The Washington times., 1919-08-10
Eiuahn8Bmance.
E0nSSmdn Set

send you q bouquet Of roses = the. red
roses Of devotion. II you are going to
make me happy, If you are coming to Paris,
you viii pull one from the bunch and send
it back to me. shall know what it means
without q word"
Then he went away, smiling still, well
pleased with his poetic fancy. He liked
his IoTe-making to be accompanied by all
outward charm and sentiment. He did
not believe in beauty unadorned; he would
have painted the lily and gilded refined
gold.
After a restless night. night Of alter
nate hope and despair, Lady Estcourt rose
early. II there were no letter or wire BY
10 o'clock, then she should not expect any;
her husband would not write.
She was trying to eat some breakfast
when she heard the postman,s knock. and
with every sense on the alert she listened
for the letters to be brought in. There
we're several, and she took the little packet
from the salver with steady hand, waited
till the man had closed the door and then
tossed them over, sick with longing to ind
her husbands handwriting on one Of the
envelopes. II was not there.
SO that is the. end" she murmured, half
aloud. 81 feel there will be no message. II
he had said anything, he must have said
more than could be put in telegraph form.
Everything seems to have worked for this
end; felt there would be no escape"
Half mechanically she took up the other
letters and glanced over them. They were
mostly invitations, and she threw them
aside with twist OF her lip. Il shall not
want them" she was thinking. Last Of
all she opened thick, white envelope, un.
scented and suggesting q severe taste in
note paper. At sight Of the address she
Redeemed angrily. She ran her eye hastily
over the plain. legible writing, tossed the
lettersd6Wn and rose from her chair, her
head erect, her eyes flashing.
How dare she?" she cried. What does
Il mean? Am wanted as a blind? Does
she think it safer to be friends with the
wife while she makes love to'the husband?s
rWil go and stay with her while my
husband Is away? II must be so dull for
me alone In this great house. She will be
going abroad presently, so hopes l can
haps. What more likely? They were ar.
ranging the time and place at the station
yesterday, dare say. And I am expected
TO keep quiet and endure It all! / think"
slowly, Il think am coming to the end Of
my patience"
Memory reminded her Of a man Who
asked nothing better than to give her the
care and. tenderness without which she
could not lve-a man who could deaden
her heartache, whose tongue was so be-
quilting that when he spoke she was drawn
to him. as the snake draws the bird.
A little silver peal Of bells rang out, and
a clock began to strike. She stopped to
listen. counting each stroke carefully.
though she must have known how many
there would be. She was listening still,
long after it had ceased to strike ten. At
last, as though reused from a dream. she
moved toward the door, At that moment
a servant came In with bouquet OF Grim
son roses, which scented the air with their
luscinus sweetness. The bearer was wait.
ing. he said.
"Show him in here" Lady Esteourt said
calmly. The elderly messenger was Paul
Delacour's trusted valet, who had brought
her flowers and notes before Slowly she
detached a rose from the lovely cluster and
held it out
give that to Mr.. Delacour," she said,
and the man, who would have despised
himself had he ever betrayed any surprise
1t anything, took It with low bow.
She>listened to his receding steps, start
ing forward once, as though TO call him
back. but restraining herself the next in
slant When he had gone beyond recall
she drew a deep breath and looked round
with frightened eyes.
Il have burned my boats" she cried, be-
ginning to laugh wildly. There is no es-
cape The rose has gone"