Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-01
Musss
s the
Woman
Alsoays
Pay!

t1OiOln8 IL carefully, Sne made her
way to the vast room where fortunes had
been lost and won, and lost again. The
windows were shattered, there. were M
flowers, the chairs were rushed back
against the wall and covered in ugly
calico. But, as msdemoissiie entered
and locked the door behind her, she
looked around her as II greeting haven
OF refuge.
Her own chair stood at the head Of
the table. She took 1t. and drew from
the folds Of her cloak her velvet mask
A deft touch, and It was in place. The
liQueur glaSS was at her side, and into
II she poured a few drops OF some
strange liquid that turned the fragrant
green to on indefinite white. She raised
'.f'm going to start clear" she said,
and drained the glass, smiling. The
smile was still upon her lips as she fell
forward. Convulsively her hand shot
out and clutched something that slid
from her hold.
Night after night in that great room
q score Of eyes had followed the turn OF
the wheel. Now 1t spun merrily, and
only the gray dawn light filtering in
between the shutters was there to watch
It. a, Slowly-more slowly. And then
it stopped.
At hall. past II precisely, the jan.
anese servant begged Jarroman to foi .
low him downstairs. On the first floor
they paused and the door of Claudine' 3
bOudoir was flung open.
Henry"
The servant disappeared nOiselessly,
Jarroman stiffened. He had not the
smallest desire to speak to Claudinc.
The light was behind her as she stood
on the threshold Of her room and he
could not see her face. but he noticed
that her dress was simple and dark
too simple to be unstudied.
III you will excuse me, Claudine,
am anxious to get back to my fat al
soon as possible
II don't want to keep you long,
Henry, but I must speak to you."
Unwillingly, Jarroman entered the
boudOir. The calculated eccentricities
Of the room made no impression on him !;
he was too impatient to be gone. He
turned his attention to Claudine. He
hoped intensely that she was not going
to make scene. He could gather
nothing from her face.
II really don't think We can have
markedly coldly. "You have been work.
ing with Theed, and l understand that
1'heed has swiudled you. You can
hardly expect me to sympathize or sug.
gest any remedy. At the same time I
am going to forget that you kept me
here against my will"
In spite Of himself, his voice had
softened slightly. He had never see,
Claudine like this before, cool. pur.
roseful, almost dignifed. He felt a,
strongly az ever the artificiality Of her
pose. but at least the pose was new.
II didn't expect the forgive and
forget attitude from you," she said.
II don't think much want your for
giveness, or anybody's. All I wanted to
tell you was that I've made as big q
failure Of all this" she gestured to
ward the recesses OF her marvelou.
apartment-'' Of the old. stay at
home wife days. I'm on a new tack
il you like to put it SO. I'm starting
afresh: and Iwondered II. perhaps. we
Yes, I mean work, brain work. Some
thing that demands just more than the
commonplace people can give"
Where had Claudine got this notion
whom he had expounded his craftsman q
creed last night coached her employees
in the part?
Where is Alademoiselle X?" he
asked, irrclevantly. II had hoped to
see her before I leave. She has been
good to me-"
''shc went away early this morning, "
said Claudine, oddly. mo one knew
anything about it. but I had told her
Yesterday that I was leaving here and
selling everything, 50 I suppose
Jarroman had gone back to his per.
plexities. Strange that the philosophy
he had voiced. first to Lady Gloucester,
then to mademoiselle, was being put
into practice by the one woman he
would have considered hostile to it.
Could he decently refuse her the COM
radeship she asked?
II don't suppose you believe it, Hen
ry,' she was saying. "but Theed's been
not recover penny from him save
through court of law, and you know
what that would mean to the Douces.
ters and the Stranacks. Come into
partnership with me-"
II hope to prove you wrong about
Theed," he said grimly. "You must
let me 30 now, Claudins: I have much
to attend to. We will talk Of our own
affairs later on"
"very well," she replied, and turned
away.
There was humility in her voice. and
for the life Of him Jarroman could not
tell II 1t was genuine or not. Though
she had startled him into petulant
admiration. there was In her every
word the taint of the fourth act.
He left the room without farewells
and made his way out Of the house. A
car was waiting and five minutes later
he was on his way to his fiat.
Enter Mrs. Jarratt
You're not going out this evening.
are you, Wilfred? Jolly! Let's spend
II in the boOkroOm.'
There was Tilt in Nadia's voice
that brought her husbands hand caress-
ingly through her bare arm. They left
the dining poom and made their way
to the low. long room at the back of
the house that was Nadia's special de-
light.
Books lined the walls. the leather
chairs were cavernous, and softly shaded
lights gave golden serenity to the place.
There was a small fire in the crate,
and the first chrysanthemums Haunted
their ragged bronzes from the mantei
"This Is top hole," declared Wilfred,
reaching for the tobacco jar. "As
you see, am taking the most com
Portable chair-the divine right Of the
male. Come and curl up!'
He pulled her down on to an enor.
nous floor cushion and held her there,
laughing, his arm round her, till she
gave in and leaned her head against his