The Washington times., 1923-11-20

yOurGS119"
THAT question I could answer
specifically, but I shall not"
He calculated rapidly. -Four
years Of war. Assuming that you
are thirty-two. although some.
times you look older and some
times younger, and that you mar.
ried at seventeen, that would
leave you-well, eleven years be-
fore the war began. I suppose
you didn't fall in love once q
year?'
'Oh, no, I am a faithful soul.
Say three years and q third to
each attack
''You talk at times singuIarHy
like an American for one who
left here at the age OF two"
Remember that my family was
with me. Moreover, Mary and
I always talked English together
American II you like. She was
intensely proud Of being "a
American. We read al the Amer
lean novels. as told you. They
are an education In the fdiom,
permanent and passing. More
over. was always meeting Amer
leans"
Were your wen, the greater
number Of them must be in New
York At the present moment. No
doubt they would be glad TO -e.
Neve your loneliness"
II am not In the least lonely
and I have not the least desire
to see any Of them. Only one
thing would induce me -- IL I
thought It would be possible TO
raise large amount Of money
for the women and children Of
Austria"
"Ah! You would take the risk.
then?''
''Risl2 They were the most
casual acquaintance. They prob
ably have forgotten me long since.
had not left Hungary for a
year before the war, and one
rarely meets an American in
Pesth society-two or three other
American women had married
Hungarians, but they preferred
Vienna. Moreover. there arc
many Zattianys. It il an Inn
mense connection
You mean you believe you
would be safe he caught her
up.
On the Stand.
Mon dieu! You make me feel
as II were on the stand. But
YES. quite SAFE
And you really believe that
any one could ever forget your"
II am not az vain az you seem
to think"
You have every right to be.
Suppose-suppose that something
should occur to arouse the sus-
picions OF the Countess zattiany's
old friends and they should start
Investigations In viennna?''
They would not see her-nor
their emissaries. DR.. Steinach's
sanitarium is inviolate."
'Steinach - Stomach - where
have heard that name lately7"
Her eyes flew open, but she
lowered the lids immediately.
Her voice shook slightly as she
replied: ''He is a very great
doctor. He will keep poor Mary's
secret az long as she lives
and nobody In Vienna would doubt
his word. Investigations would be
useless"
''she is there, then? I suppose
you mean that she il dying Of an
incurable disease or has lost her
mind. But do not imagine that /
care to pry further into that. I
never had the least idea that you
had-oh, I don't know what to
believe! Won't you ever tell me7'
II wonder! No, I think not!
No! Nor!
There is something, then?''
do you know why you still
harp on that absurd idea that am
what I am and still am not7 Do
you not know what It is-the sim.
pie explanation"
mo, 1 do not
eft is merely that European
women, the women who have been
raised in tho intrigues of courts
ana the artinc1alities Of what we
call the world who learn the
technique Of gallantry as soon as
they are lancee. where men make
definite cult Of women and wom-
en- OF men, where sincerity in such
an atmosphere is moro battling
than subtlety and guile-that is
the reason your American girl is
never understood by foreign men,
where naturalness is despised as
gauche and art commands homage,
where, in short, the game is every
thing-the game of chess, with
men and women as kings. queens,
pawns. There you have the whole
explanation Of my apparent riddle.
You have never met anyone like
me before"
There are a good manv women