The Bismarck tribune., 1925-11-28

passing phase of his development, an
experience such as came to every
man Since it had left no mark upon
him, and had not seriously affected
Laurc. the score was even. He dis
missed Rouletta's words as OF little
consequence. In order, however, to
prevent any further unpleasant scenes
ne determined to put Laure in her
place. once for all. ~.
= Rolletta went to hes room. vaguely
disturbed at her owl, emotions. She
could still feel the touch of PhilIins
nand. she could still feel his GAP,
nxed earnestly. meditatively. upon
hers, and she was amazed to discover
the importance he had assumed in
ner thoughts: Importance, that wa,
the word. He was = very real. a
very interesting, person, and there
was some inexplicable attraction
ABOUT him that Offset his faults and
ms fa'iings. however grave. For one
tning, ne was not an automaton. i;ke
ttne other men; he was, a living
breathing problem, and he absorhcS
kouletta's attention.
She was sitting on the edge of
her 6ed. staring at the wall. when
me COUNTESS Courtcau knocked Al
ner door and entered. The women
,'ad become good friends: freoIent.
~ the elder one stopped to xossin
me Countess flung herself into :.
said: '''e' '"e"
Well. l see you and Agnes saved
the bankroll again" >'
Konletta nodded. Agnes is an
awful bluff. ] never load her Bu,
OF course nobody knows that
tonre a queer youngster. I've
never known a girl quite like Va"
everybody is talking about Won "
Indeed? Not the nice peonie ,,
:. Nice people?' The Counties.
lifted her brows. You mean ,hoss 80
AZ 4! .he Barracks and up on the hill9
res; they're talking about YOU. too"
i can imagine what thev saw"
kouletta drew her brows toeether !,
a froWn. mo doubt tl,ev th;nk Tn,
Just like the dance-hall girls i've
seer, seen few OF them-at a d;st,uc.
ncy ..% avoid ne as if l had measle,"
Naturally, DO you carei'
Certainly ! care. Id III. =, T..
one of them. not "a % sn.c;.,.'s 10 .e
" ouldn't your" >''"e"'
Um-m. perhaps. I dare saw !
Sou'd De one of them if it weren't
lor Courteau. People forget th;nps
QulGkly III new country"
why did you take him back? I'm
sure you don't care for him"
Not IN the least. He's the .o,,
OF man you can't love or hat.. ~.
a n'ne-spot. Just the same h. nro m
te..s &c. m, me and can't help being sorrv
Nouletta smiled. Fancy YOU need
'ng protection and him giving"
You don't understand. He nro-
tects me from myself. mean i
! m as unruly as the average woman
and l make fool of myself on thr
shghtest provocation. Henri !, a
iioater, a od-for-nothine. to he snr.
but nevertheless. have resumed hi,
support. 1t was easier than -efus-
ing 1t. l help broken miners. l feed
hungry dogs. Why shouldn't
G.otne and teed helpless husband3
~ rs a perfectly feminine, illogical
Other people don't share your
opinion of him. He can he yerv
agreeable, very charming, when ne
"Of course. That's his stocL :,
trade: trade: that's his excuse for being
women are crazy about him. as vo,,
PROBABLY know. but-give me man
the men like" There was a namsc
do;,y 30 70" o. don't enjoy the thing you're
Il hate it! hate the whole a.
m1osphere-the whole underworld
ltsEunhealthy, sitting"
What has happened ?"
Slowly. hesitatingly Rouletta told
Q! her encounter with Laure. The
Countess listened silently "
~ was an unpleasant shock" IN.
g'ri concluded. "for it broupht ~.
nack to my surroundings. It lifted
the curtain and showed mr. what,.
really =; going on. It's a pity Pierce
Phillips is entangled with that crca~
ture. TOR he's nice chap and re-,
eot It IN hin, to do big things. But
It wasn't much use my trying to ten
hir, that he was cheating himself
don't think lie understood. / feel
almost-well, motl,erly toward him.
Hilda nodded gravely. 20 cour.-
you do. He has it."
Has it? WHAT"
The call-the appeal-the same
thing that lets Henri get by."
oh. he's nothing like the Count ~
kouletta protested, quickly.
The elder woman did not aro,,.
the point. pierce has more char
acter than Henri, but man can lose
even that in gambling house. was
very fond of him-fonder than I
knew. Yes. it's fact. I'm Jealous
of laure. jealous Of you
Jealous? OF met You're jokinc"
"Of course. Don't take me seri-
ously. Nevertheless. l mean it." The
Countess smiled queerly and rose to
her feet. Its improper Tor q mar
ried woman to joke about such
things. even woman married to .
no-good count. isn't it? And it,
foolish. too. Well, I'm going to do
something even more foofish-fm
going 70 give you some advice. Cpt
out that young man. He haan't
found himself yet:s he'a ,,,rn;c.