The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-08-01
TIE HillmlQn
Bv E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM

crushed and subdued by her superior
subtlety and finesse. >s.s ~
With little smile of coming triumph
upon her lips She descended the stairs
and swept into her pleasantly warmed
and perfumed little drawing-room. She
even held out her hand cordially to the
dark, grim figure whose outline against
the dainty white wall seemed so inap-
1rOnriate
"This is very nice of you indeed Mr.
Strangewey," she began. 81 had no ideo
that you had followed your brothers
example and come to town."
She told herself once more that hel
slight instinct of uneasness had been
absurd. Stephens bow, although a lit
tie formal and austere, was still an
acknowledgement Of her welcome. The
shadows Of the room, perhaps, had pre-
vented him from seeing her out
stretched hand.
"Mine is very short visit, Miss Maui
REL" he said. II had no other reason
for coming but to see John and to pay
this call upon YOU"
II am greatly flattered," 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, lis tC
remain standing"
She raised her eyebrows. Her tone
altered.
ut must be as you wish, of course
she continued; "only have such pleas.
ant recollections of your hospitality at
Peak Hall that I should like, if there
was any possible way in which could
return it," ,r# f9aF -
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 belligerency of his attitude.
"WeN?"
"You want to know why have found
my way to London?" he went on. II
came to find out little more about
you" il, ~ :
"About meY'
''To discover II there was anything
about you," he proceeded deliberately,
concerning which report had lied. 1
do not place my faith in newspapers
and gossip. There was always chance
that you might have been an honest
woman. That is Why I came to Lon
don, and why$I went to see your play
last night"
She was speechlcss. It was as if he
were speaking to her in some foreign
tongue. '~'s-'."
II have struggled" he continued, ito
adopt charitable view Of your pro-
fession. know stflat 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 I said to myself that
there should be no mistake. For that
reason l sat in a theater last night al
most for the first time in my life. l
saw you act"
"Well?" sli' asked almost deflantly.
He looked down at her. All splendid
self-assurance seemed ebbing away.
She felt a sudden depression of spirit,
II sudden strange sense Of insigniti-
canoe.
II have come" he said, IF Lean, to
buy my brothers freedom"
ITO buy your brothers freedom?"
she repeated, in a dazed tone.
"My brother is infatuated with you"
Stephen declared. II wish to save
him" ..s
The woman's courage began to as
sert itself. She raised her eyes to his.
EXACTLY what do you mean?' she
asked calmly. I'm what way is any
man to be saved from me? If your
brother should care for me, and l, by
any change, should happen to care for
him, in What respect would that be
state from which he would require sal
vation?" II
"You make my task more difficult"
he observed deliberately. ''Does it
amuse you to practice your profession
before one so ignorant and so unappre
ciative as myself? 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, forbidding expression of the
man who looked down at her.
you dare to say this to me, here in
my own house?'
"Dare? Why not? Don't people tell