The Ordway new era., 1918-01-04

II want to see you alone" he said
under his breath. 'When can II"
She hesitated.
Il am so busyI" she murmured.
Next week there are rehearsals nearly
every minute of the day."
Tomorrow" John said insistently.
you have no rehearsals then. must
see you. 1 must talk to you without
this crowd"
1t was his moment. Her half
formed resolutions fell away before
the compelling ring in his voice and
the earnest pleading in his eyes.
81 will be in," she promised, "tomor-
row at six o'clock"
After the departure of her guests,
Louise stood before the window of her
drawing room, looking down into the
street. She saw the prince courteously
motion John to precede him into his
waiting automobile. She watched un-
til the car took its place in the stream
of traffic and disappeared. The sense
of uneasiness which had brought her
to the window was unaccountable, but
1t seemed in some way deepened by
their departure together. Then voice
from just behind startled her. 1t was
Graillot, who had returned noiselessly
into the room.
II returned" he explained. "An i'm
pulse brought me back. A thought
came into my mind. wanted to share
it with you rs proof of the sentiment
which l feel exists between us. 1t Is
my firm belief that the same thought,
in different guise, was travelling
through your mind, as you watched the
departure of your guests"
She motioned him to place upon the
couch, close to where she had already
seated herself.
Come" she invited, prove to me
that you are thought readerl''
He sank back in his corner. His
hands, with their short, stubby fingers,
were clasped in front of him. His eyes,
wide open and alert, seemed fixed upon
her with the ingenious inquisitiveness
of child.
ITO begin, then, 1 find our friend, the
prince of Seyre, most interesting, !
might almost say fascinating, study"
Louise did not reply. After a mo-
AhSht o pauoCt hG
Among the whole aristocracy of
France there was no family so loathed
and detested as the seigneurs of Seyre
at the time of the revolution. Those
at the chateau in Orleans and others
who were arrested in Paris, met their
death with singular contempt and calm.
Eugene of Seyre, whose character In
my small way I have studied. is of
the same breed"
Louise took up fan which lay on
the table by her side, and waved 1t
carelessly in front of her face.
"One does so love-" she murmured,
"to hear ones friends discussed in a
friendly spiritr'
ut is because Eugene of Seyre is a
friend of yours that 1 am talking to
you In this fashion," Graillot contin.
ued. you have also another friend
this young man from Cumberland"
"Well?"
"In him." Graillot went on, 'one per-
ceives all the primitive qualities which
go to the making of splendid manhood.
Physically he is almost perfect, for
which alone we owe him a debt of
gratitude. He has, If I Judge him
rightly, all the qualities possessed by
men who have been brought up free
from the taint of cities. from the smear
of our spurious GENERALIZATION. He Is
chivalrous and unsuspiclous. He Is
also, unfortunately for him, the enemy
of the prince"
Louise laid down her fan. She no
longer tried to conceal her agitation.
"Why are you so melodramatic?" she
demanded. "They have scarcely spo-
ken. This is. I think, their third meet.
ing"
when two friends" Graillot de-
clared, "desire the same woman, then
all of friendship that there may have
fseen between chem is buried. When
two others, who are so far from being
friends that they possess opposite
qualities, opposite characters, opposite
characteristics, also desire the same
woman"
"Don't!" Louise interrupted, with n
sudden little scream. "Don'tI You
are talking wildly. You must not say
such thingsl"
Graillot leaned forward. He shook
his head very slowly; his heavy hand
rested upon her shoulder.