Evening star., 1925-06-01
Continued from Yesterdays star.)

"Oh, please-please let me outlet
me go home"
She didn't know what home meant.
A French official opened the door.
He stared down at her. She looked
queer enough in the dingy half light
comic child's figure with a crepe
hat over one ear and a dead.white
face and round eyes behind round
srectacles.
Passports, please"
She gave him hers. He looked at
1t. comparing the photograph with the
original. Ugly little German brat! He
gave IL back to her with a malicious
cerenaonious touch to his kept.
"Merci, Mademoiselle."
She stood there in the middle of the
carriage, very still, very upright,
swallowing her gasps.
Al least, she was glad that she
hadn't really cried.
Monsieur Jules Leforges. member
OF the French Senate, got in AT the
next station. He had no idea that
anything particular was going to
happen TO him. He arranged his trans.
| spread his overcoat over his knees.
and folded his gloyed hands over his
newspaper with the air of an expert.
enced traveller settling himself down
70 comfortable journey. At first
sight he looked an easy-going, genial
gentlemen, rather stout, with a full.
sray-oearded face and sparkling blue
eyes, deep-set. But at second sight
one wasn't so sure. The broad
shoulders were held aggressively, the
mouth was tightly closed, and the ewes
had harsh, fierce stare in them even
"hen he smiled. One plump hand
was neat replica OF its compa MON.
except that 1t wasn't flexible. II
wasn't real
Monsieur Leforges glanced round
him, as traveller will, to see who his
lelioW travellers are and whether they
are hkeiy TO annoy him. He saw a
httIe girl in the far corner by the
window. He saw her, but he really
couldn't be said to have noticed her.
She passed in and out of his vision
without reaching his consciousness. as
IL were. She was too small
AS 10 Irudchen, she didn't see him
at all. She was sitting bolt upright,
WIN her hands clasped in her lap
staring intently at nothing.
SO they CHANGED on each other.
NJ. Letorges secretary, a bright,
smooth young man, glanced at
her. too. and glanced away again. He
liked children-particularly little girls
but he didn't care for this one. She
was quite unattractive, almost half.
Witted looking. He smiled across at
his employer. of whom he stood in
some awe.
Looks as though we might have
the carriage TO ourselves" he said.
a good ending to a good day, mon.
| sieur."
NJ. Leforges nodded. He settled his
big shoulders more comfortably in
their corner and made a little. growl-
Ing. satisfied noise in his throat Oh.
yes. II had been good day, a satisfy
Ing day. He saw again, in his mind S
eye. that afternoons scene In the
Rathaus. He could congratulate him
self. AS the representative of the re
public he had behaved with dignity
and restraint. No venom, no anger.
none of your clustering, brutal Prus-
slanisn. he had shown them how n
Frenchman behaves to beaten
enemy. He ran his tongue over his
lips. as though he were remembering
delicious wine. How the leader of
the deputation-little. mean rat Of a
fello~-had WINGED and cringed under
his remorseless suavity,
You ask for milk for your children,
messieurs. Ny little son was a Rouse
during your occupation. There was
no milk for French children there.
And so my son died. AS to your in
o'Aoo, my SCIl WI LOT TWO
years in one of your camps. They
amputated my arm there-without an.
esthetics. 1t appears there was some
temporary shortage, and your own
people came first. Naturally. Chacun
son tour, messieurs."
And they had wtthered away be.
fore him, cringing. beaten, with hol-
low. aghast eyes. And he had made
them little bow, perfectly courteous.
Oh. yes. that had done him good. 1t
was like feast after a long hunger
During those endless years of horror
he had dreamed of just such a scene,
rehearsing II over and over again,
adding a touch here and there. AS d
Frenchman one had to observe the
deCencies. One was civilized. One
used the rapier. One made elegant
gestures. But one killed all the same
Yes, very satisfying. He sighed and
shifted his position. But it was like a
feast that never satisfied you. You
got up from the table with a kind of
rage-a more terrible rage each time.
so that IT. was difficult to restrain
yourself. You saw red-you wanted
to take some one by the throat. He
knew that II was bad for him. 1t was
bad for any one to be constantly