The Washington herald., 1922-01-09
Continued from Yesterday.

zMadame JUNE mOtlOneO Jeanne TO
a commodious chair beside a hearth
where a little wood fire snapped
cheerily.
The room was exquisitely done in
gray and rose like the gown salon
in front. but il had the additional
touch of a real personality. There
were a few good pictures on the
siNer-gray walls. we'll bound books
in a rack on the gray enamelled
desk. a CLEAN Of copper on the tea
table under the rose-shaded lamp.
Except for some business-llks files
within reach of the desk chair,
there was no suggestion of an Of
ice in Madame jules sanctum.
1t was from this file cabinet that
the Frenchwoman drew a folder.
II. too. was gray and had the fourth
letter of the alphabet done in silver
in its upper right hand corner.
You will pardon me. Mees Dare"
said Madame suavely. but sew
eral times my statements have
been submitted to you, and there IL
nothing forthcoming. Not suft1-
cient that is. II you will be so
good-
She pushed a blank cheque book
deftly forward and held out a silver
fountain pen.
Jcanne's first impulse was to be
Indignant at this high-handed
method of securing payment
on an account 1onG overdue,
But the FrenchwOmaH's black eyes
were intrepid There was a rlrrn-
moss to her thin crimson lips that
Jeanne knew brooked TO evasion.
II she did not pay something on
her account. there would he no de-
livery of the blue brocade gown
on the morrow.
q, And Jeanne needed that gown
to assist in the capture of Victor
,BarstOwe. She knew that she was
exquisite in that particular creation.
Few women could have worn that
pale Elittering blue. But IL turned
Jeanne's flesh to warm ivory, ana
her blonde hair to molteE gold. 1t
brought out violet lights in her
eyes.
II she had been attractive to Bar
stowe in the black gown she had
worn at CaKby's dinner. her femin-
inc sixth sense told her that she
would be irresistible in the blue bro
cade.
She accepted the pen from
Madame jules fingers. and me-
chanically wrote a cheque or her
own bank for more than half the
amount of her outstanding bill.
After all. since the deposit OF
Harrison's cheque for the sale of
her property. she could afford to
draw a substantial amount!
Madame glanced at the cheque
Jeanne handed her and was immed-
lately gracious, the suave sales
woman again. The GOODNESS faded
from her eyes. She unbent i'm
mediately.
''Mercfi Mess Dare is most kind. ]
regret that have to ask for some
thing on account, but" she shrug-
ged, 7 am a business woman. Mees
Dare know what 1 must lose in the
natural course of business.
Jeanne murmured something about
the account having completely es-
capped her attention and Madame, hav-
ing won her point, assured her that
she quite realized that-without the
flicker of an eyelash to betray that
she knew her fair customer was lying.
Come. 1 have something for you
to seer' urged Madame, leading ths
way into the salon. "A most lovely
thing have just arrive from Paris
In il, Mees Dare will be ravishing.' -
She was darting to a cabinet, but
Jeanne stopped her laughingly.
''Ah. but next week 1t may be
gone" said Madame. sadly shaking
her head. Some fat lady. she look
at ii this morning. think she buy
1t tomorrow. All. what hips, What
= sacrilege"'
But Jeanne still shook her head
and refused to be tempted by even
glance at the gown.
~SPUt, Madame. my money is in
vested ~ carry very little cash In
the bank" explained Jeanne. She
went on to talk gIibly but vaguely
about certain holdings.
Madame. not understanding. a.
Jeanne carefully figured she would
not. was none the less impressed.
1t was with a feeling Of salts
faction that Jeanne made her way
to the Biltmore. where Canb,
waited. an impressively opulent
figure in his great fur coat Sew,
eral crimson-lipped. bobbed-haired
young persons looked enviously al
Jeanne as Candy rose to greet her
He wore his financial rating a.
carclessly but as obviously as hi.
gloves
Because she had made a larg.
hoie-in her bank account by the
cheque for Mme Julie. Jeann.
brought the conversation around tc
Canby's suggestion of the morning
that she invest in some market
proposition Of his.