Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-01-10
The Mystery Road

what are you two consplrlng
aboutT" he inquired.
81 have been saying good-by to your
sister" Christopher replied.
Gerald passed his arm around her
affectlonately.
''We shall miss you, dear" he said.
Il think l am really rather sorry to
90" Mary confessed. Father is get
ing quite restless, though He never
cares to stay In one place too lont,.t'
Gerald glanced at his watch
Il must be off" he announced. "Pvs
a few Of my frivolous friends coming
to supper after me opera. Are
vou coming, Christopher"
4 don't think so, if you don't mind,
Gerald" was the apologize reply.
For some unaccuuntable reason, Ger
aid felt elleved He took his leave
It his father and sister, started up
ms car, ano drove through the scented
darkness back to the notel. All the
time he was conscious Of a little
culver of excitement fer wAich he
could not account The villa vio-
sette, at which he gazed as ne turned
out of the avenue. was dark and
empty lie thought of Pauline and
sighed. The ghost in the empty seat
by his side faded away. He was for
ia single moment a man, angry with
himself, bitterly regretful
Il was q cad to kiss her like that"
he DE,ttered. "All the same, child
has no right to such lips"
Gerald WIS met "a the hall Of the
hotel by Charles the maltre d'hotel to
whom re haz left the arrangements
for his supper party
IF MILFORD win re so kind as to
ascend With me, the latter suggested,
4 can show@hlm the preparations l
have made"
Gerald nodded and asceEIed to the
first floor
"This is the most conveniela. suite
for milord,' Charles explained. "be-
cause the door at the left hand thsre
communicates with milord's own suite
of apartments, where his friends. IL
they Ike, can 9eave their hats and
{
self. Everything win be as com
manded The supper table can be
moved into corner Of the room at
any time desired--as soon, in fact, as
Milford cares TO start dancing"
Gerald nodded and dismissed the
man He stood for moment In the
center Of the waxed floor his hands
behind him and a f,pslily III cigare tie
between his lips. The sight Of these
preparations for the nights festivities
had left him curiously unmoved. lie
could picture the whole affair-ae lit
tie cosmopolitan crowd of gggllng,
shrieking girls, half French, half Rus
sian, with Il dash. here and there. OF
the Egyptian and the Italian Nadine,
with her pale cheeks, her eyes half
green, hale yellow, like the eyes OF
cat, her alluring smile Thea there
were Chlotilde and Phrynette. PART
slams to the rosy tips Of their fingers.
blatant IN their desires, frank and M
ashamed OF the silken net they troited.
It was, after all, a dun game to play.
The fneSse OF refusal had never
seemed so flat. the ignominy Of con-
sent so repulsiye. He thought of PAUL.
Inc, cold us the SHOWS, proud and in
difse'aDt, yet with the charm of hid
den things In her clear eyes 6nd
delicate aloofness. Her indifference
had hurt-how much=he realizedswhen
he thought Of the coming evening. And
then, like "a fash his mood changed.
There was the other type, as 6eauttful
In its way, as serene. as wonderful in
its strange, virginia. passion, the lips
that had chung to his with the frank
offer of supreme, unselfsh=lovee
He turned away. and, crossing tba
room, opened the o9or leading into his
own suite. A wondrous-an amazing
vision confronted him. =For a mo-
/ ment he was aghast MYRTLE. trans
formed as though by the wand Of an
artist, her gownz simple and unadorned,
retantive Of all the grace of her girl
| hood, yet exQuisitely suggestive Of the
woman TO come-Myrtile, her hair
dropped low on sither side Of her oval
face, robed N.Y. unspoilt and IN
furnished by the cunning fingers which
had produced veritable triumph Her
bosom was rising and falling quickly,
her lips we're parted. Then she began
10 laugh softly Everything was right
with the world. Geralds lo5k Of trans
fixed admiration told her all that she
neededto know.
"Win dof' MYRTLE asked demurely.
'You are WONDERFUL Gerald tx.
claimed "Buts-what does it mean?"
u have come to your party" MYRTLE
announced. "and even Monsieur Chris
/ topher shall not send me away. Fl
went TO Madame LenoFe. She dressed
me and she had my hair arranged Il
was SO droll When | looked in the
glass I scarcely knew myself You are
/ pleased?"
Il am more than pleased" Gerald an
swered. taking her hand "But about
/ this party. am not sure
"You don't want me7T she whispered.
CTo BE coNTTNuED>