Evening star., 1922-12-28

like face to his.
Just one then. Raoul, YOU darling.
since you've been SO nice about every
thing
AS LIE Breton stopped TO kiss her it
seemed to him that he would not have
to resort to force in order to get the
girl. Only a little patience and per-
suasion were needed. and he would
win her in her own. white, English
way.
CHAPTER XVI.
Along the deserted corridor of the
big hotel Pansy was hurrying. Her
outing with LIE Breton had made her
late. BY the time she was dressed and
ready dinner was well started. She
went along quickly. still thinking over
the events of the day.
Everything had turned out exactly
rs she had hoped. She wanted to keep
lie Bretons love. and vet not be tied
in any waN--to have him in the back
ground to marry il. or when. she felt
so disposed.
In the full glare OF the electric light.
going down the wide stairs. she en-
tered the large patio, looking pic
ture.
She was wearing a dress of some
yellow. gauzy material that matched
her hair a garment, that clung around
her like q sunbeam. bright and shim-
mering. There were gold shoes on
her feet. and around her neck a long
chain OF yellow amber beads.
AS she crossed the big. empty hall.
making toward the dining room, a
man rose from his chair-the short.
red-faced man from whom LIE Breton
had rescued her a few nights before.
There was an air about him as IL
he had been waiting there to waylay
her.
Pansy saw him and she swerved
slightly. but beyond that she gave
him no attention.
However. he was not so easily
avoided.
He took up his stand Immediately
before her. lecring at her in ma
licious disacreeable fashion.
you're fond of chucking red-haired
women in my teeth" he said. Go
and chuck EN- at the fellow YOU were
spooning with outside just now.
Annoyed that the man should have
witnessed her parting with lie Breton,
Pansy would have passed him with
out a word: but he lodged. and was
in front of her again.
AT least she isn't my fancy wom-
an" he went or Il don't run a villa
for her. even if I do admire her
looks"
The weight of insinuation in his
voice brought the girl to halt.
What is it? What do you want to
say" she asked. coldly.
You mean to tell me YOU don't
know LIE Breton runs that French
actress. Lucille Lemesurier?'
Pansy did not know. Nor did she
believe a word the man said.
How dare you say such things
about Mr.. lie Breton she flashed.
"Hoity-toity. How dare !. indeed
He laughed coarsely.
ut isn't only me that's talking
about it. Everybody knows" he went
E,.r,,hod,, d.d pot Lpou- papsy
among the number.
II don't believe a word YOU say,
she said in an angry manner.
Don't you? All right Trot along.
then. and ask the manager Ask any
body. They're all talking about it.
so conceited that you never come and
gossip with the crowd. Ask who is
running that villa for Lucille Leme-
surfer. and they'll tell you its that
high and mighty French millionaire
chap. lie Breton. the same as l do.
For a moment Pansy just stared at
him. horror and disbelief on her face:
then she turned quickly away. She
did not go toward the dining room.
but toward the main entrance of the
hotel.
She had never troubled to make any
inquiries about LIE Breton. She had
liked him. and that was enough.
Pansy could not believe what the
man said.
For all that. she was going to the
fountain head-to lie Breton-to hear
what he had to say on the subject.
CHAPTER XVII
A food of light poured out from Lc
Breton's villa. from wide-open French
windows on to moonlit lawn.
Around the house. palms dropped and
bamboos whispered. The night was
laden with the scent of roses and
syringa, and about the fragrant
shrubs firefiies glinted like showers
Of silver sparks.
In one Of the apartments opening on
the lawn lie Breton sat at dinner
with Lucille over little round table
sparkling with crystal and gold.
where pink shaded electric lights
glowed among banks cf flowers.
nished, with priceless rugs, and fur
niture that might have come out of
some Paris museum. There were three
Arab servants in attendance, deft,
handed, silent men. well trained, and
observant. who waited upon their
master as if their lives held nothing
but his wishes and desires.
Opposite to him Lucille sat. in
white satin gown that left none of
her charms to the imagination. with
the emerald neckidCe HdSHiH6 dS SdiiISt
her dead-white skin.
She was talking in a soft. languid
voice. sometimes witty, often sugges-
tive, but never at loss Tor SUD-
ject. as women do talk who are paid
well to interest and amuse. their
masters.
lie Breton did not look either par
ticularly interested or amused. In
fact he looked bored and indifferent.
answering her in monosyllables. as
If her perpetual chatter interrupted
some pleasant reverie of his own.
AS he sat. intent on ms own
thoughts, one of the servants came to
his side. STOPPING. he said in defer
entail voice in Arabic:
"There is the English lady your
highness deigned to breakfast. with
in the orange groves of Telde.
lie Breton started. He glanced
round, his gaze following the Arabs
to one of the wide French windows
opening on the lawn.
Standing there, light and slight.
graceful, golden reed, was the girl
who was now all the world to him.
But Pansy was not looking in his
direction, but at Lucille. as If she
fore her.
The sight brought lie Breton
quickly to his feet.
"Pansy!' he exclaimed.
His voice and action made Lucille
glance toward the window.
She looked at the girl standing
there. Then she smiled lazily, a trifle
maliciously.
Lucille saw before her the rival she
had suspected. who had changed lie
Breton's lukewarm liking into cut
ting indifference. With the percep-
ton of her kind. she realized that
Pansy was something quite different
n1 hn - nSn