The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-07

among whose traditions is the story
that one of them could never tell
lie.
Julia Redmond sat beside the Com
tesse de la Maine, whose elegance she
admired enormously. and taking one
or the lady's hands, with a frank lin
Ing she asked in her rich young voice:
Why do you tolerate me, Madame?"
Ma chere enfant," exclaimed the
comtesse. why, you are adorable"
st is terribly good of you to say
So" murmured Julia Redmond. 1T
shows how generous you are"
But you attribute qualities to me
l do not deserve, Mademoiselle"
You deserve them and much more,
Madame. loved you the first day l
saw you; no one could help loving
YOU"
Julia Redmond was irresistible. The
Comtesse de la Maine had remarked
her caprices, her moods, her sadness.
She had seen that the good spirits
were false and, as keen women do,
she had attributed it to love affair
with the Due de fremont. The girls
frankness was contagious. The Com
tesse de la Maine murmured:
Il think the same of you, ma chere,
vous etes charmante"
Julia Redmond shook her head. She
did not want compliments. The eyes
of the two women met and read each
other.
Couldn't you be frank with me,
Madame? 1t is so easy to be frank"
1t was, indeed, impossible for Julia
Redmond to be anything else. The
comtesse, who was only trifie older
than the young girl, felt like her
mother just then. She laughed
But be frank-about WHAT"
You see," said Julia Redmond
swiftly, Il care absolutely nothing for
the Due de fremont, nothing"
you don't love him." returned Ma
dame de la Maine, with deep accentu-
alton. "Is it possible?"
The girl smiled.
"Yes, quite possible think he is
perfect dear He is a splendid
friend and I am devoted to him, but
l don't love him at all, not at ALL"
"Ah!" breathed Madame de la
Maine, and she looked at the Ameri-
can girl guardedly.
For moment it was like a passage
OF arms between frank young In.
dian chief and Jesuit. Julia, as it
were, shook her feathers and her
beads
And l don't care in the least about
being a duchess! My father made
his money in oil. am not an aristo-
crat like my aunt" she said.
"Then," said the Comtesse de la
Maine, forgetting that she was a
Jesuit, you will marry Robert de
fremont simply to please your aunt?"
But nothing on earth would in
duce me to marry him!" cried Julia
Redmond. That's what I'm telling
you, Madame. I don't love him!"
The Comtesse de la Maine looked
at her companion and bit her lip.
She blushed more warmly than is per-
mitted in the Faubourg St..Germain,
but she was young and the western
influence Is pernicious
Il saw at once that you loved him."
said Julia Redmond frankly. That's
why / speak as l do"
The Comtesse de la Maine drew
back and exclaimed.
oh" said Julia Redmond, don't
deny it. shan't like you half so we'll
if you do. There is no shame in be-
ing in love, is there?-especially when
the man you love, loves YOU
The Comtesse de la Maine broke
down, or, rather, she rose high. She
rose above all the smallness of con-
vention and the rules of her French
formal education.
You are wonderful" she said.
laughing softly, her eyes full of tears.
"Will you tell me what makes you
think that he is fond OF me?"
But you know it so WELL" said
Julia. Hasn't he cared for you for
a long timer"
Madame de la Maine wondered lust
how much Julia Redmond had heard,
and as there was no way of finding
out, she said graciously:
He has seemed to love me very
dearly for many years; but I am
poor; have child He is am
bilious and he is the Due de Ire
mont"
Nonsense" said Julia. HE loves
YOU. That's all that counts. You
will be awfully happy. You will
marry the Due de fremont, won't
you? There's a dear"
Happy" murmured the other WON.
an, happy, my dear friend, never
dreamed Of such thing!"
Dream Of it now," said Julia Red