Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-10-19

example and come to town."
She told herself once more that her
slight instinct of uneasiness had been
absurd Stephens bow, although 1T.
tie formal and austere, was still an
acknowledgment of her welcome. The
shadows of the room, perhaps, had pre-
vented him from seeing her out
stretched hand
mine Is n very short visit, Miss Maui
rel" he said. 81 had no 6ther reason
for coming but to see John and TO pay
this call upon you"
II am greatly battered" she told
him. "You must please sit down and
make yourself comfortable while we
talk. See this Is my favorite place."
she added, dropping into corner of
her lounge. "Will you sit beside me
Or, If you prefer, draw up that chair"
] MY preference" he replied, sis to
remain standing"
She raised her eyebrows. Her tone
altered.
ut must be as you wish, of course"
she continued; "only have such pleas
Peak Hall that l should like, If there
was any possible way In which 1 could
return it"
MADAM" he interrupted, "you must
admit that the hospitality Of Peak Hall
was not willingly offered to you. Save
for the force Of circumstances, you
would never have crossed our thresh-
old"
She shrugged her shoulders. She
was adapting her tone and manner to
the belligercncy Of his attitude.
"Wel?"
you want TO know why have found
my way to London?' he went on. II
came to find out little more about
you"
about me?"
"To discover IL there was anything
about you" he proceeded deliberately,
concerning which report had lied. /
do not place my faith In newspapers
and gossip. There was always chance
that you might have been an honest
woman. That Is why l came to Lon
don, and why went to see your play
last night"
She was speechless. 1t was as IL he
were speaking to her In some foreign
tongue.
II have struggled" he continued, ITO
adopt n charitable view of your pro-
fession. know that the world changes
quickly, while we, who prefer to re-
main outside It's orbit, of necessity lose
touch with its new Ideas and new
fashions. So l said to myself that
there should be no mistake. For that
reason | sat In n theater last night al
most for the first time in my life. 1
saw you act"
"Well?" she asked almost defiantly.
He looked down at her All splendid
self-assurance seemed ebbing away.
She felt u sudden depression of spirit,
n sudden strange sense of insignifi-
canoe.
II have come" he said, "if can. to
buy my brothers freedom"
ITO buy your brothers freedom?"
she repeated, In u daZed tone.
"My brother is infatuated with YOU"
Stephen declared. 81 wish to save
him"
The womans courage began to as
sert itself. She raised her eyes to his.
Exactly what do you mean?" she
asked calmly. "ln what way Is any
man to be saved from me? If your
brother should care for me, and /, by
any chance, should happen to care for
him, In what respect would that be
state from which he would require sal
vation?"
"You make my task more difficult"
he observed deliberately. Does 1t
nmuse you to practice your profession
before one so ignora 1T and so unappre-
ciatlve as myselfS If my brother
should ever marry, it is my firm inten-
ton that he shall marry an honest
woman"
Louise sat quite still for moment.
A flash of lightning had glittered be-
fore her eyes, and in her ears was the
crash of thunder. Her face was sud-
denly strained. She saw nothing but
the stern, forbldding expression of the
man who looked down ut her.
you dare to say this TO me, here in
my own house?"
Dare? Why not? Don't people tell
you the truth here In London, then?"
She rose little unsteadlly to her
feet, motloning him toward the door,
and moving toward the bell. Suddenly
she sank back into her former place,
GREATNESS and helpless.
"Why do you waste your breath?' he
asked calmly. eve are alone here,
you and I've know the truth =!
She sat quite still, shivering a little.
"Do we? Tell me, then because l
am curlous-tell me why you are so
sure of what you say"
"The world has IT," he replied, "that
YOU are the mistress of the prince of
Seyre. | came To London to satisfy
myself ms TO the truth of that report.
DO YOU believe that any man living
among that audience last night, coulu
watch the play-although you are
clever actress madam-and believe
that you were woman who was living
an honest lifeT