The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-06-22

She hung about, within earshot
when 1t was possible, and watched
leaving the active duties of entertain
ment to heavily cultured illuminate
like the Howard Vests, or to clever
creatures like Hermione Woodruff and
Frederick, and Constance Crawford
whose French was good enough to fill
in the interstices in Madame Grevilles
English.
J. She was standing about like that at
tea one afternoon, when she heard
the actress make the remark that
American women seemed to her to be
an exception to what she, had always
supposed to be the general law of
sex attraction.
1t was taken, by the rather tense
little circle gathered around her, as
a compliment; exactly as, no doubt.
Greville intended 1t to be taken. But
her look flashed out beyond the con-
| fines of the circle and encountered a
pair Of big, luminous eyes, under
brows that had a perplexed quicker in
| them. Whereupon she laughed straight
into Roses face and said, lifting her
head a little, but not her voice:
"Come here, my child, and tell me
who you are and why you were looking
at me like that"
Rose flushed, smiled that irresistible
wide smile of hers, and came, not
frightened a bit, nor, exactly, en-
barrassed; certainly not into pretend
ing she was not surprised, and little
breathlessly at loss what to say.
"I'm Rose Aldrich." She didn't, in
words, say, "I'm just Rose Aldrich."
1t was the little bend in her voice
that carried that impression. Sand
suppose I was-looking that way, be-
cause I was wishing I knew exactly
what you meant by what you said"
Greville's eyes, somehow, concen-
trated and intensified their gaze upon
the flushed young face-took sort
of plunge, so it seemed to Rose, to
the very depths Of her own. 1t was
an electrifying thing to have happen
to you.
"Mon Dieu!" she said. "J'ai grande
envie de vous lie dire" She hesitated
the fraction of moment, glanced at
a tiny watch set in a ring upon the
middle finger of her right hand, took
Rose by the arm as If to keep her
from getting away, and turned to her
hostess.
"You must forgive me-" she said,
"if I make my farewells a little soon.
I am under orders to have some air
each day before I go to the theater
and If it is to be done at all today,
it must be now. I am sorry. have
had a very pleasant afternoon.
make your farewells also, my
child" she concluded, turning to her
prisoner, because you are going with
me-"
No sooner were they seated in the
actress car and headed north along
the drive, than, instead Of answering |
Roses question, the actress repeated |
one of her own.
81 ask you who you are, and you say
your name-Rose something. But |
that tells me nothing. Who are you
one of them?"
'No, not exactly" said Rose. "Only
by accident. The man I married is
one of them, in way. mean, be-
cause of his family and all that. And
so they take me in"
$50 you are married." said the
"But not since long?"
"Six months" said Rose.
She said it so with the air of regard
ng it as a very considerable period
If time, that Greville laughed. "But
ell me about him, then, this husband
If yours. I saw him perhaps at the !
ga this afternoon"
Rose laughed. "No, he draws the
inc at teas" she said. "He says that
rom seven o'clock on, until as late
s like, he's-game, you know-will-
ng to do whatever I like. But until
even, there are novel;, he says,
iren songs for him."
s'Tell me-you will forgive the in
discretion of a stranger?-how has it
rived that you married him? Was
one of your American romancesT
s'It didn't seem very romantic" said :
ose. "We just happened to get ac-
and we knew almost straight q
IF that we. wanted to marry each e
Their, so we did, and-it came out y
cry we'll" -
"It came out'?" questioned the 3
ctress. Fl
eyes," said Rose. "Ended happily, o,
,u know" II
Ended" Madame Greville echoed. d,
hen she laughed. ii
Rose flushed, and smiled at herself.
If course, I don't mean that" she bl
limited, "and I suppose six months I
ut so very long. Still you could W
i'd out quite a good deal-?" al
"What is his AFFAIR."" The actress al
eferred asking another question, it
emed, to committing herself to an bi
swer to Roses unspoken one. SIS or
one of your-what you call, tired OBJ
siness menY un
Hes never tired" said Rose, "and a
isn't business man. He's law
"a rather special kind of lawyer. MI
|, has other lawyers, mostly, for his ca
ents. He's awfully enthusiastic ma
o,,+ M eox,, 49, G,oe% ,>ra fhj