
and" he added, after a moments hesi-
tation. II don't want to marry Anne.
You forget that 1 am an outcast from
4 life. I have to start things all over
again. What should 1 do with wife
who has beeen used TO the sort or lie
Anne has always led?"
Dear Julien" the duchess repeated
Il want to show you your duty. If you
do not marry Anne every one In London
will say that she came to you and you
refused her. II is your duty at least
TO give her the opportunity. 1t is I'M
fortunate that she came here, perhaps.
but we have finished with all that She
/ is here, every one knows that she Is mere
and you have been seen together.
Julien rose from his chair and walked
up and down the room.
/ Il haven't talked very much with
Anne" he said. pausing after while;
but it seems to me that she is making
a bid for liberty. She is an independent
sort of girl. you know, after all, although
she was very well content up to certain
point. to take things as they came.
don't believe for a moment that she
would marry me-"
at least" the duchess persisted 40
YOUR duty and ask her. II necessary,
even let people know that you have
asked her. It is your duty, julien"
i T,,lfav haSifated no longer.
VERY we'll" he decided, "since you
nut it like that I will ask Anne, but
II warn you. 1 think she Will refuse
me-"
''she will do nothing Of the sort" the
duchess declared; but oh! Julien II
would make me so happy If you would
take me to her. if I could have just
few minutes talk with her first, before
you said anything serious"
Julien smiled
pear duchess, 1 think not. will
go to see Anne alone. I will ask her
to marry me in my own way. l viii
tell her that you are here. and wheth-
er she consents 10 marry me or not
will bring her to see you. But my
offer shall be made before you and she
meet"
you are a little hard. dear Julien"
the duchess murmured, but let 1t be
so Only remember that the poor dear
child may be feeling very sensitive
she must know that she has placed
herself completely in your power. Be
nice 10 her. Julien"
The duchess offered him a tentative
but somewhat artificial embrace. which
Julien, with great skill, evaded.
I'VE shall see," he remarked, what
happens. I shall find you here, I sup
pose?"
N The duchess nodded.
II have travelled all night" she said,
alt closing her eyes. Directly I saw
that ii was my duty. came here with
out waiting a single second. shall
hope and pray that you will bring
= Anne here to luncheon with me, and
that we shall have a little family
q. gathering"
ed Anne was seated before the wide
Q. open window in the little back room
~ eading from Mademoiselle Rignauts
Il workshop. A sewing machine was on
the table in the middle of the apart
az ment, the floor was strewn with frag-
- - ments Of material. Anne, in a perfect
rely plain black gown, similar to those
a. worn by the other young ladies OF the
establishment, was making bows. She
looked at Julien as he entered in blank
Amusement. Then a shadow Of annoy
ance crossed her face"
MY dear Julien" she exclaimed,
fancy letting you climb these four