venty-two francs."

He replied: "But I have no ready money."

She raised her eyes to his--eyes full of supplication.

"I have thought of that, my darling, and if you love me a little, you
will let me lend it to you."

He replied abruptly, almost harshly: "No, indeed."

She whispered imploringly: "Listen, there is something you can do
without borrowing money. I intended buying ten thousand francs' worth
of the stock; instead, I will take twenty thousand and you can have
half. There will be nothing to pay at once. If it succeeds, we will
make seventy thousand francs; if not, you will owe me ten thousand
which you can repay at your pleasure."

He said again: "No, I do not like those combinations."

She tried to persuade him by telling him that she advanced
nothing--that the payments were made by Walter's bank. She pointed out
to him that he had led the political campaign in "La Vie Francaise,"
and that he would be very simple not to profit by the results he had
helped to bring about. As he still hesitated, she added: "It is in
reality Walter who will advance the money, and you have done enough for
him to offset that sum."

"Very well," said he, "I will do it. If we lose I will pay you back ten
thousand francs."

She was so delighted that she rose, took his head between her hands,
and kissed him. At first he did not repulse her, but when she grew more
lavish with her caresses, he said:

"Come, that will do."

She gazed at him sadly. "Oh, Georges, I can no longer even embrace you."

"No, not to-day. I have a headache."

She reseated herself with docility at his feet and asked:

"Will you dine with us to-morrow? It would give me such pleasure,"

He hesitated at first, but dared not refuse.

"Yes, certainly."

"Thank you, dearest." She rubbed her cheek against the young man's
vest; as she did so, one of her long black hairs caught on a button;
she twisted it tightly around, then she twisted another around another
button and so on. When he rose, he would tear them out of her head, and
would carry away with him unwittingly a lock of her hair. It would be
an invisible bond between them. Involuntarily he would think, would
dream of her; he would love her a little more the next day.

Suddenly he said: "I must leave you, for I am expected at the Chamber
for the close of the session. I cannot be absent to-day."

She sighed: "Already!" Then adding resignedly: "Go, my darling, but you
will come to dinner tomorro