The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
CHAPTER XXXXvII.
4 Mysterious Cabaret Number.

4 HysteTtous Cdodret Number.
T UCILLE's return to her apartment at the ho-
- tel greeted with an apparent respect that
spoke plainly of the arrival of the flood of pack
ages she had ordered sent Immediately. Her lips
were still frightened, her eyes cold as ice, her
head high she entered the elevator and shot
10 the cozy room where the bundles and boxes
were piled.
Upon every conceivable article in the room
they were, but she seemed to take little pleasure
in opening them. In piles she assorted them,
hats, gowns, lingerie, gloves, hose, little trnkets
dear TO the heart of all women. Then she seated
herself and carefully, coldly made choice of what
she intended wearing for the conquest of Lou
beque.
How odd it all seemed! Before her rose a
picture of the great spy, many pictures. and a
curiously sad little smile twisted her lips she
realized that winning over him would give bit
terness to her life which she could never forget,
the bitterness of losing the great respect she
held for him an enemy, the bitterness of hav-
ing ohliterated from memory those times when
the tenderness dormant in him had to the
surface as he cared for a poor sick girl fighting
unequal battle.
1t was several hours later that she looked at
herself in the long cheval glass frank admira-
tion and wonder tingling within her, mantlng
her cheeks with roses that no ruby necklaces
could have purchased. For the first time she real
lied that she was wonderfully beautiful. that the
girl who had landed aboard the Empress in her
riding habit who had fought her way through
the Jungles in tattered skirt of black had grown
into wonderful woman whom men worship and
fall down before in breathless admiration Her
eyes, too, were slanting the eyes of odalesque,
while there was just the curling hint of invita-
tion in the full red lips that tended to beguile.
Yes, adventure, purpose and fullness, the con-
slant battling for others, the omnipresent Love
within her had broadened and ripened her into i
full, rich womanhood such she had not
dreamed possible. And even she stood there
came clear tapping upon the door, With
smile upon her lips she moved toward it, allow
ing It to open, the slightest fraction at time,
Tha srh orN 9frfr
telling her how to enhance the effect of her ap-
pearance.
Hugo Loubeoue stepped within. It was char
acteristic of the man that he did not halt i'm
medately he saw her but moved on until he
well inside. Then he turned immaculate in his
evening clothes. and bowed gravely, his eyes TAX
ing her in from head to toe, frank admiration
glowing in them. Neither mentioned the contrast
in her appearance. The spy merely waited while
into his eyes crept the hint of a challenge min
gled with the cloud of premonition of danger.
Instantly she resented II.
you will dine with me?" His manner was
courteous ever, yet there was change. Some
thing already lost between them, some of
the strands which bound them together as in
separately through enmity could have
bonds Of friendship slackened, dropped apart
never to be put together again.
Lucille merely nodded. Her heart was grow
ing larger and larger, and she found herself
frightened. Dangers of all sorts, adventures,
everything she could endure with not the slight
est fear but there was something in her now that
set her pulses throbbing irregularly and rendered
her speechless. She rested her hand upon his
sleeve and allowed him to escort her to the din
ing-room.
In the dining-room she gave herself over to
mood efervescent as the champagne that bub-
bled in the glass before her, creaming and cast
ing up its little sprals of sprtes, laughing glee-
fully with her own thrilling mirth bit too nerv-
Gus to be quite unaffected.
Loubeque had not proven adamant against
the frank admiration which went the length OF