Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-09-15
CHAPTER XVIII-continued.

1900 - ~ Nitl-SOIlLtHuCOs
From where he stood, fremont
could see the Comtesse de la Maine
in her little shadow, the oriental
decorations a background to her
slight Partisan figure, and little out
of the shadow, the bright aigret in
her hair danced, shaking its sparkles
of fire She looked infinitely sad and
infinitely appealing. One bare arm
was along the back of her lounge. She
leaned her head upon her hand.
After a few moments the Due de
fremont quietly left the piano and
Miss Redmond, and went and sat
down beside the Comtesse de la
Maine, who, in order to make a place
for him, moved out of the shadow.
Julia, one after another, played
songs she loved, keeping her fingers
resolutely from the notes that wanted
to run into a single song, the music,
the song that linked her to the man
whose life had become a mystery.
She glanced at the Due de fremont
and the Comtesse de la Maine She
glanced at her aunt, patting Mimi,
who, freshly washed, adorned by pale
blue ribbon, looked disdainful and
princely, and with passion and feeling
she began to sing the song that
seemed to reach beyond the tawdry
room Of the villa in Algiers, and to go
into the desert, trying in sweet in
tensity to speak and to comfort, and
as she sat so singing to one man,
Sabron would have adored adding
that picture to his collection.
The servant came up to the mar
qu1se and gave her a message. The
lady rose, beckoned fremont to fol-
low her, and went out on the veranda,
followed by Mimi. Julia stopped play
ing and went over to the Comtesse de
la Maine.
Where have my aunt and Monsieur
de fremont gone, Madame?"
ITO see someone who has come to
suggest a camel excursion, l believe"
'He chooses a curious hour
Everything is curious in the East,
Mademoiselle," returned the COM
Jesse. lO0l DIS luOuSn my own IAlS
were turned upside down"
I'VE are not far enough in the East
for that" smiled Julia Redmond. She
regarded the comtesse with her frank
girlish scrutiny. There was in it a
fine truthfulness and utter disregard
of all the barriers that long epochs of
etiquette put between souls.
Julia Redmond knew nothing of
French society and of the Difference
due to the arts of the old world. She
knew, perhaps, very little of anything.
She was young and unschooled. She
knew, as some women know, how to
feel, and how to be, and how to love.
She was as honest as her ancestors,
among whose traditions is the story
that one of them could never tell a
lie
Julia Redmond sat beside the Com
tesse de la Maine, whose elegance she
admired enormously, and taking one
of the lady's hands, with frank lik-
ing she asked in her rich young voice:
why do you tolerate me, Madame?"
Ma chere enfant," exclaimed the
comtesse. why, you are adorable"
ut is terribly good of you to say
So" murmured Julia Redmond. TT
shows how generous you are"
But you attribute qualities to me
do not deserve MademoiselIe."
You deserve them and much more
Madame. l loved you the first dav I
saw you; no one could help loving
you"
Julia Redmond was irresistible The
Comtesse de la Maine had remarked
her capr1ces, 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 a trifle Older
than the young girl. felt like hel
mother just then. She laughed.
But be frank-about whats"
''You see,T said Julia Redmond
swiftly, Il care absolutely nothing fol
&he Due de fremont. nothing"
You don't love him?" returned Ma