The Detroit times., 1913-10-03


Frequently she smiled. The short
powerful hand OF the man stroked his
beard and he beamed out OF his Gun
ming eyes. eyes a trifie too porcine TO
suggest keen intellect about them.
Il am like a gorilla" he said; but
you are like a sleek tigress. l ain
stronger, more powerful than you;
but am always In fear Of your claws,
Especially when you smile like that
What mischief are you plotting now!
She drew in a cloud OF smoke, held
1t In her pulled cheeks as she glided
round the table and leaned over his
shoulders. She let the smoke drift
over his head and down his beard
In that moment he was truly Jovian
Would you like me II were
tame cat?" she purred. A
Il have never seen you In that role,
Perhaps I might. You told me that
you would give up everything but the
Paris season"
II have changed my mind" She
ran one hand through his hair anc
the other she entangled in his beard
You'd change your mind. too. II you
were q woman"
Il don't have to change my mind /;
you are always doing II for me. But
l do not want to go to America next
winter" He drew her down so that
he might look into her face. 1t was
something to see.
BAH" She released herself and
returned to her chair. When the
season Is over / want to go to Capri
Capri! Too hot"
II want to CO."
MY dear. a dozen exiles are there,
waiting to blow me up" He spoke
Italian we'll. You do not wish to
see me spattered over the beautiful
isle?"
Itch. tch. That Is merely your
usual excuse. You never had any
thing to do with the police"
MOI" He eyed the end OF his
cigarette gravely. Zone does not
have to be affiliated with the police.
There is class prejudice. We Rus
slams are very fond OF Egypt In the
winter. Capri seems to be the half
way place. They wait for Us, going
and coming. Poor fools!"
II shall go alone. then"
"All right" In his dull way he
had learned that to pull the diva.
one must agree with her. In agree
ing with her one adroitly dissuaded
her. You go to Capri, and I'll go
to the pavilion on the Neva."
She snuffed the cigarette in the
cofee-cup and frowned. Some day
you will make me horribly angry"
Beautiful igress! II man knew
what you wanted. you would not want
It. can't hop about with the agility
Of those dancers at the Theatre du
Palais Royale. The best / can do is
to initiate the bear. What is wrong?'
They keep giving her the premier
parts. She has no more fire in her
than dead crate. The English
speaking singers. they are having
everything their own way. And none
Of them can act"
my dear Flora, this Eleonora Is an
actress, first Of all. That she caR
sing IL . matter of good fortune, no
more. Be reasonable. The consensus
of critical opinion H. generally infall
ible; and all over the continent they
agree that she can act. Come. come;
what do you care! She will never
approach your Carmen. ;"
you praise her to me?" tempest
In her glowing eyes.
II do not praise her. I am quoting
facts. II you throw that cup. my t.
"well." dangerously.
1T will spoil the set. Listen. Some
one 10 at the speaking-tube."
The singer crossed the room I'M
patiently. Ordinarily she would have
continued the dispute, whether the
bell rang or not. But she was get
ting the worst Of the argument and
the bell was timely diversion. The
duke followed her leisurely to- the
wall.
What is IT," asked Flora in
French.
The voice below answered with
query in English. us this the Sig
norma Desimone?"
''It IL the duchess"
The duchess?'
EYES,"
"The devil!"
She turned and stared at the duke,
who shrugged. mo. no." she said;
the duchess, not the devil"
Pardon me; l was astonished. But
on the stage you are still Flora Desi-
mone?"
Eyes. And now that my identity
Is established, who are you and what
do you want at this time OF night"
The duke touched her arm to con.
vey that this was not the moment In
which to betray her temper.
II am Edward Courtlandt."
The devil!' mimicked the diva.
She and the duke heard q chuckle.
II beg your pardon again, Madame"
well. what 10 II you wish?" ami.
ably.
The duke looked at her perplexed.
ly. It seemed to him that she was
always leaving him In the middle of
things. Preparing himself for rough
roads, he would suddenly find the go
Ing smooth. He was never swift
enough mentally to follow these fly.
ing transitions from enmity to amity.
In the present instance, how was he
to know that his tigress had found IN
the man below something to play
with?
"You once did me an III turn" came
up the tube. II desire that you make
some reparation."
"Sainted Mother! but Il has taken
you . long time to find ont that I
have injured you" she Knocked.
There was no reply to this: 40 she
was determined to stir the fire little.
And / advise you to be careful
what you say; the duke is . very jeal-
That gentleman fingered his beard