The Washington herald., 1922-03-13
co~tsssed from Yesterday.

NSHt'sce gT0Ut c5gSTo0J.
Jeanne experienced some difncul-
ty In getting away to keep her ap-
pointment with Bonnicettit on the
following dayN She was nearly an
hour late as 1t was. Barstowe had
suggested that she lunch with him,
and 60 to concert, for which he
We're Dayton's charity affairs, and
that young woman had so far over
looked her anger of the previous
day to call up and insist that the
Barstowes accompany her.
Jeanne pleaded an engagement
with the dentist. Barstowe insist
ed on taking her to meet her ap-
pointment. but she declared that
she preferred the walk, and left
him in the lobby Of, the Ritz
She felt unpleasantly guilty while
she waited until she was sure his
car was out OF sight, and then
hailed a taxi. and gave the address
Of Bonnicttti's hotel Innocent as
was her errand.she had a revulsion
of feeling at the very thought. of
deceiving anyone with eyes as
frank and sincere as Victor Bar
stoves.
The door of Bonnicettrs suite
was opened to her by an Italian man
servant, who took her wrap and
motioned her to room at the end
Of the short corridor.
The fragrance OF many flowers
greeted her nostrils. and through
the open doorway she could see
great masses OF brilliant blossoms,
tributes from admiring music low
ers.
The man drew aside the curtains
and Jeanne stepped into a sitting
room that overlooked the avenue
II was reminiscent of the room she
had occupied before her marriage,
three stories higher Up. in the same
hotel.
Bonnicetti. looking paler than
ever. his dark eyes glowing in
strange contrast to the pallor Of
his face, lay on a couch between
the windows He wore a dark
silk dressing gown, and a light
cover was thrown over his knees
The injured ankle swathed in
bandages, was elevated on a cush-
ion.
He half rose from his pillows as
she entered. look of burning Gag
erness lighting his eyes.
"Ah. Signora, you are late, hut
l half feared you would not. Come
sit here close beside me. 1 get
you some wine that come direct
from Italy"
Jeanne was a trifie embarrassed
"Oh, no. please" she begged, 'I
have just lunched. Don't let me
trouble you"
TT is an honor IL the lovely Sig
nora will accept my Door refresh
ment. Giuseppe" he ordered the
servant, bring wine and cigarettes
for the Sisnora' and a cushion for
Jeanne, perceiving the futility of
protest, resigned herself to Boni-
cetti's insistent hospitality. She
placed her slim satinshod feet on
the cushion which the valet knelt
and placed before her. and leaned
back into the deep embrace of the
cushioned chair. She slipped golden
wire from a glass as fragile and
as iridescene as a spiders web at
dawn. The cigarettes she refused.
but Bonnicetu placed the box on a
small tabourette beside him. and
smoked incessantly, feverishIy.
Jeanne was anxious to get to the
point of her visit, to leave the ruby
HCChAdCcp Lndl "clRncu So HedNlly
in her gold meshbag, and get away.
But Bonnicetti wanted to talk
about a thousand things. He had
the morbid interest Of an invalid in
describing his accident and its
symptoms.
Soon Jeanne began to realize the
significance Of Bonnicetti's indif-
ference to the question at issue,
the ruhv necklace
He did not believe she had II. He
believed that she was mistaken. or
resting. She recalled that he had
instructed her over the phone to
bring the 'trinket she called the
Ricci necklace"
A Surprise for Bonnicetti.
Firmly determined to put an end
to the interview at the earliest pos
sible moment, Jeanne deliberately
opened her bag and drew forth a
silk-wrapped packet.
Bonnicetti's volubifity was check
ed instantly. His dark eyes grew
darker. He half-lifted himself from
his couch.
What have you there, Signora?''
he asked with a sort of tense
breathlessness as though he almost
feared her reply.