Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1932-03-23

ante-roOm In which she opened an.
other door that led to the ladies
dressing-room. No one was there but
the maid. Mata Hari nodded to her
then regarded herself with intense
searching earnestness in full-length
mirror. She then crossed the hall ta
the bar.
Rosanoff was sitting at the bar, dis
consulate. when he, saw her. She
was incomparably graceful, incon-
Darably practised.. She knew Just how
to place her foot SO that the plant
golden stuff like timber golden skin
chung smooth about thigh. Her
every movement was a challenge to
the dress to cover her, an unself-
conscious reminder of the beauty I'M
yelled in the dance, the more stir
ring to the senses in that the dress
| did actually hide it.
She took chair two places away
from Rosanoff, apparently without
even noticing him, and it was then
that he discovered that he had net
| observed her face. At the dance hs
had been too elazzled and too far
away. Now. her profile was toward
him. The light melted over it and
into the skin, and he found that the
longer he watched it the more he was
poWeriess not to watch it. It was not
that the face was SO lovely. You
could admire a beautiful face with
out warmth, acknowledge it's perfee-
ton and forget it. But hers was one
Of those faces which have the power
Of drawing the eye. similar to flowing
water. with the suggestion OF
scarcely perceptible mobility.
Some men had inevitably gathered
about her at the bar. Among them,
Rosanof recognized the old MARQUIS
de Signas. tottering on legs as thin
as broomstic1s. He envied him, fer
the OLD man like the rest knew Mata
Hari. She insisted that he drink q
toast to her in champagne.
But I'm not allowed champagne"
the old man demurred. IT'S cad for
my heart"
"Onc little sip, papar'
But it's bad fc~ my"
That's where my lips have been"
She put the glass directly to the
Marquis lips. He drank ana choked.
Rosa,loH found that she could laugh.
He laughed, too.
She then turned and looked him
full in the face. long, impersonal
heavy-lidded stare, as if she were e7-
aiming a statue IN museum and
would then go on to the next statue.
Her eyes did. in fact, travel on.
The next instant she exclaimed
tNq@51 J0Jxy oil oh ~
upset her glass. The wine was split
in q. wide puddle across the mahog-
any of the bar. A man with a pointed
gray beard called waiter and said.
Il hope it hasn't spotted your dress.
my dear"
But Mata Hart appeared already to
have dismissed the incident from her
mind.
"You say you never gamble. papa"
she inquired Of the Marquis. Coed.
Then I shall gamble for you. I feel
lucky"
RosanofT moved behind her to the
tables as if pulled by string AT
first there were no other vacant places
and he took up a position where ne
could watch her and hear her.
"WeIl start with five thousand
she said.
Five thousand?" repeated the
Marquis weakly.
isn't that enough to begin with?"
"Faites vos jeux!" called the
croupier.
She lost it all and Rosanod
thought that the Marquis would
l. GtxNo'I
better have another five thousand"
She seemed to be going through
routine mechanically and paid 10 at
tention to the play This time, there
was a Slight delay before the croupler
made his announcement. One OF the
pretty ladies" of which there were
| the usual number scattered among
| the tables, profered the croupier
| ring in exchange for chips. The man
declared that it was against the
rules
Its worth twenty thousand francs,
insisted the girl. I'D sell it for ten"
She held it up. The ring had
single. large stone in queer. square
setting.
what an odd ring" Mata Hari
said. Let me see It,"
She examined it with some inter-
est. while the Marquis looked elob-
orately away. She then returned the
ring, and the girl, gathered up he"
empty handbag and left the table.
Again the croupier called. "Faitcs
vos jeuX!"
Again Mata Hari lost. But this
time she was annoyed. She brushed
the remaining chips to one side and
got up hastily.
There's no pleasure in losing.
she exclaimed.
The heavy gold skin Of her dress
lust brushed the cloth of Rosanof S
uniform and emitted an electric spark
like a cats back when It Is stroket
He was desperate with helplessnesd
for he felt sure that she would sOcn
leave. yet all the approaches he could
think of seemed too clumsy
TOMORROW-The Ring.