The Yale expositor., 1922-09-28


Bob still drinks-prohibitlOn has not
hit him very hardw
mo" agreed Fell, gravely. "Unfor-
tunately, no. Lucie, I've discovered
most important fact. Joseph Maillard
did not own any stock In the Bayou
Oil company at the time your land
was sold them by him, and he had no
interest at all in the real estate con-
Germ that bought your st. Landry
swamp lands and made a fortune off
them. We have really blamed him
most unjustly. 1 do not believe that
he has profited in the least from you.
His investments in the companies con-
cerned were made afterward, and
am certain he sold the lands limo.
Gently"
Lucie drew deep breath.
81 am glad you have said this" she
returned simply. TITS been hard for
me to think that Uncle Joseph had
taken advantage of me; / think that
he honestly likes me, as far as he
permits himself TO like anyone"
He'd not loan you money on IT,"
said Fell. Friendship isn't a tangible
security with him"
"Well, who really did profit by my
loss7 Anyone?"
Fell's pale gray eyes twinkled, then
cleared In their usually wide lnpo
cence.
MY dear Lucle, Is there one person
In this world to whose faults Joseph
Maillar6 IL deliberately blind - ona
person TO whom he would refuse moth.
ing in whom he would pardon every.
thing, OF whom he would never believe
any evil repOr?"
"You mean" Lucie drew a qplch
breath-"BOb?"
Eyes, mean Bob. That he has
profted by your loss l am not yet In
position to say; but / suspect il
When l have finished with tho
Masquer, shall take up his trail"
joachim Fell rose. "Now l must be
off. my dear. "WilI you dine with US
tomorrow evening, Lucie? My mother
commanded me to bring you as soor
as possible"
ooh, your mother!" exclaimed the
girl, contrltely. 81 was so absorbed
in the Masquer that ! forgot to ash
after her. How is she7"
quite as usual thank you"
"I'n come tomorrow night gladly
Uncle joachim"
"And We'll take a look at the FRO
teus ball afterward, If you like. III
send Ben Chacherre for you with ths
car, If you're not afraid Of him"
"I'm not exactly afraid of him."
Lucie responded, soberly, but there
is something about him that I can't
like. I'm sorry that you're trying to
degenerate him, In way"
Fell shrugged lightly. AN life "a
an effort. little onel Well, gooubS"
joachim Fell left the house at three
| forty. Twenty minutes later the bell
rang again. Lucie sent one Of the
servants to admit Henry Gramont
she kept him waiting a full fifteen
minutes before she appeared, and then
che made no apologies whatever for
the delay.
Not that Gramont minded waiting
he deemed 1t a privilege to linger In
this house! He loved to study the
place, so reflective OF It's owner. He
loved the white Colonial mantel that
surrounded the fireplace, perpetually
alight, with its cleaning sheen of old
brasses, and the glltterlng fire-set to
one side. The very air of the place,
the atmosphere that II breathed, was
! sweet to him.
The Napoleon bed that filled the
window, with its pillows and soft
coverings; the inlaid walnut cabinet
made by Sheraton, with Its quantity
curved glasses that reflected the old
time curios within the tilt tables. the
rosewood chairs, the rugs, bought be.
fore the oriental rug market was
flooded with machine-made Sienna
knOts-about everything here had an
air Of comfort, OF long use, Of rNstful.
ness. 1t was not the sort Of place
built up, raw Item by raw Item, By
the color-frenzled hands of decorators
II was the sort OF place that decora'
tors strive desperately to initiate. and
cannot.
When she maze her appearance.
Gramont bent over her hand and ad.
dressed her in French.
"You are charming as ever, Shining
One And in years to come you will
be still more charming. That is the
beauty of having a name taken direct
from the classics and bestowed as q
good fairy's gift"
''Thank you, monsieur - but you
have translated my name at least
twenty times. and am weary Of hear
ing It," responded Lucie. laughingly.
poor taste. mademoiselle, to grow
weary of such beautyr
mot of the name, but Of your exc
gesis upon It. Why should ! not be
displeased? Last night you were pos
itively rude, and now you decry my
taste Did you leave all your man.
ners in France, NJ. lie primer
/