ly cleared a
large table for the reception of the viands.

Gaston did nothing, but talked continually.

"And now I must tell you the joke of the day. Henri de Croisenois, one
of my dearest friends, has absolutely launched a Company."

Andre nearly let fall a bottle, which he was about to place upon the
table.

"Who told you this?" asked he quickly.

"Who told me? Why, a great big flaming poster. Tafila Copper Mines;
capital, four millions. And my esteemed friend, Henri, has not a
five-franc piece to keep the devil out of his pocket."

The face of the young artist expressed such blank surprise that Gaston
burst into a loud laugh.

"You look just as I did when I read it. Henri de Croisenois, the
chairman of a Company! Why, if you had been elected Pope, I should not
have been more surprised. Tafila Copper Mines! What a joke! The shares
are five hundred francs."

The waiters had now retired, and Gaston urged his friends to take their
places at the table, and all seemed merry as a marriage bell; but many a
gay commencement has a stormy ending.

Gaston, whose shallow brain could not stand the copious draughts of wine
with which he washed down his repast, began all at once to overwhelm
Zora with bitter reproaches at her not being able to comprehend how a
man like him, who was destined to play a serious part in society, could
have been led away, as he had been, by a person like her.

Gaston had a tongue which was never at a loss either to praise or blame,
and Zora was equally ready to retort, and defended herself with such
acrimony that the lad, knowing himself to be in fault, entirely lost the
small remnant of temper which he still possessed, and dashed out of the
room, declaring that he never wished to set eyes upon Zora again, and
that she might keep all the presents that he had lavished upon her for
all he cared.

His departure was hailed with delight by Andre, who, now that he was
left alone with Zora, hoped to derive some further information from her,
and especially a distinct description of Paul, whom he felt that he
must now reckon among his adversaries. But his hopes were destined to
be frustrated, for Zora was so filled with anger and excitement that she
refused to listen to another word; and putting on her hat and mantle,
with scarcely a glance at the mirror, rushed out of the studio with
the utmost speed, declaring that she would seek out Paul, and make him
revenge the insults that Gaston had put on he