Part 4 (1/2)

Sir John, by instinct and training, was an uniinative person He was a business man, pure and simple, his eyes were fastened always upon the practical side of life Such ambitions as he had were stereotyped and material Yet in some hidden corner was a vein of sentiment, of which for the first time in his later life he was now unexpectedly aware He was conscious of a peculiar pleasure in sitting there and thinking of those few hours which already were beco to assume a definite importance in his es which had become the Gods of his prosaic life Somehow or other his reputation as a hardened and unassailable bachelor had won for hi the last few years a comparative immunity from attentions on the part of those woht into contact It was a reputation by no means deserved A wife formed part of his scheme of life, for several years he had been secretly but assiduously looking for her In his way he was critical

The young ladies in the sost which he moved neither satisfied his taste nor appealed in any way to his affections

This girl whom he had met by chance and befriended had done both She possessed what he affected to despise, but secretly worshi+pped--the innate char The Pellissiers had been an old farandfather had driven a van

As in all things, so his thoughts cairl in this shabby little home of her aunt's--she had told him that it was shabby--and he recalled that delicious little sreet him, a smile which seemed to be a matter of the eyes as well as the lips She was poor He was heartily thankful for it He thought of his wealth for once from a different point of vie much he would be able to do for her Flowers, theatre boxes, carriages, the ”open sesaed, steeped in traditions of the City and races of life, as he hi of the halo of ro account She should be lifted out of her narrow little life, and it should be all owing to hiar frohts flashed strangely areen of the lime-trees His lips parted in a rare shtful part of all!

If only there had not been this single torturing thought--a mere pin-prick, but still curiously persistent Suddenly he stopped short

He was in front of one of theof the _cafes chantants_--opposite, illuhts, was the wonderful poster which had helped to make ”Alcide” faht the subtle suggestiveness of those few daring lines, fascinating in their very simplicity, the head thrown back, the half-closed eyes--the inner reat artist seemed to come to hier burned in the , this--a devilish art which drew such strange allureure ally he drew a little nearer, and becaroup of loiterers about the entrance A wohtly on the arm, and smiled into his face

”Monsieur admires the poster?”

As a rule Sir John treated such advances with cold silence This woman, contrary to his custom, he answered

”It is hateful--diabolical!” he exclaireat art,” she said in broken English ”The little English girl is very fortunate For what indeed does she do? A si And they pay her Monsieur is going inside perhaps?”

But Sir John's eyes were still riveted upon the poster, and his heart was beating with unaccustoue likeness is soue dissimilarity between the face on the poster and the heroine of his thoughts had slowly crept into his consciousness He drew a little breath and stepped back After all, he had thedoubt at rest She had mentioned the address where she and her sister had lived He would go there He would see this sister He would know the truth then once and for all He walked hastily to the side of the broad pavement and summoned a _fiacre_

_Chapter IV_

THE TEMPERAMENT OF AN ARTIST

”You may sit there and smoke, and look out upon your wonderful Paris,”

Anna said lightly ”You may talk--if you can talk cheerfully, not unless”

”And you?” asked David Courtlaw

”Well, if I find your conversation interesting I shall listen If not, I have plenty to think about,” she answered, leaning back in her chair, and watching the sarette curl upwards

”For instance?”

She sh _sous_ forthat, what I can sell”

His face darkened

”And yet,” he said, ”you bid me talk cheerfully, or not at all”

”Why not? Your spirits at least should be good It is not you who runs the risk of going dinnerless to-morrow”