Part 6 (2/2)
Is it necessary for me to explain , I was disinclined to leave Harry in a position where he was so abundantly unable to take care of himself For another, I take amusement wherever it offers itself, and I was aries and caprices of a beautiful wo, and when you are allowed to study the the part of a faithful lover they becoed Harry onderful tact and finesse; I sat back and laughed at the perforination seemed likely to run aith us
At San Francisco she achieved a triumph, notorious to the point of embarrassment Paul Lahest circle of society, and in turn had introduced his friends, Senor and Senora Raht at a reception and ball on Telegraph Hill
The day following there were several dozens of cards left for her at our hotel; invitations arrived by the score She accepted two or three and -rooms; then suddenly tired of the sport and insulted a most estimable lady, our hostess, by certain remarks which inadvertently reached the ears of the lady's husband
”You have done for yourself, Le Mire,” I told her
She answered htway proceeded to issue invitations for an ”entertainave the thing no thought, feeling certain that few, or none, of the invitations would be accepted--wherein I was badly mistaken, for not one was refused
Well, Le Mire danced for the; I have passed the inner portals of the sacred temples of India, and the huood people of San Francisco were shocked, astonished, and entranced Not a man in the room but was Le Mire's slave; even the women were forced to applaud She became at once a Goddess and an outcast
The newspapers of the following y, admiration, and wonder And one of the articles, evidently written by a man who had been considerably farther east than San Francisco, ended with the following paragraph:
In short, it was subliesture there was a soestion of a personality and mysterious charm that we have always heretofore considered the exclusive property of just one woman in the world But Desiree Le Mire is not in San Francisco; though we declare that the perforh to rouse certain suspicions, especially in view of Le Mire's mysterious disappearance from New York
I took the paper to Desiree in her roo idly froone for a walk, saying that he would return in half an hour to join us at breakfast
”Well?” said Desiree when she had finished
”But it is not well,” I retorted, turning to face her ”I do not reproach you; you are being amused, and so, I confess, am I But your name--that is, Le Mire--has been mentioned, and discovery is sure to follow We must leave San Francisco at once”
”But I find it entertaining”
”Nevertheless, we must leave”
”But if I choose to stay?”
”No; for Harry would stay with you”
”Well, then--I won't go”
”Le Mire, you will go?”
She sent lance, and for ato think better of it, she s into the ocean, and I refuse to return Where?”
”Then we'll take the ocean”
She looked up questioningly, and I continued:
”What would you say to a yacht--a hundred and twenty foot steamer, with a daredevil captain and the coziest little cabins in the world?”