The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-05-21
Copyright by the Bobbs- Merrfl Company
CHAPTER XXI.
Into the Desert.

2 mond came Unexpectedly to the will;
Of Madame de la Maine at an earl,
morning hour. Madame de la Main,
saw her standing on the threshold O
her bedroom door,
"Chere Madame" Julia said, ct an
leaving today with a dragoman ant
twenty servants to go into the desert.
Madame de la Maine was still il
bed. At nine o'clock she read her pa
pers and her correspondence.
Into the desert-alonel"
Julia, with her cravache in her
gloved hands, smiled sweetly though
she was very pale. 81 had not thought
OF going alone, Madame" she replied
with charming assurance, "I knew you
would go with me-"
On chair by her bed was a wrap
per of blue silk and lace. The COM
Jesse sprang up and then thrust her
feet into her slippers and stared at
Julia.
What are you going to do in the
desert?"
Watch"
Yes, yes!" nodded Madame de la
Maine. "And your aunt?"
Deep in bazaar for the hospital"
smiled Miss Redmond.
Madame de la Maine regarded her
slender friend with admiration and
envy. why hadn't I thought of it ?"
She rang for her maid.
Because your great-grandfather
was not pioneer!" Miss Redmond
answered
The sun which, all day long, held
the desert in its burning embrace,
went westward In his own brilliant
caravan.
The desert blossoms like a rose,
Therese"
Like a rose?" questioned Madame
de la Maine.
She was sitting in the door of her
tent; her white dress and her white
hat cleaned like touch of snow
upon the deserts face. Julia Red
mond on a rug at her feet, and in her
khaki iding-habit the color of the
sand, blended with the desert as
though part of it. She sat up as she
spike.
How divine! Sect She pointed
90 the stretches of the Sahara before
her. On every side they spread away
as far as the eye could reach, suave,
mellow, black undulating finally to
small hillocks with corrugated sides,
as group Of little sandhills rose soft
ly out of the sealike plain. Look,
Therese,"
Slowly, from ocher and gold the
color changed; faint wavelke blush |
crept over the sands, which REDEEMED, |
naled faded warmed again. took |
depth and grew intense like flame.
The heart of rose. N'est-ce pas,
Il understand now what you mean
said madame. The comtesse was not
a dreamer Partisan to the tips of
her fingers, elegant, fine, she had lived
a conventional life. Therese had been
taught to conceal her emotions. She
had been taught that our feelings
matter very little to any one but our
selves She had been taught to go
lightly, to avoid serious things. Her
at-grandmother had gone lightly to
he scaffold, exquisitely courteous till
he last.
81 ask your pardon if jostled you in
he tumbrel," the old comtesse had
aid to her companion on the way to
he guillotine THE springs of the cart
re poor''-and she went up smiling.
In the companionship of the Amer
an girl, Therese de la Maine had
brown off restraint. Il the Marquise
'Esclignac had felt Julias influence,
'herese de la Maine, being near her
wn age, echoed Julia's very feeling.
Except for their dragoman and their
arvants, the two women were alone
/ the desert.
Smiling at Julia. Madame de la s
[aine said: Il haven't been SO far l
ON the Rue de la Paix in my life"
How can you speak of the Rue de
Paix, Therese?"
only to show you how completely | G
ave left it behind"
Julia's eyes were fixed upon the linn a
less sands, a sea where a faint line r
st itself in the red west and the hor1-
N shut from her sight everything :
at she believed to be her life.
"This is the seventh day, Therese!"
Already you are as brown as an
rab, Julia!" 9
you as we'll, ma chere amie!"
Robert does not like dark women" 9,
i'd the Comtesse de la Maine, and A
bbed her cheek. Il must wear two :
ills" =
Look, Therese!" h
Across the face of the desert the !,
ow began to withdraw its curtain. Il
lie sands suffused an ineffable hue, a. U
ell-like pink took possession, and the G.
eli fhor or.-if =