Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-19
0 YOU think he loves me,
madame?"

AT the young woman, out
made no answer.
Although close to sixty, she was
still handsome and attractive. Not
that she rouged her cheeks. dyed her
hair or sought in any other way to
conceal her age. You might say that
her beauty. unconcerned whether it
any longer pleased or not. preserved
the freshness of book long closed,
whose pages no hand had ruffied and
whose lines no eye had scanned.
I'm order to marry me-" the young
woman continued. "he is ready to
break with his family and renounce
his inheritance. Isn't that a great
proof Of love?"
rs that what you might call the
final proof of lover" murmured Nine.
de Warnes. Two men gave me the
greatest proof of love l have ever
known, and today ask myself which
of the two loved me more.
"One's name was Roger, the others
Frederic. At that time people loved in
the way they do In romances. without
telling their love. 1 felt an equal
pleasure in the company Of either
and in the company of both. await
ed their coming impatiently, and IL
one was late at an appointment had
sense of annoyance. which I'didn't
try to conceal from the other. think
they must have hated each other but,
not daring to quarrel. their rivalry
expressed itself solely in the desire
Of each to please me the better
through his incessant attentions.
'The acquaintance began in Paris.
1t was continued at Monte Carlo.
Since it interested me, 1 wasn't
anxious to end it. Love, especially
love which inspires, helps SO we'll to
pass the time. Ordinarily, We control
our caprices. But I was not so self
denying; and the drama grew out OF
a few words which / let drop before
the show window of jewelers. shop.
Among the collars and brooches
there was an Incompatible ruby. set
in a ring. My companions stopped
with me to admire it.
"Do you like it?' asked Frederic.
He was about to enter the shop.
Knowing that he was poor. halted
him.
Don't think of it! forbid YOU
I'VE resumed our promenade. Re-
passing the jewelers. shop l looked
again at the ruby. Frederic blushed.
Roger lighted a cigarette. I have
thought so often Of these things that
the slightest details are fresh in my
mind. l ask myself even now how !,
who never had a passion for jewels,
could have been SO strongly tempted
by that one. I returned to the hotel,
nervous and excited. and l hardly
spoke at all through dinner.
"'You are thinking Of the ruby,
aren't you? said Roger.
II didn't deny that I was thinking
of it. He dropped his eyes and
talked of other things. Frederic
watched me in silence. The day after
the next, on entering my room.
found the ruby on my table-with-
out a card, without a word of any
sort. I tried to guess which of the
two. Roger or Frederic, had given
me this surprise. There was no clue
to help me. I dressed. put the ring
on my finger and went to the Casino.
Roger and Frederic each looked at
my hand, but said nothing. About
IL o'clock Frederic went to the
roulette table. Roger remained with
me.
"Isn't my ring beautiful? I said
at Is admirable. really he an
swered.
Then he, too. went away. I saw
him go up to Frederic and speak to
him, at first quietly and then ex-
citedly. / assumed that Frederic had
sent mo the ring and that Roger.
yielding to a long-suppressed ami
mostly, wanted to force q quarrel on
him. But the conversation was short
Frederic shrugged his shoulders and
began to play again. Roger rejoined
me. excused himself for having quit
ted me abruptly and said to me. In Gu
riously authoritative tone:
Madame. we must co.
Il made q gesture Of protest. He
paid no attention to it.
1--WE must. shall explain later.
Something serious 10 going to hap
pen. Allow me to offer you my arm.
AZ mi. ynovncnt M ono will notice