The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-09-13

that these french actresses get Ut
us little more completely even than
Louise Maurel. Do you know the rea-
SOM I'll tell you. 1t is because they
live the life. They have n dozen new
emotions in season. They make
cult of feeling. They use their brains
to dissect their passions. They cut
their own life into small pieces and
give us the result without conceal
ment. That is where they score, IL
anywhere. This Nine. Latrobe, who
opens over here tomorrow night, Is In
love at the present moment with Jean
TOurbet. She had an affair with that
Italian poet in the summer, so they
tell me. She was certainly In Madrid
in October with Bretoldi. the sculp-
tor. These men are all great artists.
Think what she must have learned
from assOciating with them! Now
Louise Maurel, so far as we know,
has never had but one affair, the prince
of Seyre, and has been faithful to him
all the time"
1t was out Mt last John had heaSd
1t spoken In plain words. The black
demon upon which his hand had lain
so heavily, wns alive now, without a
doubt, Jeerlng at him, mocking at him
alive and self-assertive in the sober
words of the elderly, well-brcd man
who lounged upon the table.
For moment or two John was
stunned. A wild impulse assailed him
to leap up and confront them all, to
choke the lie back down the throat
of the man who had uttered it. Every
nerve in his body was tingling with
the desire for action. The stupOr of
his senses alone kept him mOtionless,
and a strange, incomprehensible clar-
ity of thought. He realized exactly
how things were. This man had not
spoken idly. or as scandalmonger'
He had spoken what he had accepted
as fact, what other people believed.
John rose to his feet and made his
way toward the door. His face showed
little sign of disturbance. He even
nodded to some men whom he knew
slightly. AS he passed down the stairs,
he met Graillot Then once more his
self-ContrOl became in danger. He
seized the Frenchman savagely by the
arm.
"Come this way" he said, leading
him toward the card-roOm. Come In
here! want to speak to you"
He locked the dOOr-a most I'M
hcard-of and irregular proceeding.
Graillot felt the coming of the storm.
"Well!" he exclaimed grimly. "Trou-
bic already, eh? l see 1t In your face,
young man. Out with it,"
Il was sitting in the smoking room
there, few moments ago." he began,
jerking his head toward the door.
There were some men talking-de-
cent fellows, not dirty scandal-mon-
gers. They spoke of Louise Maurel." d"
Graillot nodded gravely. He knew
very we'll what was coming.
John felt his throat suddenly dry
The words he would have spoken
choked him. He banged his fist upon
the table by the side Of which they
were standing.
Look, here, Graillot," he cried, al
most piteously. "yOu know it Is moi
| true, nor likely to be true! Cant
you say SOP"
"Stop, my young friend!" the
Frenchman interrupted. II know moth
| ing. 1t is a habit of mine to know
nothing when people make suggestions
Of that sort. I make no inquiries.
accept life and people as find them
"But you don't believe that such {
thing could be pOsslble?"
"Why not" GraillOt asked steadily
John could do no more than mum
bic repetition of his words. Th'
world was falling away from him
81 will not discuss this matter will
you, my friend. l will only ask yOl
to remember the views of the world IL
which we live. Louise Maurel is al
artist, great artist. If there ha
been such an affair as you suggest, be
tween her and any man, If 1t wer'
something which appealed to her af
fectiOns, it is my opinion that sh
would not hesitate. You seem to thinl
it an outrageous thing that the prime
should have been her lover. To b.
perfectly frank, do not. l should b.
very much more surprised at her mar
| riage."
John made his escape somehow. FL
remembered opening the door, but h
had no recollection Of reaching tn
street. A few minutes later, however
he found himself striding down Pic
cadilly toward Hyde Park corner.
He found taxicab and was driver
toward the Milan. He was cOnsciOu
of wild desire to keep away fror
his rooms. Every pulse in his bod
was tingling. He was fiercely awake
eager for motion, action, excitemen
of any sort. Suddenly he remembers
the night club to which he had bee
introduced by Sophy on the first nigh
of his arrival In London. The &C
dress, too, was there quite clearly 1
his disordered brain. He leaned ou
of the cab and repeated it to the driN
er.
The little place was Unexpected
crowded when he entered, after hay
ing handed his hat and coat to
vestiaire. A large supper party wa
going on at the farther end, and tn
dancing space was smaller than uSl
al. The maitre d'hotel was escOrtin
John to a small table in a distar
corner, which had just been vacatet
when the latter heard his name su,
denly called by familiar voice. 81
ply, who had been dancing, abaI
doned her partner precipitately an