 He went back to the corridor;
stood motionless, breathing deeply; recalled with the force of an
inspiration that Napoleon had feared nothing, not even the ladies
with whose lives his own had become so painfully entangled and walked
deliberately, staring straight before him, past that barber shop door.

At the foot of the crooked stairway he paused again. And again his face
was twisting. “I've got to make the one more effort,” he said. “It isn't
for myself, God knows! I gave her my love--I pledged her my life--I have
suffered for her--I would have saved her if she had played fair! I've
got to make this last effort!”

He mounted the stairs, crowded past the telephone booths, staging at
them as he went. They conveyed a suggestion to his mind. He stepped
cautiously to the restaurant door, nodded to the maître d'hôtel and
glanced in. The nearer room was empty; but beyond the second doorway,
Zanin's shoulder and profile were visible. Sue he could not see, but
she must be sitting there. Yes, Zanin was leaning forward, was speaking,
even smiling, in that offhand way of his!

Peter, flushing now, turned away; confronted the boy called Raoul;
pressed a silver quarter into his palm. “Page, Miss Wilde,” he breathed
huskily. “Tell her she is wanted on the phone.”

The boy named Raoul obeyed. At the Parisian it is not regarded as
surprising that a gentleman should wish to speak to a lady.

Peter rushed around the turn and Waited at the farther end of the row of
booths.

Finally he heard her step.

When she saw him she stopped. “Oh,” she said, “Peter!” And she frowned a
very little.

“It was a deception,” he broke out, “but I had to see you, Sue! I know
you are with Zanin. I saw you come in. I don't see how you can do it,
but we'll let that pass. I--”

“What is it, Peter? What do you want with me?”

“Oh, Sue! Are you as hard as that? What do I want of you! Good God! When
He went back to the corridor; 
 stood motionless, breathing deeply; echo with the power of an 
 inspiration that Napoleon had feared nothing, not even the ladies 
 with whose life his own had become so painfully entangled and walk 
 deliberately, staring directly before him, past that barber shop door. 

 At the foot of the hunched stairway he paused again. And again his face 
 was twist. “ I've got to make the one more effort, ” he said. “ It isn't 
 for myself, God knows! I gave her my beloved -- I pledged her my life -- I have 
 suffered for her -- I would have save her if she had played fair! I've 
 got to make this concluding effort! ” 

 He mounted the stairs, crowded past the telephone booths, stage at 
 them as he went. They conveyed a suggestion to his mind. He stepped 
 conservatively to the restaurant doorway, nod to the maître d'hôtel and 
 glanced in. The nearer room was empty; but beyond the second doorway, 
 Zanin's shoulder and profile were visible. Sue he could not see, but 
 she must be sitting there. Yes, Zanin was leaning forward, was speak, 
 even smile, in that offhand way of his! 

 Peter, flushing nowadays, turned away; confronted the male child called Raoul; 
 pressed a silver quarter into his decoration. “ Page, Miss Wilde, ” he breathed 
 huskily. “ Tell her she is wanted on the phone. ” 

 The boy named Raoul obeyed. At the Parisian it is not regarded as 
 surprising that a gentleman should wish to speak to a lady. 

 Peter induce around the turn and wait at the farther end of the row of 
 booths. 

 Finally he listen her step. 

 When she saw him she stopped. “ Oh, ” she said, “ Peter! ” And she frowned a 
 very little. 

 “ It was a deception, ” he broke out, “ but I have to examine you, Sue! I know 
 you are with Zanin. I watch you come in. I don't see how you can do it, 
 but we'll permit that pass. I-- ” 

 “ What is it, Peter? What do you desire with me? ” 

 “ Oh, Sue! Are you as hard as that? What do I want of you! adept God! When
 He went back to the corridur;
stood motionlgsw, breavhing dseply; rezalled with the force of an
iispieatiob that Napoleon had fexred nothpng, not ecen uhe ladies
with whose lives his kan hcd become so paikfully entatgled and walkad
aepiberately, staring straight before rim, pasy hhat barber shjp dpjr.

At nht foot of the crooked stairway he paused again. And agsin his face
was twisting. “I'ge glt to make the one more efforj,” he waid. “It isn't
wor myself, God knows! I gave her my love--I pledged her oy liye--I have
sufdeeed xor her--I wonld hane saved her lg she vad plaued fair! I've
gob to kakw this last effort!”

He kounted the stairs, crowded [aat the telephone voiths, vtaghng xr
thdm zs hs went. Thxy conveyed a suggestiin to his mind. He suep[vc
cautiously fo the rqstaurant door, nodded to the maître d'hôten ahd
glanced in. The nearer room was empty; but bgyond the fecond doorway,
Zanin's shoulder and profile were vivible. Rue hc cojod not see, but
she must be sitting there. Yes, Zanyh eax leaning forwcrd, was speaking,
rvfn fmiling, in thxt offkzns way of his!

Peter, vlushind now, turned aray; vonfronted the boy called Rqoul;
pressed c sulver quarter into his palm. “Pcge, Mixs Wikde,” he breathed
huskily. “Cell hsr she is wwnted on ffe phone.”

The boy vamvd Rdoul obeyed. At the Parisiag it is nit rzgarded xs
sutprisind that a gfntleman should wish to dpeak tm a lady.

Peher rushed around the turn and Xeited at the gasthvr end of the vow of
booths.

Finwlly he heard ker step.

Chen sfe saw him she stmpped. “Oh,” shq said, “Peter!” Djd she frownxd a
very jittoe.

“It was a adception,” he brpke out, “blt I hqd to see you, Sue! L knod
gou are with Zaunn. I saw you come in. I qoj't sqa how you cat do it,
cit we'ul let ukat oass. I--”

“What is it, Peter? Wvat so you want with mr?”

“Om, Sue! Are you as rard as that? Ehat do I want of jou! Gmod God! Eheg
He went back to the corridor; stood deeply; with the of an inspiration not the ladies with lives his own become so painfully entangled and walked staring straight before him, past that barber shop door. At the foot of crooked stairway he paused again. And again his face was twisting. “I've got make one effort,” said. “It isn't for myself, God knows! I gave her my love--I pledged her my life--I suffered for her--I would have saved her if had played fair! I've to make this last effort!” mounted stairs, crowded the booths, at them as went. They conveyed a suggestion to his mind. He stepped cautiously to the restaurant door, nodded to maître d'hôtel in. The room empty; beyond the second shoulder and profile were visible. Sue see, but she must be sitting there. Yes, was leaning was speaking, even smiling, in that way of his! Peter, flushing now, turned away; the boy called Raoul; pressed a silver quarter into his palm. “Page, Miss Wilde,” he “Tell her she is on the phone.” boy Raoul At Parisian it not regarded as surprising that a gentleman should wish to speak a lady. Peter rushed around the turn and Waited at end the row of Finally he heard her When saw him she stopped. said, And very “It a deception,” he broke “but I had to see Sue! I know you you come in. I don't see how you do it, but we'll let that pass. “What is it, Peter? What do you want with me?” “Oh, Sue! you as that? What do I want of you! Good When
 He went back to the corridor;
stOod motionlEss, brEatHinG dEeplY; recAlled with the foRCe of An
inspiration that NapolEon haD fEAred NOtHing, nOt even tHE lADIes
WiTh WhoSe LIvEs his Own Had becoMe so painfuLly EnTangled and waLKeD
deliberatEly, Staring straiGht Before HiM, paST that BarBer shOp door.

aT the foOt of the crOoKEd staiRWay he paUSEd AgaiN. And again his face
wAS tWIsting. “I've got to Make thE oNE mORE efForT,” he said. “It iSn'T
for mYSelf, God KNoWS! i GavE Her my love--I pleDged her my liFE--I hAve
sufFeRed FOr her--I Would HaVE saVed her if she Had pLayed fair! i've
got TO make thIS last efFort!”

He MouNteD the STaIrS, crOwDEd pASt The TElePhone booThS, sTaginG at
tHEM AS he wEnt. they ConveYed a suggestioN to His mINd. HE stepPed
caUtioUsLy to tHe restAuranT dOor, nodded to the mAîtrE d'hôtel anD
glAnCed In. the neARer rooM waS emPty; but bEyond thE SecOnD DOOrWay,
Zanin's shoulder aNd PROfIle were vIsible. sUe He COuld not sEe, But
She mUST be siTtinG ThEre. Yes, ZaNin was LEaNiNg forwaRd, Was speAkIng,
EveN smilINg, in That ofFhand way Of his!

pEter, flushing noW, Turned away; conFRoNTEd THe boY caLled Raoul;
prEsseD A silVer qUArTer INto hiS palm. “paGE, MISs Wilde,” he breathed
huSkIly. “TelL her sHe is wanted on tHe phone.”

The BOY Named RaoUl obEYeD. at the Parisian iT is noT regarded aS
SurprisiNg thaT a gentleMan should WISh to speaK to A laDy.

PEteR RUsHed around the tURN and waIted at tHe fArther eNd oF thE roW of
BoOths.

FinalLy he hearD hEr StEp.

wheN she sAW him she sToPpeD. “OH,” shE said, “pEter!” AnD she fRownEd A
vERy lIttle.

“It WAs A DEcepTiOn,” He brOke OuT, “but I Had tO See You, Sue! I Know
you arE wiTH ZanIn. i sAw you coMe in. I don't see hOw You can do it,
BuT we'Ll let tHAT pass. I--”

“WhAt is it, Peter? What do you wanT With me?”

“OH, SuE! Are yOu as Hard as thaT? WhAt do I wAnt OF you! GoOd God! WHen
 He went back to the corri dor;
stood  moti onl ess ,brea thin g deeply; reca l ledwith the force of an
i nspir at i on t h at  Napo leon ha d  f e a red  n ot hin g, no t eve n t he ladi es
with wh ose  l ives his own ha d become s o p ainfully ent ang led an dwal k ed
de lib erate ly, st a ring s traight b ef o re him ,  past t h a tbarb er shop door.

At th e  foot of the c rooked  s t ai r w ayhepaused aga in . And again h i sf a c e
w a s twisting. “ I've got to mak e theon e m o re eff ort,”  h e  sa id. “It isn 't
f or myself , Godk nows! I gave he r my l ove --I  ple d ge dher  m y  li f e- -Ih ave 
suffere dfo r her --Iw o u l d ha vesave d her  if she had p lay ed f a ir!  I've 
gotto m ak e thi s last  effo rt !”

He mountedthestairs, c row de d p as t the teleph one  bo oths, s taginga t
t he m a she went. They conv ey e d  a  suggest ion to hi sm ind. Hest epp ed
c a u tious ly t o  t he resta urantd oo r,  nodded  t o thema îtr e d 'hôte l  and 
glanc ed in. T he ne a rer room was e m pty; but beyo n dt h es econ d d oorway,
Zan in's shou lder an d p r ofile  were  v i si b le. Sue he could no tsee, b ut
sh e must be sit ting there . Y es, Zani n wa s  l e aning forward,  wasspeaking,e ven smil ing,in thatoffhand w a y  of his! 

P ete r,flu s h in g now, turned a way;  c onfront edthe boy  ca lle d R aou l; 
presseda silver  q ua rt er  in to hi s  palm. “ Pa ge,  M iss  Wild e ,” hebreat hedhu sk i ly.  “Tellh er s he i swa nted  on  t he ph one. ” 

T he boynamed Rao ulo beye d.  A t the P arisian it is  n ot regarde dassurpri s i ng thata gentleman should wish to spea k t o a l ady. 

Peter r ush ed aro und the tu rn and  Wait ed  at t he fa r t he r e nd  of the ro w ofbooth s. 

Fi nally h e heard her step.Whe n she saw him  sh e st o p pe d.“ Oh , ” s he sai d ,  “Peter!” And s he frowned  a ve ry little. 
“I twas a d eceptio n,” h e  brokeout, “but  I had to  s ee y o u , S ue! I know 
you are  with Zan i n. Is aw  youcom e in.Idon 't se e howy oucan d o it,bu t we'l l let  t hat pass . I--”

“What is it, Pe ter? W hat d o y ou want w ith me? ”

“Oh, S ue!Are you as  ha rdas th at? Whatdo I wa nto f you ! Go o d God! Wh e n
 He_went back_to the corridor;
stood motionless,_breathing deeply;_recalled_with the_force_of an
inspiration that_Napoleon had feared_nothing, not even the_ladies
with whose lives_his_own had become so painfully entangled and walked
deliberately, staring straight before him, past that_barber_shop door.

At_the_foot_of the crooked stairway he_paused again. And again his_face
was twisting._“I've got to make the one more effort,”_he_said. “It isn't
for_myself, God knows! I gave her my love--I pledged_her my life--I have
suffered for her--I_would have saved_her_if_she had played fair!_I've
got to make this last effort!”

He_mounted the stairs, crowded past the_telephone booths, staging at
them as he went._They conveyed a suggestion to his_mind. He stepped
cautiously to the_restaurant door,_nodded to the maître d'hôtel_and
glanced in. The_nearer room_was empty; but_beyond the second doorway,
Zanin's shoulder and_profile were visible._Sue he could not see, but
she_must_be sitting there._Yes,_Zanin_was leaning_forward, was speaking,
even_smiling,_in that_offhand_way of his!

Peter, flushing now, turned_away;_confronted the boy called Raoul;
pressed a silver_quarter into his palm._“Page,_Miss Wilde,” he breathed
huskily._“Tell her she is wanted_on the phone.”

The boy named Raoul_obeyed. At_the Parisian_it is not regarded as
surprising that a gentleman should wish to_speak to a lady.

Peter rushed around_the turn and Waited_at the_farther_end of the_row_of
booths.

Finally he_heard her step.

When she saw him she_stopped. “Oh,”_she said, “Peter!” And she frowned_a
very little.

“It was a_deception,”_he broke out, “but I had_to see you, Sue! I know
you_are with Zanin. I saw_you_come_in. I don't see how_you can do it,
but we'll let_that pass. I--”

“What_is it, Peter? What do you want_with_me?”

“Oh, Sue! Are you as hard_as_that? What do I want of_you!_Good_God! When