The Sunday herald., 1886-09-12

mirage whispering Of Corsica's snow noun
tains and fateful memories, palms waving
great fans overhead, and parting dusky
fronds TO glimpses Of sapphire sky, and
showers Of golden light. "Like visiop,"
Rotha said; and she was right. Inits beauty,
and deception, IL was and is as dream
and-an swakingi Bitter enough 10 some
Is the lifting Of that trance like sleep.
From the palms, the shy, the amber glow,
Rotha's winged fancy dropped suddenly Into
the reality Of finding Rpdney in,todutihg 10
her brawny Highlander, who was blending
congratulations with discreet curiosity, In
Caledonian fashion.
"The MacPherson''-a being at the head
Of his clan, lie with pardouable vanity af-
fected 10 be styled-twas a sandy, ,hairgi,
elderly man, with kind blue eyes His
rather ponderous gallantries amused Rotlia,
but the unmistakable interest he displayed
! in her as his cousins bride won upon her,
as her bright face and manner attracted
him. Strolllng leisurely forward, he soon
learned the young couples experiences and
rojects-Rodney's mission TO Monaco-his
belief, from information gathered, that the
dinner hour was the time most likely for
finding Monsieur Duval at home; and
Rotha's rejection Of his proposal that she
should remain at Nice, whittier, II success
tended returning that night.
III wouldn't have missed coming for any
thipgi" Rotha protested, flushing with
pretty triumph. "Faucy being at Nice and
not seeing Monte Carlo-dear, delightful,
wicked place I"
"Awesl, then, while your gudsmon's .
speirin' an pokin' for this Duval, we'll just
TAX lulk round, you an nfs, at the beau;
ties o. nature odtsids, an the puir nuttstin'
moths o'fuil bodies within that spiders web
o. the evil ones own spinnin'. An ne'er
fash yerself aboot the wee wife, Rodney;
well neither waste the bawbees, nor max q
muuelicht fittin' to the Bonnie Elaine. +"
So, with dry humor, spske The Mscpherson.
Il was good arrangement, placing Rotha
Ia safe keeping, yet leaving Rodney's move.
tnents free. He laughingly departed, though
Rotha's wistful glances followed him with
girlish transparency. Quickly, however,
attention and imag were both dis.
tracted and enohained. The cleaning mar
BILE palace rose before her like childhood q
fairy tales embodied. uniting the strange
silence Of enchanted sleep with the magnia-
cenos, oolOringx, aud radiant brilliaucy OF
Aladjin's halls. The spells Of the place
held her forcibly. The oppressive stiffness,
broken only by ominous, fate filled cries, the
blankly apathetio faces, the social differ.
|
crowd, held her senses In the mute repres-
sion OF concentrated intensity. Time
seemed auuihilsted, space focused, sensa.
tion condensed to diamond. .point.
Once again In the open air, she drew her
hand across her eyes, as though brushing
from her brain some fsver image.
ut was dreadfuli" she said, shddiering
"irsadful. But" dreamily, ~ understaud
now the fascination Of which one hears and
reads"
Meanwhile little scene passed between
the bearded Englishman and his small
French wife.
Something in her husbands expression
arrested Madams's attention as MACPHERSON
followed the young couple.
"It is true, is Il not, that you also know
those twoY" she questioned, with flick o.
her Hnger toward the Chesters.
"fIim," was the laconic answer. "and, '
savagely, "hater him. Plague him, how
lste that fellowi''
"fi done, mon ami I" aud Madame tapped
his arm lightly with her daintily gloved
haui. "Ob, you English; how you are drole
with your hate and your 'hate'-so coars,
ST bcte. We have more foi,tesse. We SAT
smply, we do not lofe.''
"rhen too will mot lofe, " hs returned
impatiently. MAY, I will 'lofe.'" mock
ingly, .dearly closely His wife shall be
your bosom friend, Marie
ellis wife, Mark i'' interrogatively.
"Bah! YES. The marriage was in the
Times. We will cherish-follow them de-
votedlyl in shallow, you openly, and II
will go hard if" but here ensued g
whispered colloquy, 10 which subsequent
events alone supplied the key.
Rodney returned too late for Monte Carlo Il
be quilted that night. He had found the lair
but not the wolf. Nor did several ensuing
days bring him more success. Yet they
were halcyon days to him aud Rotha, flled
with explorations Of the queer old city, in
laid excursions, wanderings about that ter
raced, flower freightsd Paradise, with its
gay crowds and gayer music, and, for Rotha
when she could induce The MauPherson
TO take her, the strange attraction of those
silent halls, where veiled vice, open misery,
doubtful triumph, aud uudOubted ruin
shifted TO aud fro as in a ghastly kal-idO
scope.
Daily the fascination grew upon her, ex-
citing an Influence whose power, mex.
plicabls to herself, was incommunicabls
as Invisible to others. Rodney, true to his
self distrustful resolution, fleeing the shadow
of temptation, refused to enter the gaming
saloons even as n spectator. For Rotha 1t
seemed different. The scene amused her
aud though 10 MACPHERSON II was old and
stale enough, he found in studying her
young, fresh, and innocent-the charm she
felt in watching others. Not to plea'e her,
or, far more, to save from destruction the
Bonnie Elaine-his bride, his darling, his
hearts cors--would the canny ScOtohmau
have staked sixpence.
Another Of Rotha's pleasures was the ac
quaintancs of Frenchwomsn, who, since
her arrival at Monte Carlo, had regularly
occupied the seat next Rotha at dinner
chatted with her in the drawing room, and
bsgpilsd with friendly arti6ces the tediun
cf Rodney's involuntary absence. Who sc
unassumingly entertaining, helpful, kind
as Madame D'Armetf She, too, poor thing
} waiting in lonely patience for the constantly
delayed return OF husband detained IL
Paris by diplomacy 3 red -tapeism
With such companionship, how could
Rotha debar Rodney from the delight o
spending an occasional hour aboard th'
Bonnie Elainef Roths was no sailor, ant
; nothing short Of necessity induced her Il
quit dry laud.
"Aftsr that horrible channel, tool" sh'
said reproaclfully, one day when Rodney
upon the principle "practics makes perfect,
was trying TO persuade her to accept Mao
Pherson's proposal Of a long days cruising
expedition. "No, Rodney; not even for yor
would brave that lovely siren sea. Bu
} you she has bewitched, enchanted. Go
then; Madame D'Armst will take care of me
Only, only. oema back soon I"
Should he gof Rodney debated, as III
hurried toward Monaco for another effort q
unearthing Duval. To tho enticiug charm
Of yachting this expedition added that o
Climpses at scenes and shores whose inter
est was TO him very great. Rotha was
willing, safe, content. II would be but
few hours separation. Leaving Nice earl.
In the morning, they would be back b!
nightfall. Well, chance sbould decide.
, hs found Duval, aud succeeded in his EN-
bsssy, he would go. Not otherwise.
He did succeed. Duval this time misse'
, evading him by two minutes. Making vir
! tue Of necessity, he paid the larger portion
of his debt, aud Rodney returned possesse
Of notes valuing e200.
: What to do with them was now his puzzle
: Business hours were over-banks closed
P When they reOpened in the morning h