The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12

ten many plays, and the dramatic in
stlnct was strongly developed In him
"Loulsew be muttered under hi!
breath.
"She is very different, know" Johr
went on, after a moments hesitation
"She Is very clever and great artist
and she lives In an atmosphere OF
which, few months ago, / knew moth
Ing. l have come up here to try tC
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.
II will respect your confidence" ne
promised, holding out his hand
Have no fear of that. l 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, a little
startled.
Because" Graillot pronounced.
''from what have seen and know of
you both, there are no two people in
this world less suitable for each other"
Look here" John expostulated, II
don't want you to go away thinking so.
You don't understand what this means
to me-"
perhaps not, my friend" Graillot
replied, "but remember that it Is at
least my trade to understand men and
women. / have known Louise Maui
rel since she was child"
"Then it is 1 whom you don't un-
derstand."
"That may be So" Graillot confessed.
zone makes mistakes. Let us leave
1t at that. You are young man of
undeveloped temperament. You may
be capable of much which at present
l 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
lot"
"And l." 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, Op-
pressed with 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 1t, 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
spare-sometimes almost affectionate.
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
lIlClC NNlC lAliCo INV PlCSShL "hSA
he found his task both hateful and diff
fcult.
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-
"Who is it?' he asked.
Lady Hilda Mulloch is asking for
you, sir" the hall porter announced.
Lady Hilda peered around Johns
'oom through her lorgnette, and did
lot hesitate to express her dissatisfac-
ion.
my dear man." she exclaimed,
what makes you live in a hOtel2 Why
lon't you take rooms Of your own and
furnish them? Surroundings like these
ire destructive to ones individuality"
"Well, you see," John explained, as
le drew an easy chair up to the fire
or his guest, "my stay in London is
,nly temporary one, and 1t hasn't
worth while to settle any
where"
She stretched oHt her graceful body
n front Of the fire and raised her veil.
;he was very smartly dressed, as usual.
Ter white silk stockings, which she
eemed to have no objection to dis
laying, were Of the latest vogue. The
hinchilla around her neck and In her
little toque was most becoming. She
eemed to bring with her an atmos-
here inde1nable, In its way, but dis
inctly attractive. Brisk in her speech,
little commanding in her manner, she
,as still essentially feminine.
John, at her direct invitation, had
allied upon her once or twice since
heir meeting at the opera, and he had
lund her, from the first, more at
active than any other society woman
{ his acquaintance. None the less, he
as n little taken aback at her pres 4
Mt visit. !
"Exactly why are you here. any !