Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-04

the machinery OF the place 10 SiAShNs
wander among the empty. quiet places.
and I am lonely"
Have you ever loved a woman?" she
asked.
Her voice had suddenly dropped. He
looked across the table Her lips were
4 slightly parted, her eyes fixed upon his
There was something shining out Of
them which he did not wholly under
stand. He only knew that the question
seemed to have stirred him in some
new way. An intense sense Of pleasur-
able content, feeling as though he
were listening to music. stole through
his senses. This was a new thing. He
was bewildered. He leaned little fur
Their across the table. He found him
self watching the faint blue veins Of
her delicate fingers, noticing the curious
perfume of roses that seemed to come
to him from the fiutter of the lace
around her neck.
you are the man, Sir Julien. You
must be hirty-five-perhaps older. Yet
somehow you have the look to me Of
one who has never cared at all
1T is true" he admitted.
| Life" she declared. 'fs a strange
/ place. A few months ago your whole
career was one of ambition. Misfor-
I tune came, or what you counted mis-
/ fortune. You reckoned yourself ruined.
/ II is simply a change of poise. You
turn now naturally to other things in
life DO you know that you will find
them greater?"
He shook his head
ct is too early for me to believe
that" he said. ''I will admit that now
and then in my forced solitude 1 have
sometimes realized that one may be-
come too engrossed in a career of am
bition. One may shut out many things
in life that are sweet and wholesome
But it is too early yet for me to look
back upon what has happened with
equanimity and say that I am glad to
be a wanderer on the face of the earth
a homeless man, a waif."
You know that people are talking
about you in London" she asked alb
ruptly.
He looked little startled.
II know nothing of the sort" he re-
piled "I have scarcely looked at
newspaper for weeks Hendricks is over
here with some story
who is Kendricks?" she interrupted
"a journalist, an old friend of mine
What he told me. though, 1 looked upon
as simply a little more malice from my
friend Carraby."s,
Tell me exactly his news"
He told me-" Julien continued, that
there is a good deal Of unrest over in
London concerning our relations with
France. The absolute candOr and COM
pletely good understanding which exist
ed a short time ago seems to have be-
come clOuded. Carraby is trying t. sug-
gest in English circles that have been
using my influence over here against
the present government The absurd
| part of it is that although have been
/ in France for month. I arrived in Par
is only yesterday"
'T was not abiding to that at all"
she sara. cit is in the country places,
at the by-elections, and twice in the
house itself lately, that things have
been said which point to a certain i'm
patience at your having been dropped
| so completely. You know Brentwood"
"a strong, firm man." Julien replied
''but scarcely a friend Of mine"
We'll, in your House OF Parliament.
the night before last" she continued
''he said that your country needed men
| in the Foreign Office who, however
great might be their love of peace, still
were not afraid of war, and your name
was mentioned"
Julien smiled
They used to call me the fre-brand
suppose I am in great minority.
/ have never been able to see that a
wholesome war; IN QeIenSe OF one lcl-
ritory and ones honor, is an unmixed
curse. 1t is the natural blood-letting
of a strong country"
No wonder you are unpopular in rad
| ical circles" she remarked, raising her
I eyebrows; but anyhow. what l really
want to say to you is this. Don't do
anything rash. You have made the &C
ouaintance of the most dangerous man
in Europe. Don't let, him control your
actions. don't let him influence you.
want you always. whatever you do, to
leave the way open for your return"
He shook his head.
Il do not think that my return is ever
Have you talked with your friend
Kendricks?" she asked.
Not yet" he replied.
Hear what he has to say" she con-
tinued. Bring him to see me If you
will"
II will try" he promised.
They were silent for a moment, listen
ing to the splashing Of the fountain out
side and the distant hum Of the city.
! do you know that you are very kind
/ to me?" he said.
You were very much afraid Of me
yesterday" she reminded him.
Had 1 any cause?'
She smiled
| Il shall not tell you my secrets. You
must find them out. 7 have dabbled
in politics, 1 have dabbled in diplomacy.
I have not, as a rule, very much SYM
pathy with your sex. as I think you
know. It has never interested me be-
fore even 10 give good advice to
man. If I were you, Sir julien, beyond
a certain point would not trust Mad
anne Christopher, for when the time
comes have always the feeling that If
a mans career. lay within my power 1
would sooner wreck it ethan help him"
"Of course you are talking nonsense"
he declared.
Am To- she replied. well, 1 don't
know I can look back now to a half
hour OF my life when I lOathed every
creature that could call itself a man."
But il was a single person." he re-
minded her, "who sinned."
His crime was too great to be the
crime OF a single man. she asserted,
with a CULVER of passion in her tone. 1T
was the elimination of the whole abom-
Unable selfishness of his sex. One mans
life is too light a price to pay for the
tragedy of that half hour. / have never
spared one OF your sex since. never
SHALL
so far you have been kind to me-"
he persisted.
Up to a certain point. Beyond that.
warn you. I should have no pity. If
you were wise man, I think even now
- g. 1Hsv4