Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02

ask. Good -night" And she held out
But you will meet me again."
urged.
Perhaps" she laughed. "If you
write to me at the poste restante
will answer you. Now, that's a
promise"
co with that I had to be content,
- and while she passed through into
Long Acre, I went along Coventry
street to my rooms in Ryder street.
st. James. Truly, Stana Irmann was
a mysterious person.
In the course Of our conversation
over dinner that night she revealed
herself as unusually intelligent and
well-informed. The governess is, Of
course. ever an intelligent young
person, but In her I saw a young
woman Of deep thought and earnest
convictions.
We had spoken of Russia, her ma
tive country. whereupon she said:
"Ah! You here in England are so
ignorant Of our Russia. Yet l might
except m'sieur, who knows my coun-
try WELL" And she smiled as. with
her elbows on the table, she looked
upheaval ere long. Russian will free
herself by great sacrifices and by
plots far greater than any hitherto
imagined in the world"
But you are a revolutionist?" 1 said,,
looking back into her pretty face.
"Ah, no! That is a rather ugly
word. m'sieur! I only look for the
freedom of my country" And she
added, II know you are not now in
accord with my views. Yet did you
not once write a book In which you
disagreed with the autocratic policy
of our poor. weak emperor and his
sycophant advisers?"
I laughed. But it still struck me
that she knew more of my life and
writings than the casual train ac-
quaintance might know.
well. 1 expressed certain views"
I replied. Views which were at the
time impressed upon me. But, to
tell you the truth. mademoiselle,
have no patience with extremists,
either in the advanced thought Of
yesterday or the 'spooks' of today. If
one desires to live to old age, one
has to preserve the level Of ones
mental capacity-with those of I'M
balanced brain or distorted ideas I
have nothing in common"
At those words my companions
attitude struck me as extremely GU
rious.
Next day I wrote to her to the poste
restante at Charing Cross. She must
have called daily for letters, because
on the following day I received a
scrubbed letter-card-one Of those
gummed-down denominations which
the British public. On tearing Off
three-ouarters of its edge, 1 could
read the scrubbed wards:
II shall be outside the Criterion at
3 O'Clock tomorrow. Do be there. So
sorry to worry you.-Stana."
OF course, was there. I stood in
the entrance to the restaurant, gaz-
ing up and down the busy pavement,
but very punctually, as always, she
came, dressed again differently
richly. SO that hardly knew her.
We met merrily, and I took her
into the cafe on the right-hand side
OF the entrance. She would. however,
take only a cup of cafe noir.
"Well?" I asked as she daintily
took a cigarette from the case, what
has happened? Why do you want to
see me?"
"A lot has happened! There will
before long be startling develop
ments. Be careful Of yourself" she
answered in startled whisper.
"Of myself? What do you mean?"
I asked, much surprised.
X \ X +
"MY dear Monsieur LIE eue1,1 only
tell you this in order to warn
you of certain things being arranged"
she replied. you have wondered
why have enveloped myself in r1ys-
terry. Well, tits because have been