The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-07
CHAPTER XVIII.
Two Lovely Women.


There was music at the Villa des
Bougainvilleas. Miss Redmond sang;
not Goodnight, God Keep You Safe"
but other things. Ever since her talk
with Hammet Abou she had been,
If not gay, in good spirits, more like
her old self, and the Marquise d 'Esclig-
nae began to think that the image Of
Charles de Sabron had not been cut
too deeply upon her mind The mar
quise, from the lounge in the shadow
of the room, enjoyed the picture
(Sabron would not have added 1t to
his collection) of her niece at the
piano and the Due de fremont by her
side. The Comtesse de la Maine sat
In little shadow of her own, musing
and enjoying the picture of the DUO
de fremont and Miss Redmond very
indifferently. She did not sing; she
had no parlor accomplishments. She
was poor, widow, and had child.
She was not a brilliant match.
From where he stood. fremont
could see the Comtesse de la Maine
in her little shadow, the oriental
decorations background to her
slight Partisan figure, and a 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 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
quise and gave her 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?"
TO see someone who has come to
suggest a camel excursion, believe"
He chooses curious hour"
Everything is curious in the East
Mademoiselle," returned the com.
tesse. Il feel as though my own life
were turned upside down"
We 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 .
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.