The Ely miner., 1917-11-16

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stinct was strongly developed in him
Louise" he 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, a few months ago, knew moth
Ing. 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.
II will respect your confidence" he
promised, holding out his hand
"Have no fear Of that. am due now
at the theater. Your tea is excellent
and such little cakes I 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 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. I have known Louise Maui
rel since she was a child"
'Then it is whom you don't un-
derstand."
'"That may be so," Graillot confessed.
"One 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
do not find in you"
'Tell me the one quality in which
you consider me most lacking" John
begged. Il want you on my side, Grail
lot"
"And l." Graillot replied, as he shook
"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 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
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 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, chafing 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-
chanically.
"Who is it?" he asked.
LADY Hilda Mulloch is asking fol
you, sir" the hall porter announced.
Lady Hilda peered around Johns
room through her lorgnette, and die
not hesitate to express her dissatsfac
ton.
"My dear man." she exclaimed
"what makes you live In a hotel? Why
don't you take rooms Of your own and
furnish them? Surroundings like these
are destructive to ones Individuality
swell, you see," John explained, al
he drew an easy chair up to the fire
for his guest, my stay in London II
only temporary one, and it hasn'
seemed worth while to settle any
where"
She stretched out her graceful body
| in front of the fire and raised her veil
She was very smartly dressed, as usual
Her white silk stockings, which, sh,
seemed to have no objection to dis
playing, were Of the latest vogue. Th'
chinchilla around her neck and In he
| little toque was most becoming. Sh,
seemed to bring with her an atmos
phere indefnable, In its way, but dis
tinctly attractive. Brisk In her speech
little commanding in her manner, sh,
was still essentially feminine.
John, at her direct invitation, ha,
called upon her once or twice sine
their meeting at the opera, and he hat
found her, from the first, more at
tractive than any other society woman
Of his acquaintance. None the less, b
was a little taken aback at her pres
ent visit.
Exactly why are You here, any