The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-12-11
sYNoPsis.

Eleanora De Toscana was singing in
ward CouTtlandt's appearance there. Mul-
e~m!llsOnaire. he wandered about where
fancy dictated. He might be In Paris one
day and Kamchatka the next. Following
the opera he goes to q cafe an 10 &C.
CHAPTER II-contInued.
There was q minute wrinkle above
the unknown's nose; the shadow Of .
frown. "She IL very beautiful"
Bah! Did she send you after me?
Give me her address. I have come all
the way from Burma to see Flora
Desimone."
TO see her1" She unguardedly
clothed the question with contempt,
but she instantly forced = smile to
neutralize the effect. Concerned with
her own defined conclusions, she lost
the fine ironic bitterness that was in
the mans voice.
AYE. indeed. to see her! Beautiful
as Venus, a alluring as Phryne.
want nothing SO much as to see her,
to look into her eyes. to hear her
voice!"
rs 1t jealousy? l hear the tragic
note" The certainty OF her ground
became - morass again. In his turn
he was puzzling her.
Tragedy? l am an American. We
do not kill opera singers. We turn
them over to the critics. / wish to see
the beautiful Flora, to ask her a few
questions. II she has sen you after
me, her address, my dear young lady.
her address" His eyes burned.
Il am afraid" And she was SO.
This wasn't the tom of a man madly
In love. 1t was wild anger.
Afraid of what?"
"You."
Il will give you a hundred francs
He produced Z criEp note. d you
want 1T"
She did not answer at once. Pres
emily she opened her purse, found a
stubby pencil and a slip OF paper, and
wrote. There 1t Is, monsieur" She
held out her hand for the banknote
which, with a sense of baflement, he
gave her. She folded the note and
slowed it away with the pencil.
THANK you," said Courtlandt. odd
paper. though" He turned It over.
"Ah, ! understand. You copy music
Yes, monsieur"
This time the flicker of her
eyes did not escape him. You are
studying for the opera. perhaps?"
Eyes, that is It."
Good night" He rose.
Monsieur il not gallant"
Il was In my YOUTH" he replied. put
Ting on his hat.
The bald rudeness OF his departure
did not disturb her. She laughed soft.
~ and relievedly. Indeed, there was
In the laughter an essence Of mischief.
However. II he carried away q mys-
terry, he left one behind.
The young woman waited Ave or ten
minutes. and. making sure that Court
landt had been driven of, left the
restaurant. Round the corner she en-
gaged a carriage. So that was Ed
ward Courtlandt? She liked his face;
there was not a weak line in it. unless
stubbornness could be called such. But
to stay away for two years! To hide
himself in jungles, to be heard OF only
by his harebrained exploits! Follow
him; see where he goes" had been the
command. For q moment che had re-
belled, but her curiosity was not to
be denied. Besides. Of what use was
friendship II not to be tried? She
knew nothing Of the riddle. she had
eve asked . question openly. She
had accidentally seen q photograph
one day, IN : trunk tray. with this
mans name scrawled across It, and
upon this flimsy base she had builded
= dozen r0mances. each Of which she
had Tuthlessly torn down to make
room for another: but still the riddle
nv unsolved. She had thrown the
name into the conversation many q
time. - one might throw . bomb into
: crowd which had no chance to o.
eaDe. Fishes! Tho man had been
calmly discussed and calmly dis
missed. At odd times an article In
tho newspapers gave her m oppor-
tnn3kyS otill the frank discussion. still
~ calm dismissal. She had learned
1ak ~ man was rich. irresponsible.
MNef1laf1nG. ) picturesque sort or fool.
tNto yoar1f What had kept him
oNn1 fhak Iongf = weak man. IN love.
nc h1yo made - tame . sur
P0r&opU ~ had not sur
rUn1oro6; DorAaps neither Of them
49, ~. ~ uoueAt the Calabrian.
~ ~ 1noth.oE Mind alley out Of
~ ~ setrace her steps.