Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-10-05

JOun Wuihtu buCh 10 lllt NlHuoNs bD-
pressed with sense of something
almost omlnous in the Frenchman's
manner, something which he could not
fathom, against which he struggled in
vain. Side by side with IL, there
surged into his memory the Dispute
tude which his present relations with
Louise had developed. She was always
charming when she had any time to
spare-sometlmes almost affectionute.
on the other hand, he was profoundly
conscious of her desire to keep him
at arms length for the present.
He had accepted her decision with
out murmur. He made but few eff
forts TO see her alone, and when they
met he made no special claim upon
her notice. He was serving his appren-
ticeship doggedly and faithfully. Yet
there were times like the present when
he found his task both hateful and diff
ficult.
He walked almlessly backward and
forward, chatting against the restraint
of the narrow walls and the low cell
Ing. A sudden desire had seized him
to fly back to the hills, wreathed in
mist though they might be; to struggle
on his way through the binding rain,
to drink down long gulps of his own
purer, less civilized atmosphere.
The telephone bell rang. He placed
the receiver to his ear almost me-
chanically.
"Who is It'll" he asked.
LADY Hllda Mulloch is asking for
you, sir" the hall porter announced.
Lady Hllda peered around Johns
room through her lorgnette, and did
not hesitate to express her dissatisfac-
ton.
my dear man." she exclaimed,
what makes you live in n hotel? Why
don't you take rooms of your own and
furnish them2 Surroundings like these
are destructive to ones individuality"
well, you see" John explained. as
he drew an easy chair up to the fire
for his guest, my stay in London is
only temporary one, and 1t hasn't
seemed worth while to settle any
where"
She stretched out her graceful body
in front OF the fire and raised her veil.
She was very smartly dressed, as usual.
Her white silk stockings, which she
seemed to have no objection to dis
playing, were of the latest vogue. The
chinchilla around her neck and in her
little toque was most becoming. She
seemed to bring with her an atmos-
phere indefinable, In its way, but dis
inctly attractive. Brisk in her speech,
little commanding in her manner, she
was still essentially feminine.
John, at her direct invitation, had
called upon her once or twice since
their meeting at the opera, and he had
found her. from the first, more at
tractive than any other society woman
of his acquaintance. None the less, he
was little taken aback at her pres
ent visit
Exactly why are you here, any
how?" she demanded. 81 feel sure that
Eugene told me the reason which had
brought you from your wilds, but l
have forgotten it,
have come because don't want to APP
pear prejudiced, and the fact that l
never spent month in London, or even
week, seemed little narrow mind
ed"
Whats the real attraction?" Lady
IIilda asked. at is a woman. isn't it?'
II am very fond of woman who
Is in London" John admitted. "Per-
haps ii Is true that / am here on her
account"
Lady Hllda withdrew from her muff
n gold cigarette case and u little box of
matches.
Order some mixed vermouth with
lemon for me, please" she begged. II
nave been shopping, and / hate tea.
| don't know why 1 came to see you.
| suddenly thought of it when | was
In Bond street"
at was very kind of YOU" John said.
If l had known that you cared about
seeing me, l would have come to you
with pleasure"
What does 1t matter?" she an
swered. "You are thinking, perhaps,
That l risk my reputation in coming to
n young mans rooms? Those things
10 not count for me. Ever since |
was child L have done exactly as |
liked, and people have shrugged their
shoulders and said, 'Ah, well, it is
only Lady Hllda! 1 am quite con-
Ninced that If l chose to take you Off
to Monte Carlo with me next week
and spend n month with you there, l
should get my pass to the royal inclo-
sure at Ascot when | returned, and my
invitation to the next court ball, even
In this era of starch. You see, they
would say, 1T is only Lady IIllda ="
The waiter brought the vermouth,
which his visitor slipped cOntentedly.
80 there is II woman, is there?' she
went on, looking across the room at her
/ companion. "Ilave you committed
yourself already, then? Don't you re-
member what l told you the first night
we met after the opera-that 1t is
well to waltz"
Yes, remember" John admitted.
81 meant it,"
He laughed good-humoredly, yet not
/ without some trace of self-conscious-
nnSG