Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-06-17
Continuation of Chapter XII

cab was audible in the street below.
Together they descended the dark
stairway up which she had toiled
with trembling knees. He carried her
suitcase, aided her into the taxi
"Cunard Line" he said briefly, and
entered the cab.
Already in the darkness of early
morning the city was awake; work
men were abroad; lighted tramcars
passed with passengers; great wa1ns,
trucks and country wagons moved
slowly toward markets and ferries.
He had begun to tell. her almost
Immediately all that he knew about
Paris, the life there in the students
quarters, methods of living econom-
@ically, what to seek and what TO
ayofd-a nomily rather hurried ana
condensed, as they sped toward the
She seemed to be listening; he
could not be sure that she understood
or that her mind was nXed at all on
what he was saying. Even while
speaking, numberless objections to
cher going occurred to him, but as
he had no better alternatives to sug-
e.gest he did not voice them.
In his heart he really believed she
Fought to go back to Brookhollow. 1t
was perfectly evident she would not
consent to go there. AS for her re-
gmaining in New York. perhaps the
reasons FOR her going to Paris were
.-as good. He was utterly un-
able to Judge; he, ne +6 only Syro+e nnem
~of experience, and that was lacking.
- I'm going to remain on board with
s-you," he said, until she sails. I'm
going to try to find my very good
friend, the Princess Mlstchenka' ana
have you meet her. She has been
very kind to me, and [ shall ask her
ITO keep an eye on you while you are
%crossing, and to give you a lot OF
good advice"
- "A-princess,'' said Rue in tired,
discouraged voice, lis not very like
@ly to pay any attention to me.
think"
!: "She's one of those Russian or
Caucasian princesses. You know
me herself She's great fun-full OF
life and wit and intelligence and wide
experience. She knows a lot about
everything and everybody; she's been
everywhere, Travelled all over the
globe"
-"that she would care for me at al"
"Yes, she would. She's young and
-~warm-hearted and human. Besides,
seshe is interested in art-knoWs a lot
about it-even paints very we'll her-
self"
4 "She must be wonderful"
"No-she's just regular woman:
Tt was because she was interested
in art that she came to the League,
and I was introduced to her. That
lis how 1 came to know her. She
comes sometimes to my studio.
~ Yes, but you are already an artlSt'
and an interesting man
= ooh, Rue I'm just beginning. she
kind, that's allan energetic, intel
Iigent woman, full of interest in life:
advice-tell you how to get settled in
Paris-Lord! You don't even know
French, do your
mo"
NO. :. I don't know anything,
He tried to laugh reassuringly:
81 thought it was to be Jim, not
Mister" he reminded her.
But she only looked at him out of
troubled eyes.
lights they descended. Passengers
were entering the vast, damp enclos-
ure: porters, pier officers, ships Off
GERS. sailors, passed to and fro as
they moved toward the gangway
where, in the electric glare of lamps,
the clifflike side of the gigantic lin
er doomed up.
At sight Of the monster ship Rue's
heart Ieaped, quailed, leaped again.
AS she set one slender foot on the
gangway such an indescribable sem
Neelands arm and held to 1t, almost
faint with the violence of her emo
ton.
A steward took the suitcase, pre-
ceded them down abySmal and gor-
geous stairways, through salons, deep
into the dimly magnificent bowels of
the ocean giant, then through an
endless white corridor twinkling with
lights, to a stateroom, where a
stewardess ushered them in.
fhnrns nnhndV
had been there.
He dare not come Whispered
Nee1and in Ruhannah's ear.
The girl stood in the center of the
stateroom looking silently about her.
Have you any English and French
money!" he asked
Give Newell, say two hundred
dollars, and I'll have the purser
change it."
She went to her suitcase, where
1t stood on the lounge; he unstrap-
ped it for her; she found the big
packet of treasury notes and handed
them to him.
"This won't do. I'm going to have
the purser lock them in the safe
and give me a receipt. Then when
you meet the Princess Mistchenka,
tell her what I've done and ask her
advice. Will you, .,Rue?'' <..' =
you'll wait here for me, won't
you?"
Eyes"
$50 he noted the door number and
went hastily in search of her purser
to do what he could in the matter
of foreign money for the girl. And on
the upper companionway he met the
Princess Mistchenka descending, pre-
ceded by porters with her luggage.
"James!" she exclaimed. Have you
come aboard to elope with me? 9th
erwise, what are you doing on the
in the morning?'
She was smiling into his face and
her daintily gloved hand retained his
for moment; then she passed her
arm through his.
"Follow the porter" she said, land
tell me what brings you here, my
gay young friend. You see [ am
wearing the orchids you sent me: DO
you really mean to add yourself to
this charming gift"
He told her the story of Ruhannah
Carew as briefly as he could; at her
stateroom door they paused while he
continued the story, the Princess
Mistchenka looking at him very in
tently while she listened, and never
uttering a word.
She was a pretty wiman, not tall
rather below middle stature, perhaps,
beautifully proportioned and perfect
ly gowned. Hair and eyes were dark
as velvet; her skin was old ivory and
rose; and always her lips seemed
about to part a little in the faint
and provocative smile which lay lat
emit in the depths of her brown eyes.
Mon Dieu!" she said, what a his
tory of woe you are telling me, my
friend James! What a tale of in
nocence and of deception and out
ragged trust is this that you relate
to me! Allons! Vite! Let us find
this poor, abandoned infant-this I'M
happy victim of your sex's we'll
known duplicity"
"she isn't victim, you know" he
explained.
II see. Only aImost-a-victim.
Yes? Where is this child, them
hiring her, To vn1 Prin-