The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-12-06

"There is no secret about it, so far
as I am concerned" John answered.
1T is Louise Maurel. I thought you
must have guessed"
The two men looked at each other
in silence for some moments. Out on
the river little tug was hooting Wig
orOusly. The roar Of the Strand came
family into the room. On the mantel-
piece a very ornate French clock was
ticking lightly. All these sounds
seemed suddenly accentuated. They
beat time to a silence almost tragical
in it's intensity.
Graillot took out his handkerchief
and dabbed his forehead. He had writ
ten many plays, and the dramatic in
stinct was strongly developed in him.
''Louise!" he muttered under his
breath.
"She is very different, know" John
went on, after a moments hesitation.
"She is very clever and a great artist,
and she lives in an atmosphere of
which, few months ago, knew moth
ing. I have come up here to try to
understand, to try to get little nearer
to her."
There was another silence, this time
almost an awkward one. Then Grail
lot rose suddenly to his feet.
Il will respect your confidence" he
promised, holding out his hand.
''Have no fear of that. I am due now
at the theater. Your tea is excellent,
and such little cakes never tasted be-
fore.''
"You will wish me good luck?"
"No!"
"why not?" John demanded, little
startled.
Because" Graillot pronounced,
'from what I have seen and know Of
you both, there are no two people in
this world less suitable for each other"
'Look here" John expostulated, 81
don't want you to 80 away thinking so.
You don't understand what this means
to me.''
"Perhaps not my FRIEND" Graillot
replied, "but rem ember that it is at
least my trade to understand men and
women I have known Louise Maui
rel since she was a child"
"Then it is I whom you don't I'M
derstand."
"That may be So" Graillot confessed.
zone makes mistakes. Let us leave
it at that. You are a young man Of
undeveloped temperament. You may
be capable Of much which at present
1 do not find in you"
"Tell me the one quality in which
you consider me most lacking" John
begged. II want you on my side, Grail
lott
"And T." Graillot replied, as he shook
his friends hand and hurried off,
want only to be on the side that will
mean happiness for you BOTH"
He left the room little abruptly.
John walked back to the window, OPP
pressed with a sense Of something
almost ominous in the Frenchman's
manner, something which he could not
fathom, against which he struggled in
vain. Side by side with it, 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
almost affecti0nate.
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 a 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 aimlessly 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-
chanica1ly.
"Who is it?' he asked.
sLady Hi1da Mulloch is asking for
you, SIR" the hall porter announced.
Lady Hilda peered around Johns
room through her 1orgnette, and did
not hesitate to express her dissadsfac-
ton.
MY Gear Uan," she exclaimed,