Part 2 (2/2)

”What? Le Mire! Have you seen her?” cried Harry

”Not on the stage,” I answered; ”but I crossed on the sareat deal of her time She seems to understand perfectly her own artistic li her word for it”

But Harry was no longer interested in the subject of dancing I was besieged on the instant with a thousand questions

Had I known Le Mire long? What was she like? Was it true that Prince Dolansky had shot hi her? Was she beautiful?

Hoell did I know her? Would I take him to see her?

And within half an hour the last question was repeated so many times and with such insistence that I finally consented and left Harry delighted beyond words

My own experience with Desiree Le Mire had been anything but exciting

The wo; there could be no doubt of that; but she possessed little attraction for me Her charms, on close inspection, were really quite too evident

I require subtlety in a woman, and so far as I could discover Le Mire knew not thethe trip across in pleasant companionshi+p; she had done ; and, after all, she was undeniably a pretty woman She had invited me with evident sincerity to call on her in New York; but I had not as yet taken advantage of the invitation

I did not then think, and I do not now believe, that I acted foolishly when I took Harry to see her In any event, he would have seen her sooner or later, and since all temptations meet us at one time or another, it is best to have it out with theave the subject no thought whatever; but if I had I should not have hesitated

We took tea with her the following afternoon in her apartment, and I must confess that I myself was more than a little impressed when I entered I realized then that on the shi+p nothing had been in her favor; she had been coood sailor

Here all was different The stiffly ostentatious hotel rooenius or that of hervery nearly approaching perfection I was amazed at the excellent taste displayed in her furniture and its arrangement, for it was clear that these were no hotel properties Certainly a woman is at her best only when she is able to choose or create her own surroundings

Harry was captivated, and I can scarcely blah I suppose Le Mire was more or less accustomed to immediate surrender

On that day, at least, she had reason to expect it She satisfied the eye, which is saying a great deal and is the highest praise possible for a woth of the word

She was radiant, adorable, irresistible; I had to own that my first impression of her had been far too weak

We talked for an hour Harry had little to say as he sat devouring Le Mire with his eyes, and whenever she turned to him for an answer to a question or confirmation of an opinion he stammered and kept his composure with difficulty Never, I suppose, did woman have clearer evidence of her power, nor sweeter, for Harry was by no means a fool to be carried away by the first pretty face that came in his way

She simply overwhelmed him, and I repeat that I do not wonder at it, for my own pulse was not exactly steady She asked us to dine with her

I pleaded an engagened to Harry to do likewise; but he was coone and paid no attention to ratefully, with frank delight, and I left theether

It was about ten o'clock when he ca him enter the hall, called to him

What a face was his! His lips trelowed like the eyes of a madman I half started from my chair in amazement

”I have no time,” said he in answer to my invitation to join me with a bottle ”I have a letter or two to write, and--and I et some sleep”

”Did you just leave Le Mire?”

”Yes”

I looked at my watch