Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-11-09

that you had followed your brothers
example and come to town.
She told herself once more that her
slight instinct of uneasiness had been
absurd. Stephens bow, although 1T
tie formal and austere, was still an
acknowledgment Of her welcome. The
shadows Of the room, perhaps, had pre-
vented him from seeing her out
stretched hand.
milne Is very short visit, Miss Maui
rel" he said. ~ had no other reason
for coming but to see John and to pay
this call upon you"
81 am greatly fattered," 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 a corner of
her lounge. "Will you sit beside me
Or, If you prefer, draw up that chair"
"My preference" he replied, SIS to
remain standing"
She raised her eyebrows. Her tone
altered.
ut must be as you wish, of course"
she continued; "0nly have such pleas
ant recollectlons Of your hospitality ut
Peak Hall that l should like, If there
was any possible wsy In which could
return it"
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.
"Well?"
"YOu want to know why have found
my way to London?" he went on. ~
came to find out little more about
you"
"About me?'
ITO discover II there was anything
about you," he proceeded deliberately,
concerning which report had lied. |
do not place my faith In newspapers
and gossip. There was always chance
that you might have been an honest
woman. That is why came to Lon
don, and why went to see your play
last night"
She was speechless. 1t was as If he
were speaking to her in some foreign
tongue.
~ have struggled" he continued, "to
adopt a charitable view of your pro-
fessl0n. know that the world changes
quickly, while we, who prefer to re-
main outside Its orbit, of necessity lose
touch with Its new ideas and new
fashions. So | said to myself that
there should be no mistake. For that
reason | sat In theater last night al
most for the first time in my life.
saw you act"
"Well?" she asked almost defiantly.
He looked down at her. All splendid
self-assurance seemed ebbing away.
She felt sudden depression of spirit,
sudden strange sCuse of insignif-
canoe.
81 have come" he said, "if can, to
buy my brothers freedom
"To buy your brothers freedom"
she repeated, in a dazed tone
my brother is infatuated with you"
Stephen declared. II wish to save
him"
The woman's courage began to as
sert itself. She raised her eyes TO his.
Exactly what do you mean?' she
asked calmly. 'In what way Is any
man to be saved from me? If your
brother should care for me, and |, by
any chance, should happen TO care for
him, in what respect would that be II
state from which he would require sal
vation?"
"YOu make my task more difficult"
he observed deliberately. Does II
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 a 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 h0use?"
"Dare? Why not2 Don't people tell
you the truth here in London, thenT
She rose little unsteadily to her
feet, motioning him toward the door,
and moving toward tie bell. Suddenly
she sank back into her former place,
breathless and helpless.
"Why do you waste your breathe" he
asked calmly. "We are alone here,
you and I've know the truth"
She sat quite still, shivering little.
"Do We? Tell me, then, because !
am curious-tell me why you are SO
sure of what you say"
"The world has it," he replied. "that
you are the mistress of the prince of
Seyre. l came to London to satisfy
myself as to the truth of that report
DO you believe that any man living
among that audience last night, cOulu
watch the play--although you are q
clever actress, madam-and believe
that you were woman who was living
an honest life?"
"That seems impossible to your sht
demanded.
utterly impossiblep
"And to John?'
~ am speaking for myself and no
for my brother" Stephen replied. "Mel
like him, who are assailed by a certain