The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-03-31

pied with perfect breeding. Her fam
ily had been one of the oldest and
most-respected as well as one of the
wealthiest in Manhattan. But that
| comfortable fortune which might have
! been hers had been dissipated by her
paternal extravaganza; Fanny had
been penniless when she married
/ young Adair for his money-a sordid
motive whose n had been
atoned by her candor in owning to it
as by its ill success. For Adair had
lost everything in Wall street and had
taken his life during the ensuing fit
of despair.
Since that time Fanny had lived
upon the increment of her arts and
charms.
1t was quite natural that steady
paced matrons like Mrs. Wrenn should
disapproye ardently of Fanny Adair.
Patria, however, liked the girl; and
recently finding her temporarily ma
rooned in a shabby boarding house in
town for lack of funds or invitation
to any country house, had promptly
taken Fanny under her wing, provid-
ing her with accommodations as lux
urious as her own in the hotel and i'm
pulsively promising her a month at
SHADOW Lawn" when the time came
for Patria to return.
Could she have seen Fanny at that
moment, Patria would have been less
c"haritably disposed, would have grant
ed that more cogent reasons existed
for r~epenting of her hasty invitation
than the fear of Mrs. Wrenn's dis
pleasure.
1t was noon precisely when Mrs.
Adair alighted from a town-car as ir-
reproachably turned out as her engag-
ing self, and with furtive glances right
and left, approached the entrance to
a faultlessly quiet residence in a So
Der side street of the Murray Hill
quarter.
Her ring was answered by a sleek
little man-servant with cloSe-cropped
hair as black as eyes that resembled
jet beads set aslant in a saffron mask.
Individually he recognized the caller.
Bowling with a Difference that was
somehow subtly insolent, he admitted
Fanny.
Upon a mat in the middle of the
room a Japanese gentleman of high
rank sat clothed in the rich simple
ity of the robes appertaining unto his
nobility.
He was a man of middle-age, yet
younger than his years. The habit of
authority was his, tempered with the
most suave urbanity.
my dear Mrs. Adair-"
He bowed over her hand so low his
lips seemed to brush it.
She began to speak in agitated &C.
cents: Baron Huroki-"
He deprecated her emotion with a
slight gesture.
"You have come to tell me some
thing l very much wish to know
eh?"
Her hands worked together in her
lap. 81 have come to say, I wish to
be released from our agreement"
A second small gesture dissented.
Her voice failed. She stared at him
with pitiful eyes.
ut is impossible, my dear Mrs.
Adair." His tones were as bland as
oil, his intention as firm as adamant.
He smiled intimately up at her. "Why
distress yourself?"
II don't like what you make me do"
she faltered. "Patria-she is too good
20 ~ I'm Iyf1I a-I exuaak anvil ra%
my own consent to continue spying on
her !"
"You do not need 1t, dear Mrs. Adair.
You have mine."
Baron Huroki-"
"Please-ah, please do not make me
remind you of certain unpleasant mat
tiers which must inevitably become
public should you fail to carry out my
instructions with respect to the amia-
BILE Miss Claiming. 1t is my wish that
you continue to be her friend; you
must become her bosom friend, her
closest confidant when that is accom-
plished, l shall secure through you GER
tain information essential to my-oh
happiness; and then 1 shall permit
you to go free of all obligations to me.
Meantime-must I remind you, your
services are well paid?"
She was silenced. And while she
sat twisting futile fingers together
and striving to contrive some way out
of those tolls in which she was SO
hopelessly enmeshed, a servant en-
tered, bowed, and announced Senior
Juan de Lima. AT sight of Mrs. Adair
he addressed her with the informally
of an intimate acquaintance:
"Ah-h, Sonora Adair! OF all women
the one I am most anxious to see |
And where, Fanny, dear, were you
last night, when J. see Mees Patria
dancing with Montmartre?"
'I-last night? Patria at Montmar-
tire 7"
The eyes of the baron narrowed.
"But yes-I tell you, l am at Mont
martre at two thees morning, with a
friend. And suddenly 1 see Mees
! "