Evening star., 1928-12-30
INSTALLMENT XXIII.

INSTALLMENT XXIu.
A NNE was considering her cam
" paign. 1t had gone beautifully sc
| "A far. There has been no single
I Ifalse move. She was sure that
Richard now thuoght of her as 9
woman, once girl whom he had ad-
mired, recovered from the madness OF
| fast living, old enough to be compan-
ionable, experienced enough to meet his
every need. There remained only to
show him her grace and ability as a
| hostess, the help she could be to him
| in a social way as mistress OF his
| fortune. After that would come a
carefully planned opportunity for sud-
den intimacy a long ride in the Spring
| air. a walk in the garden late at night.
without apparent plan Richard would
| find Anne in his arms Anne trusted
| to Richards newly awakened senses TO
do the rest.
Of course. there would be the bother
of waiting for a divorce-but he could
accomplish that quickly enough in
Paris these days. To do Anne justice,
it must be admitted that she had
come to care for Richard as much as
her selfish nature permitted. She not
only saw him now as rich, socially
valuable husband but as handsome,
attractive, satisfying man. AS his wife
her life would be complete. And she
felt quite sure that within the year
she would be signing her name, Mrs.
Richard Ross"
That night when Richard came for
her she said: "I think I'll give a big
dinner dance, Dick. The season is over,
of course, but the people who are left
m town are good fun and some OF the
others can come in from Long Island.
I'll make just one big splash before we
close the town house"
Good idea" Richard commented.
Didn't know you went in much for the
big hurrahs."
"Oh, they're after all part of ones
duty-don't you think?"
II suppose so," Richard agreed abb
sently.
Look here, you two, Dick haSn I
seen that new dancer, Mademolselle.
vet. They'll be closing the theater for
the summer soon. Let's go tonight
I'VE seen her half dozen times, but
she is the real goods, my friends. What
say?"
They agreed to 60 and Bob was able
at the last minute to procure some good
seats.
Richard, conscious of Anne at his
side. felt no premonition OF excite
ment as the stage was darkened Tor
Yvonnes first number. She was merely
another good dancer who had from all
reports an unusually clever mind ana
an attractive personality.
But when the slight figure sWayed
onto the stage he felt an unaccount-
able excitement creeping over him.
What was it about her dancing that
haunted him, that wakened some kind
of ghostly memory he could not pin
down to a definite image? When the
applause died away he heard Bob say
ing: IT hear she goes out now and then,
but it hasn't been my luck to meet her.
Half the women I know would sell
their teeth to be able to get her to
come to one of their parties. She goes
around with Edith Ogden some. But
she's cold as ice where the men are
concerned"
"She looks interesting" Richard COM
mented. Probably the women don't
go at her right. Artists like that resent
patronage, and that's what most So
ciety women feel for stage people. =.
I'll bet can get her for my party" "
Anne said.
"A new hat says you can't" Bob
OuereQ at ner SlQe.
Richards remark put Anne on her
mettle. "I'll take you up-Bob, you buy
me any new hat I want and I'll do
the same for you-"
THAT makes the odds about 10 to
| in your favor" laughed Bob. What
wouldn't you do to get new hat?
Mind you, you can't hire her to dance.
| She has to come as a guest"
Done" said Anne. And they shook
| hands on 1t.
Richard was puzzled at the interest
| he felt in Mademoiselle the dancer
Her graceful figure stayed in his mind
! that night and the next morning
dressing for the day, he easily conjured
up vision of her lovely face.
cts Just the way she's made up
probably" he told himself. But he felt
a real interest in whether Anne would
be able to persuade the dancer to come
to her party.
He was to take Anne to tea that
afternoon. She planned, he knew, tx
call on MademoiSelle that very morn
+, ing. All day he felt a strange i'm
patience to learn the outcome OF hel
visit.
Meantime Anne, dressed correctly fol
the morning, had sent in her card al
| Yvonne's apartment. Being asked tC
wait in the living room she looked abou
her with interest. Here was nothing
exotic and heavy and luxurious as ont
would expect to find in the rooms OF
dancer. All was simple, restrained
wholesome and in excellent taste
Withal there was evidence that money
had been spent lavishly to attain thu
coveted simplicity of effect.
Nor was Anne prepared for tht
charming young girl who came in :
few minutes later and greeted her
From the curls, clinging fatty to he
head, to the tips of her delicately
modelled feet Yvonne was the picture
of a jeune file.
This, this is not Mademoiselle, th'
dancer?" Anne asked inquiringly, TAX
ing the hand which Yvonne gave her.
But assuredly," Yvonne answered
with a smile, the purity of her Eng.
lish enhanced byAa faint and delightful
hint of accent.
"But-but," Anne tried to recover
"You look so young-so-"
"Innocent?" Yvonne asked with {
laugh Mile Perreault, the woman
and Mademoiselle, the dancer, are two
quite different persons-do you fint
it SOP"
Indeed, do" said Anne, now com