Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-05-21
IV-Contlnued.

There was a sting to tho words, de-
spite the languidness with which they
were uttered.
Risking more than she suspected,
she said: HE never considers the cost
Of q thing, Mrs. Brood, II It's beauty
appeals to him" Mrs. Brood gave
her a quizzical, half-puzzled look.
You have only to look about you for
the proof. This one room represents
a fortune" The last was spoken has
lily.
How old are you, Miss Desmond?"
The question came abruptly.
Il ar nineteen"
You were surprised to find me 80
young. VIII 1t add to your surprise
tell you that l am ten years older
man your"
1T doesn't seem credible"
Are you wondering why l tell you
my ago?"
YES" said Lydia. bluntly.
In order that you may realize that
] am ton years wiser than you, and
that you may not again make the mis-
take OF Understanding my intelli-
gence." a
The color faded from Lydia's face.
She grew cold from head to foot. In
voluntarily she moved back q pace.
The next instant, to her unbounded
surprise, Mrs. Brood's hands were out
stretched In a gesture Of appeal, and
a quick, wisdul smile took the place
OF the imperlous stare.
There! | am a nasty, horrid thing.
Forgive me. Come! Don't be stub
porn. Shake hands with me and say
lhat you're sorry | said what | did"
1t was a quaint way of putting 1t, and
her voice was so genuinely appealing
that Lydia, after a moments hesita-
ton, extended her hands. Mrs. Brood
grasped them In hers and gripped
them tightly. 81 think / should like to
know that you are my friend, Lydia.
Has 1t occurred to you that l am ut.
terly without friends In this great city
OF yours? ! have my husband, that
Is ALL"
The girl could no more withstand
the electric charm of tho than
she could have fought off the UNI.
shine. She was b%ewildered, and com
pletely fascinated.
"t's-lt's very good of YOU" she
murmured, her own eyes ~softening as
they looked into the deep. velvety
ones that would not be denied. Even
as she wondered whether she could
ever really like this magnetic crea-
ture, she felt herself surrenderlng to
the spell OF her. "But perhaps you
will not like me when you know me
better"
Perhaps" said Mrs. Brood, calmly,
almost indifferently, and dismissed the
subject. What an amazing room!
One al almost feel the presence OF
the GENT that created 1t at the wish
OF the man with the enchanted lamp.
As a rule, oriental rooms are abomi-
nahSns, but this-ah, this is not an
oriental room after oil. It ~ a part
Of the East itself-of the real East.
have sat in emperors' houses out
there, my dear, and | have slept in
he palaces of kings. | have seen
Just such things as these, and | know
that they could not have been trans.
ported to this room except by magic.
My husband is a magician"
These came from the palaces OF
kings, Mrs. Brood" said Lydia enthu.
siastically. Kings in the days when
kings were real. This rug"
know" interrupted the other. my
husband told me the story. 1t must
have cost him a fortune"
1t was worth a fortune" said Lydia,
A calculating squirt had come into
Mrs. Brood's eyes while she was
speaking. To Lydia it appeared as IL
she were trying to fix upon the value
Of the wonderful carpet.
"A collector has offered him-how
muchH A hundred thousand dollars,
Is not that It? All, how rich he must
bel"
THE collector you refer to"
Il was referring to my husband"
said Mrs. Brood, unabashed. HE is
very rich, isn't he?"
Lydia managed to conceal her an.
noyance. Il think not. as American
fortunes are rated"
1T doesn't matter" said the other,
carelessly. 81 have my own fortune.
And l: IL not my face" she added,
with a quick smile, Now let us look
further. | must see all these wonder.
full things. We will not be missed,
and 1t is still half an hour till tea.
time. Ny husband is now telling his
son all there is to be told about me
who and what l am, and how he came
80 marry me. Not, mind you, how !