The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-11-21
Sure yes! Molly. ring for tea, and
tell am To milo il hnt oh n

uG lNO meu ueCllutu.
How easily and nonchalantly the
man stood there by the door as Harri-
gan took his hat! Celeste was aquiver
with excitement. She was thoroughly
woman; she wanted something to
happen, dramatically, romantically
But her want was a vain one. Nora
hated scenes. and Courtlandt had the
advantage Of her in his knowledge Of
this. Celeste remained at the piano,
but Nora turned as If to move away.
No, you must sing. That is what
came up for" insisted the padre. If
there was any malice in the church
man, it was Of negative quality. But
it was in his Latin blood that drama
should appeal to him strongly, and
here was an unusual phase in The
Great Play He had urged Courtlandt,
much against the latters will this day,
to come up with him, simply that he
might set a little scene such as this
vantage of the prompter. He knew
that the principal theme of all great
books, of all great dramas, was antag-
onism, antagonism between man and
woman, though by thousand other
names has it been called He had
often said, In a spirit of raillery, that
this antagonism was principally due
to the fact that Eve had been con-
structed land very welD out of rib
from Adam. Naturally she resented
this, that she had not been fashioned
independently, and would hold 1t
against man until the true secret OF
the parable was made clear 10 her.
Nora saw that opposition would
be useless. After all, 1t would be
better to sing. She would not be
compelled to look at this man she
SO despised. At the beginning she had
intended to sing badly; but as the
music proceeded, she sang as she had
not sung in weeks. To fill this mans
soul with a hunger for the sound OF
her voice, to pour into his heart
fresh knowledge of what he had lost
forever and forever!
Celeste turned from the keys after
the final chords of Morning Mood"
Thank you'll" said Nora.
DO not STOP" begged Courtlandt.
Nora looked directly into his eyes
as she replied: Ones voice can not
go on forever, and mine is not at all
strong"
There was knock at the door. The
managing director handed Harrigan a
card
Herr Rosen," he read aloud. Send
him up. Some friend of yours, Nora:
Herr Rosen. l told Mr.. Jill to send
him up"
The padre drew his feet under his
cassock, sign of perturbation; Court
landt continued to unwind the snarl OF
lace dropped by the Barone; the
Barone glanced fiercely at Nora, who
smiled systematically.
sHerr Rosen! There was no out
ward reason why the name should
nave set chill on them all, turned
Them into expectant statues. Yet, all
semblance of good fellowship was in
.stantly gone
Mrs. Harrigan smoothed out the
wrinkles In her dress. From the 9TH
ers there had been little movement
and no sound to speak of. Harrigan
still waited by the door, seriously con-
templating the bit Of pasteboard in
his hand
unceremoniously, without pausing and
went straight over to Nora, who was
thereupon seized by an uncomfortable
spirit of devilment. She hated Herr
Rosen. but she was going to be as
pleasant and as engaging as she knew
how to be-. She did not care If he
misinterpreted her mood. She well
coined him with hand. He went on
to Mrs. Harr1gan.. who colored pleas
urably. He was then introduced, and
he acknowledged each introduction
with a careless nod. He was there |
to see Nora, and he did not propose
to put himself to any inconvenience
on account of the Others,
Herr Rosen instantly usurped the
chair next to Nora, who began to pour |
the tea. He had come up from the !
village prepared for a disagreeable |
half hour. Instead Of being greeted |
with Icy glances from stormy eyes,
he encountered such smiles as this |
adorable creature had never before be- |
slowed upon him. He was in the |
clouds. That night at Cadenabbia had |
apparently knocked the bottom out |
of his dream. Women were riddles
which only they themselves could
solve for others. For this one woman |
he was perfectly ready to throw every
thing aside. A man lived but once;
and he was fool who would hold to
tinsel in preference to such happiness
as he thought he saw opening out be-
fore him. Nora saw, but she did not |