The Salamander

ur after he had seen her enter just ahead of him was interminably vexing. And yet, he was profoundly grateful for this teasi

lection in the foggy mirror of his long, oriental, slightly hanging head, and the grizzled mustache w

erdesses on the mantel, an album of Miss Pim's on the table and a vase containing dried flowers, cheap furniture, a crippled sofa placed in a shadow, and weighing down all, the heavy respectability of a Sunday aftern

room before perceiving his tenancy. They withdrew

e room; there's never a

acy, strangely excited him. There was something really romantic in following a fancy into such a lair, and the lon

rd, but stood blinking at her like a night-bird disturbed in

opped in the middle of the room. "Well,

ting for others to throw themselves at him had beco

ou are a delightful picture!

e evasion with

t all," she said. "I have an

ional costume?" he said, in

, al

him to a seat; and the glance from under the prominent, hanging upper

? What flower

hids-ye

ugh confused. "You won't be angry? I know you wo

ne hand with long soft fingers, and sl

gave the

protégée, an old woman who sells newspapers under the elevated station-such an old woman! If I were rich I'd send her off to a farm and

ou

'Mysterious Society Woman Sells Papers.' And I made a lot of money-no change, natura

a little excited

ver since. Every day I get my papers from her. Last night, coming back after a spin

looking at? T

five teeth-the funniest teeth! You

hese f

obbed

like f

me-the way old people do, y

y darling, I had flowers

ding and bobbing, smili

r hand to her throat and

I tore them off and threw them in her arms. If you could have seen the lo

care! Perhaps he preferred tha

s eyes on hers-his eyes, that began to light up

pression of such beatitude that his abiding doubt

ch with me-to-morr

he

y overlook the park. I

how on his face, as a sudden joy may recall a past youth t

ow? At w

e curious gesture of his feminine fingers s

'll be delighted to

smile; but the smile fled as he noti

e that!" he

ha

I am not inviting

oon?" she said calmly, looking directly a

me directly to a business understanding, or-or was she truly independent and seeking this method to terminate the

ll have in the Comte de Joncy...

private a

cour

N

afly's,

y's-down-s

ty of

it, it'll be more inte

aginable, perplexed him more than ever. She noticed it, qu

t my apartments, but you will lunch w

ite

ur repu

utation-my security! I woul

his, but sought to give the c

this?" he said, with a

said. "You usually don't have so much trouble

I d

do you wan

o see how you

ook he

u'll nev

ut

always in a parlor, and there's no trouble at all in classifying them!" She jumped up, with

a week. And you have your automob

u want to know! You want to know if some one gives me an auto

rate dragging way, "I don't belie

uch a swift turn from provoking mali

n that bouquet, Miss Baxter!" he s

prise and scorn. "Ah! now I understand-everythin

e proteste

n order as mementoes when young ladies of the chorus are entertained by you. But you weren't sure of

" he said, convinced, watching

stop

ow, Mr. Sassoon, I am going to play fair with you. I always do-at first. I am not like o

y child?" he said, with a faint

won't give you the slightest hint! I may be a desperate adventuress, or I may be a pretty c

his head

be very careful what you say to me,

lunch with m

es

hy

y in the world! There! That's quite frank!" She glanced at the clock, which

in turn, a

ur-very important board," he said, grinning at the thought of their e

ou can keep them waiting some more! Your car's here? Ver

er, savored too much of the débutant, the impressionable and gilded cub. To another woman he would have refused peremptorily, with short excuse, packing her off in the automobile, and g

g!" she said

, coming abruptly ou

o hand me

ngly, sunk in her corner. The melancholy and the weakness of yesterday were gone; she was again the gay little Salama

she said, her eyes sparkling, the mood dramat

yet resolved. Had Doré known the fires she had kindled and the ends to which he

f stage-hands loafing outside for a smoke, Blainey himself in conversation with an actress who was speaking to h

nod, she went through the group. All at once some one, making way for her, lifted his hat. She looked up and recognized the on