The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-03-07
CHAPTER xIx-continued.

Ill
The reception in honor of the little
company of French tragedians, at
which almost the whole of the English
stage and a sprinkling Of society peo-
pie were present, was complete sue
cess. Louise made a 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-
pie, who all seemed to have plenty to
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 hnd
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 up!" she begged. with a de-
lightful smile. II am afraid that you
are being bored to death. VIII you
not come and be presented to our
guests?"
"For goodness sake. mol" John i'm
plored. II 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 80 beauti-
full. and to think that am going to be
allowed to drive you home afterward."
l,,A- lob hk0r rfv,rx
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, I am a very sim
pie sort of woman. I have done just
the sort of simple thing that other
women do, and 1 am glad Of it-very
glad and very happy"
Her lips moved to the music of her
thoughts. John leaned toward her.
"Dld you say anything7" he asked.
"You dear stupid. Of course did
uoti Or II I did. It was just one of
those little whispers to oneself which
mean nothing. yet which count for so
much. Can not do anything to make
you enjoy yourself moref l shall have
to go back to my guests now. We
are expecting q royal parsonage. and
those two dears who keep SO close to
lish."
"Please 20 back, dear" John begged
promptly. "It was nice of you to come
at all. And here's Sophy at last, thpnk
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 go
and talk nonsense to sophy."
They were back In the crowd now,
and she dismissed him with a little
nod. He made his way quickly to the
hn hod Snnhv
his disappointment, she had disap-
peared. Graillot. however. came up
and seized him by the arm.
"Still playing the moth, my young
friend7" he exclaimed. "Aren't the
wings sufficiently burned yeti"
81 am afraid it's become q perma-
nent role" John replied, as the two
men shook hands. "Where have you
been all these weeks, and why haven't
you been to see me?"
paris, my dear young friend-Paris
and ufei Now I am back Again.
am not sure that know why. I came
over with these French people. to
see them start their theater. Forgive
me, have not paid my respects to our
hostess. We shall meet again pres
emily"
He strolled of. and a few minutes
later John found Sophy.
"How late you are" he grumbled.
81 couldn't help It," she answered.
This is the only evening dress pos
sess at present, and I had to mend 1t
before 1t was decent to come out in.
Why are you wandering about alone7
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 I don't
know. l can't help her. For one
thing, my French is absurd. Then
they are all talking about things which
don't understand In the least"
SONNY remained silent for q mo-