The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-06-06


conversation. The rest of the place is
Ike a bear garden. am not sure If
they will dance here today, but if
they do, they viii come also into the
| restaurant"
Wise manW Louise declared. II,
too, hate the babel outside"
I'VE are faced" said the prince, as
he took up the menu, with our daily
problem. What can / order for your
"a cup Of chocolate" Louise replied.
"And Miss sophy?"
''Tea, please"
John, too, preferred tea; the prince
ordered absinthe.
"A pOlyglot meal, isn't It, Mr..
Strangewey?" said Louise, as the order
was executed; mot in the least what
that wonderful old butler of yours
would understand by tea. Sophy, put
your hat on straight If you want to
make a good impression on Mr..
Strangewey. / am hoping that you two
will be great friends"
Sophy turned toward John with a
little grimace.
VI.
am sure any idea you might have had
of liking me viii have gone already.
Has it, Mr.. StrangeweyY"
'On the contrary" he replied, little
stifly, but without hesitation, 81 was
thinking that Miss AIaurel could
scarcely have set me a more pleasant
task"
The girl looked reproachfully across
at her friend.
You told me he came from the
wilds and was quite unsophisticated! !"
she exclaimed.
"The truth" John assured them.
looking with dismay at his little china
cup, comes very easily to us. We are
brought up on it in Cumberland"
Don't chatter too much, child" Lou.
Use said benignly. 81 want to hear
some more of Mr.. Strangewey's i'm
pressions. This is-welI, if not quite
a fashionable crowd, yet very nearly
SO. What do you think of 1.-THE wom--
en-, for instance"
swell, to me-" John confessed can
didly, they all look like dolls or man.
ikins. Their dresses and their hats
overshadow their faces. They seem
all the time to be wanting to show. not
themselves, but what they have on"
They all laughed. Even the princes
lips were parted by the flicker of a
smile. Sophy leaned across the table
with a sigh.
Louise" she pleaded, you will lend
him to me sometimes, won't you? You
won't keep him altogether to yourself?
There are such lot of places to take
him tor
Il was never greedy" Louise re-
marked, with an air of self-satisfac-
ton. "If you succeed in making a
favorable impression upon him,
promise you your share"
Tell US some more of your impress
sions, Mr.. Strangewey," Sophy begged.
You want to laugh at me-" John
protested good-humoredly.
ION the contrary" the prince as
sured him, as he fitted a cigarette into
a long amber tube, they want to
laugh with you. You ought to realize
your value as a companion in these
days. You are the only person who
can see the truth. Eyes and tastes
blurred with custom perceive so little.
You are quite right when you say that
these women are like manikins; that
their bodies and faces are lost; but
one does not notice it until it is point
ed out"
Eve win revert" Louise decided. ito
a more primitive life. You and 1 will
inaugurate a missionary enterprise,
Mr.. Srangewey. We will judge the
world afresh. We will reclothe and re-
habilitate it."
The prince fficked the ash from the
end of his cigarette.
Morally as well as sartorially?" he
asked.
There was moments rather queer
silence. The music rose above the
hubbub of voices and died away again.
Louise rose to her feet. The prince
with a sHdllful maneuver, made his
way to her side as they left the res.
taurant
Tomorrow afternoon, I think you
saidg' he repeated quietly. "You will
be in town then?"
''Yes, I think So"
"You have changed your mind, then.
about"
IN. Graillot will not listen to my
leaving London" she interrupted rap
idly. HE declares that it is too near
the production of the play. Ny own
part may be perfect, but he needs me
for the sake of the others. He puts
it like Frenchman, of course"
They had reached the outer door,
which was being held open for them
by a bowling commissionnaire. John
and Sophy were waiting upon the pave
ment. The prince drew little back.
Il understand" he murmured.