Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-11-15

what IN GodS name would they
talk about? Politics? Books? Art?
Banalities he'd half a
mind to go ~ Florida after all
or join Jim Oglethorpe in South
Carolina: he had a standing invita-.
ton he'd return by the
next train; he'd felt as if existing
in a vacuum all day.
When he reached his rooms he
found his problem solved for the
moment-possibly. A telephone
slip informed him that Madame
Zattiany would be at home. and a
note from Mrs. Oglethorpe enclosed
tickets for her box at the opera
that night.
If she would only go!
He called the house. The butler
answered and retired to summon
Madame zattiany. Her voice came
clear and cool over the telephone
He invited her to go to Sherry's for
dinner and to hear Farrar in But
terfy" afterward. q must tell you
that we shall sit in box" he add
ed. Mrs. oglethorpe's,"
ooh" There was pause that
seemed eternal Then she laughed
suddenly, a laugh of intense amuse.
ment that ended on a note of reck-
1essness. We'll! Wy not? Yes,
will so. Very many thanks
Good. 1t means an early dinner.
I'll call for you at a quarter to
seven"
I'm promptness itself Au voir.
So that was that!s One nights
respite. He'd leave her at her door.
He wcadered if his voice had been
as impersonal as her own: be had
almost barked into the telephone
and had probably oyerdone it, But
was any man ever in such ghast-
ly position before? Well, he'd lose
the game before he'd make a fool
Of himself again ASS
he'd had the game in his
own hands last night could
have switched off any moment.
He'd let go and delivered himself
into hers.
He took cold shower. and made
a meticulous toilet
When he arrived at the house he
was shown into the drawing-room
He had never seen it before and he
glanced about him with some curl
csity. Ii was a period room Loans
Quinze. The furniture looked as if
made CT solid sold and Madame Bu
Barry herself might have sat on
the dainty brocades. The general
effect was airy and graceful, gay.
frivolous, and subtly vicious. fAn
ernanation to which the chaste vic.
torian had been imperyious.t re
understood why Madame zattiany
did not use it. She might be subtly
anything, but assurealy She was
neither airy nor frivolous
Then he realized that there was
painting OF a girl over the mantel
and that the girl was Mary Ogden
He stepped forward eagerly, almost
holding his breath The portrait
ended at the tiny waist, and the
stiff satin OF the cuirass-Hke bodice
was softered with tuEle which
seemed to Goat about the slipping
shoulders. The soft ashen hair,
growing IN 4 deep point on the
broad, full brow. was brush ga soft.
ly back and coilod low on the long
white neck The mouth was soft
and pouting, with a humorous quirk
at the corners, and the large, dark
gray eyes were full Of a hooking
light that seemed DIRECTED straight
into the depths OF his puzzled brain
as he stood gazing at that present.
ment OF a once potent and long
vanished beauty Extraoy-
dinarily like and vet so extraord..
narily unlike! But the resem-
blance may have we'll been exact
when Mary ZattiaHy was twen<y.
How had Mary Ogden looked at
thirty? That very lift Of the strong
chin, that long arch of nostril Il.
something began to beat in the
back Of his brain.
What a beauty poor Mary must
have been. no?"
He turned and forgot the por
trait. Madame Zattiany wore a
gown Of that subtle but unmistak-
able green that no light can turn
blue; thin shimmering velvet to
the knees, melting into satin EN-
broidered with silver and yelled
with tulle, On her head was
small diamond tiara and her breast
was blaze of emeralds and dia-
monds. She carried a large fan
Of green feathers.
He had believed he had meas
ured the extent of her beauty. but
the crown gave her new radiance
and she looked as attainable as
a queen on her throne.
He went Pnryyard opd roieo,l -,