sterner
built at fabulous cost, the great house that had been recently given for
an institute of art, and the homes of two or three of the railroad
kings.

Patrons of Montiverte began to saunter in by twos and threes. Some of
these the girls knew, and saluted familiarly; others were strangers, and
ignored, and made to feel as uncomfortable as possible. Julia's beauty
was always the object of notice, and she loved to appear entirely
unconscious of it, to sparkle and chatter as if no eyes were upon her.
Emeline came in, with one or two older women, and Julia looked up from a
great bowl of soup to nod to her.

"Sign up?" asked Emeline languidly. And two or three strangers,
obviously impressed by the term, waited for the answer.

"Oh, I guess I'll do it to please Artheris!" Julia said. The girl was
fairly aglow to-night, palpitating and thrilling with youth and the joy
of life. Everything distracted her--everything amused her--yet now and
then she found a quiet moment in which to take out her little memories
of the afternoon, and to review them with a curiously palpitating heart.

"If you like me and I like you ... I want to talk about you ... do you
know you're absolutely fascinating? ... you're going to kiss me for
that! ..." She could still hear his voice, feel his arm about her.

Somebody producing free seats for the Alcazar Theatre, Julia allowed
herself to drift along with the crowd. They were late for the
performance, but nobody cared; they had all seen it before, and after
commenting on it in a way that somewhat annoyed their neighbours,
straggled out, in the beginning of the last act, giggling and chewing
gum. Julia, raising bewildered, sweet, childish eyes to the stars above
noisy O'Farrell Street, was brought suddenly to earth by a touch on her
arm.

It was a dark, tall young man who stepped out of a shadowy doorway to
address her, a man of twenty, perhaps, with all the ripe and sensuous
beauty of the young Jew. His skin was a clear olive, his magnificent
black eyes were set off with evenly curling lashes, and his firm mouth,
under its faint moustache, made a touch of scarlet colour among the rich
brunette tones. He was dressed with a scrupulous niceness, and carried a
long light overcoat on his arm.

"Julia!" he said sombrely, coming forward, his eyes only for her.

"Why, hello, Mark!" Julia answered. And with a little concern creeping
into her manner she went on, "Why, what is it?"

Young Rosenthal g