Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-10-12
CHAPTER xIx-continued.

II
The reception in honor of the little
company of French tragedians, al
which almost the whole of the English
stage and sprinkling of society peo-
pie were present, was q complete sue
cess. Louise made q charming host
ess, and Sir Edward more than ever
justified his reputation for saying the
right thing to the right person at the
right moment. The rooms were crowd
ed with throngs of distinguished peo-
say to one another.
The only person, perhaps, who
found himself curiously ill at ease was
John. He heard nothing but French
on all sides of him-a language which
he read with some facility, but which
he spoke like a schoolboy. He had
been wandering about for more than
an hour before Louise discovered him.
She at once left her place and crossed
the room to where he was standing by
the wall
Cheer upp she begged, with de-
lightful smile. II am afraid that you
are being bored to death. Will you
not come and be presented to our
guestsT'
For goodness sake, nor John i'm
plOred. 81 have never seen one of
them act, and my French is appalling.
am all right, dear. It's quite enough
pleasure to see you looking so beauti-
full, and to think that am going to be
allowed to drive you home afterward."
Louise looked into a neighboring
mirror, and gazed critically at her
own reflected image. She had a curl
GUS feeling that at that precise mo-
ment she had reached the zenith of
her power and her charm. Her audi
ence at the theater had been wonder
fully sympathetic. had responded with
rare appreciation to every turn Of her
voice, to every movement and gesture.
The compliments, too, which she had
been receiving from the crowds who
had bent over her fingers that night
had been no idle words.
She was conscious, acutely con-
scious, of the atmosphere she had Gre
ated around her. She was glOrying
in the subtle outward signs Of it. She
was In love with herself; in love, too,
with this delightful new feeling OF
loving. 1t would have given her more
Joy than anything else in the world,
in that moment Of her triumph, to
have passed her arm through Johns,
to have led him up to them all, and to
have said:
after all, you see, am very sim
pie sort of woman, have done just
the sort of simple thing that other
women do, and l am glad of livery
glad and very happy"
Her lips moved to the music of her
thoughts. John leaned toward her.
did you say anything?" he asked
"You dear stupid of course / did
not Or if / did, it was just one OF
those little whispers to oneself which
mean nothing, yet which count for sc
much. Can l not do anything to make
YOU enjoy yourself more? shall have
to go back to my guests now. We
are expecting a royal parsonage, and
those two dears who keep so close tC
my side do not speak a word of Eng
lish."
"Please go back, DEAR" John begged
promptly. at was nice of you to come
at all. And here's Sophy at last, thank
goodness! Now / am all right"
She laid her fingers upon his arm.
"You must take me back to my
place." she said. "Then you can &C
and talk nonsense to Sophy."
They. were back in the crowd now
and she dismissed him with little
nod. He made his way quickly to the
spot where he had seen Sophy. TIC
his disappointment, she had disap-
peared. Graillot, however, came uI
and seized him by the arm.
"Stin playing the moth, my youne
friend?" he exclaimed. aren't the
wings sufficiently burned yet?"
ST am afraid it's become a perma
nent role" John replied, as the two
men shook hands. where have yor
been all these weeks. and why haven't
YOU been to see me?"
"Paris, my dear young friend-Paris
and life! Now / am back again.
am not sure that / know why. / came
over with these French people, %
see them start their theater. Forgive
me. have not paid my respects to oul
hostess. We shall meet again pres
emily"
He strolled off, and few minutes
later John found Sophy.
"How late you are!" he grumbled
ST couldn't help it," she answered
'This is the only evening dress pos
sess at present, and had TO mend II
before Ii was decent to come out in
Why are you wandering about alone
Hasn't Louise been kind to your
"She has been charming" John de
clared promptly, "but she is surround
ed with all sorts of people / don'i
know. l can't help her. For one
thing, my French is absurd. Their
they are all talking about things which
I don't understand in the least"
Sophy remained silent for mo
~.ont Than ohio tOok Johns arm AnC