Evening star., 1922-12-24
CONTINUED Fror, Yesterdays star.)

i
to do without it. Fortunately 1 have
two other courses left open to mo
persuasion and power" he replied.
Power! thought that was the
preroEative Of kings"
lie Breton said nothing. He knew
he was she would not be sitting there
talking to him SO freely. Although
he was the Sutton of El-Ammeh. in
| the eyes OF her nation he was a
(, Niger"
! There was a further silence which
! Parsy broke.
/ What made you swim out all those
miles the other niEht?" she asked.
Il get moods when / want to lose
: the earth and find heaven to my
What sort OF heaven would that
Where there would be only one
| houri. and she allsufiicins."
| "A houri? Why that's a sort Of
Mohs mmedan angel-woman."
Evidently lie Breton was in 4 con-
fessional mood. for he said:
Nowadays I cften wonder what
| use my life H. There's no pleasure
tn It except. perhape-women."
| comes to-'woman.'
These words from the innocent
girls lips made him laugh.
Who told you that" h asked.
Capt Cameron. He likes to pose
| as an authority on such subjects"
~And who is Capt. cameron?"
There was suspicion Of jealousy
in LIE Breton's voice.
AT present he's possessed with
demon Of tennis. But when tho devil
has been cast out, he's my fathers
| secretary"
And how can the devil be cast
out?"
There's no really permanent cure.
but it can be assuaged pro tenn. II
In Teneriffe, he carried all before
him. And he's coming over here to-
morrow to beat all the local cham
pions He's one of the few people I
really like. I've known him all my
life
effect of reducing Le Breton to silence
gain.
CHAPTER VIII.
In the library Of the villa. lie Bre-
ton sat alone. Tho hour was late.
getting on to midnight. He was
his gaze fixed on a desk close by,
on which was a wide. shallow. crystal
bowl full Of water where half dozen
purple pansies foated.
AS he sat there indulginE in some
dream Of his own. a door opened
and he looked round sharply. by no
his reverie. The room was his special
sanctum; no one was supposed to
enter without his permission.
In the doorway Lucille stood, in
foamy white dressing-gown, her
wealth of red hair in two thick ropes
down her back.
On seeing her. look Of suppressed
annoyance crossed his face.
What Is it:" he asked in none
too cordial tone.
She crossed to his side, and stood
looking down at hime anxiously.
what has happened to you the last
two days." she asked.
Happened to me! What do you
mean:'
you've been so very Indifferent"
She laid her hand on his sleeve with
Il lingering. caressing touch.
I see nothing Of you now except
at meals" she said.
With an impatient gesture he drew
his arm away.
I'm not always in the mood for
women" he said coldly.
Perhaps it would be nearer the
truth If you said some other woman
has taken your fancy" she suggested.
There was no reply.
LIE Breton got to his feet and cross
his back to her as IL he resented her
presence.
1t was most obvious to Lucille that
she was not welcome.
What is this new fancy Of yours
like?" she asked in a hurt. jealous
tone.
He made no answer. but his very
back oozed annoyance.
What's her price. Raoul?" she
asked in a wild manner. Is 1T
emeralds or pearls or diamonds? or
is she one whose price is above
He faced round suddenly( anger
"Be quiet. woman" he said saw
she laughed hysterically
$50 she's soemthing too good for
mo to talk about: is she? Does she
know of all your gay doings in
Paris?'
"ok. you women he calculated
learn the virtue of silence"
In all angry manner he went from
the room leaving Lucille In possess
sion. She watched him until the door
closed. Then she sank down into the
chair he had vacated and stayed there
with bowed head, weeping bitterly.
CHAPTER IN.
At spot about ten miles away
from Las Palmas there are some we'll
known orange groves. Stretch upon
stretch Of scented trees. they make |
lattice-work of smooth boughs and
shiny leaves overhead, with CLINT of
blue sky here and there. The ground
vas strewn with white petals, and
cluster. of white blossoms made frag- |
rant the gilded greenness. A glimpse
of the sea could be had. and the waves
filled the air with a constant. soft.
murmur.
At one spot in the scented grove
preparations had been made for an
elaborate picnic. Piles of soft silk
cushions were set upon the ground. |
On 4 cloth Of finest linen was spread
an array Of frail china and heavy sill |
yer, with here and there some golden |
dish holding dafnties.
Two impassive men with lean.
brown faces, clad In flowing white |
robes, stood near. Beyond all view
of the feast came faint rattle OF |
column of smoke rose from a nre
where breakfast was being prepared.
when Pansy had come down the
hot al steps for her usual early morn |
ing ride she had not been very sur !
prised to find LIE Breton there waiting
She had had a wide experience of
men and their ways. and she knew
what she called the symptoms" Cen
eraIiy "the symptoms annoyed her:
she felt they had moro to do with her
money than herself. But LIE Breton's
are was different. She knew who he
uas hut he had no idea Of her iden-