A GRAIN OF HOPE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13161, 7 July 1908, Page 5

A GRAIN OF HOPE.

(By JACQUES VINCENT.)

It began at an afternoon party where, as usual, people were feeling more or less bored and were getting on each other's nerves. Tiie rooms wore too hot to begin witilij and every one would oongrogato in the corner where the ice cream was served, so that tho music room was quito deserted and the artists were annoyed to find t/hemselv-s singing to hall' a dozen people only.

"I'm so sorry for our hostess," said Antoinette Bereny to tho man who had just boon introduced to her. "I'm afraid we're not treating her right. Don't you think wo had batter go and listen to a song?" "I would rather not," he ____n.erod, "but I am at your command. Only will you do m© a favour afterward?" She looked surprised. "Certainly if it is in my power. What is it?"

She was looking very pretty and coo_ in a green and wnite dress oif crepe do clidne, and there was am atmosphere of pleasaint repose about Mies Bereny that appreciated without analysing it.

It had never occurred to her to marry anyone, though she hod had plenty of chances. Sho was well off, she had no ne_tr relations, and sho had reached the ago of 33 while stiilil possessing tho charm of otihers and the interest in life which were here at 2G. Sho w_is neither a bachelor girl nor an aid maid, but simply an unmarried woman who was ominontly marriageable.

"I am the vi-tim, or, rather, I suppose, I should say the hero, of a romance," said the man. "and I havo an intense yearning to tell someone about it. WiM you lot. mo confide in yon ?" An.oinot.to laughed, and for tho firsit tirme looked to see what manner of man this was.

A dark, elea-i-shaven face, keen and strong, such as you find Ln lawyers amd naval officers; a tall, well-built figure, a ratiher stern voaco and manner redeemed art; times as at this mame-iit by a twinkle in the handsome eyes, amd the ghost of a smiilo at the oonners of hi. lisps.

"First you mu__ let mc kro6w your name," sho said, "if you are going to tell mc tho <jtory of your life. I didn't catch it whan we were introduced." "■".aston Loauront," he replied, "and I have just met my fate."

"Really P" Antoinette's amused ffhi'nco swept otver the crowd around thorn and rested on a girl wn'ihh •straight, clear-cut profile, and dark hair, to whom she remeimbered Loauront had been talking just before they met.

"I see yoni are trying to guess who i.. the de«a ex nrach-ma." lie said, "halt I want to bepjin from the beginm-img. Won't yon let - mc off the souk, M-w I-oreny, and come over to the balcony with me?"'

"It would he rather mean,"' Antoinette said, rather weakly, "we were asked te so to the mimic room."

"I knr-w," ho said, "hut let us he selfish just, for ooice a_id choose t.ie balcony. - '

"And so you are rcmiantic." Antoinette asked when they were seated in a shady corner.

"Not at all by temperament," he .•v_.ured hor. hut I havo become so lately. I saw a lady at a concert and felt so attracted by hor that I paid no further attention to the music. Sine© .'•en fate has wiHed that we should ofbon bo quite olooe to each oflher, in the street, in a room at an entertainment, and the at.Tact.o_i heis grown with eaoh meeting, so tiheit when I _aye received ah invitation l_a.te.h- T have said bo myself, 1 wonder if She will be there?' Sho with a csipi__l fetter! Put wo have never boon introduood when a favourable opportunity occurred, and the thime; is done." "And you feel that your fato is sealed ?"

Antoinette begnn to he intere/sted, lor. thomrh his tone was e.isy and nn"on<*ernerl, there .va.. co-iothinc ..he could not tell what—which seemed to show he was in earnest.

"For totter or for wonae—yes," he said. '1 am sure she is my alter ego. the ono woman in the world for mc: but she may not have the same frying. In fact. I know for certain that sho has not feeling of any sort about mc, and no eon seriousness of erer having met mc before. So my only hope is to see her constantly, and that i.s not so ea.sy as it sounds. For, with the exception of our ho*te__R, we have no mutual friends, that I am aware of, at whose house we might meet.*'

"Oh, yes." Antoinette said hastily. "I "know "Mile. Marny quite well. She is coming to lunch with mc next week."

'Is she?" he said eagerly. "And you .rill ask mc, too? But that » too good of you."

"Not at all. I shall be very phased. Romance, deserves encouragement in those prosaic. days. She is a charminc girl, EHse Marny. J have known her quite a long time. We might so to the Salon afterward... Viscount Pierre do Roneeval is coming, 50 that shall be a partie -earree.*'

Sho rose to go. and extended her hand with a smile of encouragement to hdm.

"Good-bye,'' she said. -'I have an early dinner engagement, and. I must go now. Don't forgot, lunch at two o'clock."

"You haven't given mc your address."

Sho took out a card from a littlo jewelled case and gave it to him. •'2 Boulevard St. Germain," he read. "Thanks. I shall not forget, and I am most thankful."

And as sho went away and his glance followed hor. he said to himself: 'That was a good move of mine. But what strange luck." The littlo lunch party was a decided success. The Viscount was a rising diplomat, indeed one might- say that he was a risen on«. and ho talked even better than usual because he was anxious to please .Mile. Bereny. Elise Marny, who was accustomed to demand and receive admiration with a coolness that is characteristic of tho 'young woman of to-day, accepted Loaurentfs attempts to be agreeable graciously, and they were quite friendly by tho timo they arrived at the Salon.

Antoinette Bereny watched the piogre«j of tho little romanc. with a thrill at her heart that was balf pleasant and yet had a touch of sadness in it. decided to see tho thing through, and later she invited both Eliso and Loauront to dine with her tho following week and go to the theatre afterwards.

It was nice of Loaurcnt, she thought, to manage a call on hor in between tho two, and she received him cordially. Tliey drifted into talk about themselves, and slio learned many interesting thinps concerning him. so that they seemed like old friends, when they parted. The theatre party went -well at tho beginning, for tho fourth man was a steady going, middle-aged member of the Chamber, a widower with pronounced views, and Antoinette monopolised him in order to give tho romance freedom.

Yes, it prcsotly seemed as if something had gone wrong. Elisfc Marny was distinctly initiating tiie widower in tho early stages of the art of flirtation, while Loauront, whose feelinps were no doubt hurt, betrayed a desire to take refuge from her neglect to Antoinette.

It distressed Antoinette very much. Sho was surprised to find that she was fuli of indignant sympathy with Loaurent, for after all love disappointments are very usual occurrences, and that she was actually taking a dislike to Eliso because that fiokio young person bad deserted Loaurent for the widower.

"It is charming of you to take it so well,'' she murmured to Loauront when ho bogged tho privilege of driving home with her, "but of course you mustn't let it become a real quarrel You must insist on seeing Sllle. Marny home."

''But she has already arranged that on" honourable and worthy friend should be her escort. I should not liko to upset her plans." A moment later Mllo. Marny settled the point herself by departing with the widower, and her good-bye to Loaurent was decidedly chilly.

As Antoinette drove with him towards Boulevard St. Germain she was trying to think of appropriate words, wherewith to console this blighted loyer; but she found it difficult, that when thoy had reached the bouse sho had said nothing, and could only endeavour to convey her sympathy by a lingering hand-shake. "May I come in for a moment?" he said. "I havo something important to 6ay to you."

"Poor fellow!*' 6he reflected. "He is wretched, and may be going to do something desperate. I must persuade him to bo calm."

.So she gave a gracious consent,

"I have been looking forward to this evening more than I can say," Loauront bogan. "Will it bore you if I refer to my romance?"

She turned to him with tears of earnestness shining in hor eyes.

"Of course, it will not bore mc," she assured him. "I cannot express to you how sorry I feel, how sincerely I sympathise with you. But I think that Mile. Marny " He interrupted by taking her hand.

"Why should we talk about Mile. Marny." ho said while the smile and the twinkle in his eye transformed hisface. "It is such absolute waste oi time. I would so much rather talk about you, Antoinette." She was so astonished that for a moment she couldn't speak, and he drew her a little nearer to him by the passive hand he held. "I can't wait any longer," he said. "I very nearly told you I loved you that first day on tho balcony, "but I didn't venture, because I was afraid I would lose my chance. It has seemed an eternity since then, and to toll you the truth I was getting so bored with Mile. Marny that I'm afraid I showed i fc " " _ "Antoinette—l have loved you from the first moment I saw you. Don't 6__id mc away." 'But it can't be true. It must be a mistake. Yon told mc " "I to_d you the truth," he said, and took her other hand. "Ami you, with your lack of egotism, decided that my ideal must be Mile. Marny. Antoinette how could it bo anyone but youP Don't you know how delightful you aro? Don't you understand that my life would not be worth living without vou 9 Can't you care a little bit for ine?" She did not answer, for she was still too much ama7,ed, both at him and at herself to be able to speak : hut he read something that encouraged him in her eyes, for he lifted her hands up to his shoulders, and, bending, said softly: "If there is a grain of hope for mo, Antoinette, give .mc one kiss." And Antoinette did.