The Ordway new era., 1918-01-18
CHAPTER XII.

II
Seyre House was one of the few man
sons in London which boosted BAN
quoting hall as well us picture gal
lery. Although the long table was laid
for forty guests. it still seemed. win
its shaded lights and Its profusion OF
flowers, like an oasis Of color In the
middle of the huge. somberly lgb.ed
apartment. Some OF the faces III the
guests were well-knowr % John
through their pu1lishe.i photographs !;
to others he had Jeen presented by
the prince upon their arrival. He was
seated between young American ctar
of musical comedy and lady who had
only recently dropped from the so
cial armament through the medium of
the divorce court, to return to the the
nter of her earlier fame. Both Showed
every desire to converse with him be
tween the intervals of eating and
drinking but were constantly brought
to n pause by Johns bsck of knowledge
of current TOPICS. After her third
glass of champagne, the lady who had
recently been n countess announced
her intention of taking him under her
wing.
Someone must tell you all about
things" she insisted. "What you need
is guide and a chaperon. Won't l
do?"
Perfectly" he agreed.
"Fair playr protested the young
lady on his left, whose name was Rosie
Sharon. 81 spoke to him first !"
Jolly bad luck!" Lord Amerton
drawIed from the other side Of the
table. Neither of you have an earth
iy. He's booked. Saw him out with
her the other evening"
II sha'n't eat any more supper"
Rosie Sharon pouted. pushing away
her pnte.
"You ought to have told us about
her at once" the lady who had been a
countess declared severely.
John preserved his equunlmity.
at is to be presumed :" he murmured,
"that you ladies' are both free from
any present attachments"
SCOT you there" Amerton chuckled.
~What about Billy?"
Rosie Sharon sighed.
ave don't come to the princes sup
per parties to remember our ties" she
declared. Lets all go on talking nom
sense, please. Even IL my heart is
broken. could never resist the princes
patel"
Apparently everyone was of the
same mind. The hum of laughter stead
lily grew. Under shelter of the fire
of conversation, the prince leaned to-
ward his companion and reopened their
previous discussion.
'Do you know" he began, 81 am in
clined to be somewhat disappointed by
your lack of enthusiasm in a certain
direction"
II have disappointed many men In
my time" she replied. do you doubt
my power, now that I have promised
to exercise it?"
"Who could?" he replied courteously
"Yet this young man poses, believe
as something of n st. Anthony. He
may give you trouble"
'He is then, what you call prig2"
"a most complete and perfect speci-
men, even in this nation of prigsi"
"All that you tell me-" she sighed
snakes the enterprise seem easier. II
is, after ell, rather like the lioness and
the mouse, isn't it?"
The prince made no reply. but upor
his lips there fingered a family incred
ulous smile. The woman by his side
leaned back In her place. She hat
the mir Of accepting the challenge.
after supper" she said. tive will
seei"
A single chord of music in a minol
key fioated across the room, soft n
first, swelling later into n volume O.
sound, then dying away and ceasini
altogether. Every light in the plac,
was suddenly extinguished. There re
manned only the shaded lamps over
hanging the pictures.
Not whisper was heard in tn
room. John, looking around him Il
astonishment, was conscious only o
the half-suppressed breathing of tn
men and women who lined the walls, @
were still standing in little groups q
the end of the long hall. Again ther
came the music, this time merged
n low but insistent clamor of other II
struments. Then. suddenly, throug