Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-20
GOOD LUCK.

These things befell Mt the Hotel de la
Grande Coucorde ut Nice They tend to
show on what slender thread OF chance
Is sometimes suspended the mysterious bar
rier which to poor humanity makes "all the
differencen-ev the difference between life
and death.
The table d'hote breakfast in the great
sale was nearly over. The guests had most
ly risen, some TO saunter in the pleasant
grounds, others to go to their rooms to make
preparations for expeditions farther atield,
all alike more or less bent on draining to
the dregs the cup Of pleasure which in Nice
is always bubblingto the brim. But at the
end of the long table two groups, sitting
near each other and similarly composed,
yet having no connection, still fingered over
the grapes and peaches. .
The tall, dark man deep in conversation
with Mrs. Nanhuysen, the pretty American
widow, was Prince Demetrius Spanboff, a
Russian official high in favor with the car,
who, having worked hard for II months Of
the year at swelling the chain gangs to 81
IBERIA, was spending the twelfth as a holiday
in the sunny south. Athome in st. Peters
burg the prince was n silent enigma, carry
ing dread in his frown and his smile alike,
Here in the Riviera he was a chattering
schoolboy, dividing his time pretty equally
between the Casino at Monte Carlo and the
Offering of perfectly harmless homage to
the fair American.
1t was the last day of his holiday, and the
chance acquaintance which had been so
pleasant for the last few weeks was to come
20 an end that afternoon with the princes
departure northward by tho rapide. The
lady must have been persuading him TO
prolong his stay despite the call of duty,
for as she rose and swept gracefully toward
one Of the open French windows she said
in a voice loud enough to reach the other
group:
"Only n week; 10 is such short time,
You have been so kind and good am sure
you could spare me that"
The prince rose also, and following with
his hand on his heart made answer:
MADAME, you ask what is impossible
and what gives me pain the most ex-
quisite to refuse Would that | could re-
main, but my time is up, and his majesty
has need of me-"
II want you a good deal more than the
car does" said Mrs. Nanhuysen. Come
into the garden, prince. Unjust see if can't
upset your determination"
The moment she had stepped through the
window with SpandoiT In attendance the
other pair Of lingerers raised their eyes to
each other. OF this couple the man was
also tall and distinguished, but he was very
fair, and his accent suggested a German Or
igin. The lady's ancestry may have been
Austro-Polish, but she lived in the present,
and for the present she was entirely cosmo-
politan. She was Of singularly pale com
plexion and had large, quietly contempla-
tive eyes
When Mrs. Vanhuysen was not present,
the men staying in the hotel voted her at
tractive, but the women shrugged their
shoulders. The man was known as Baron
Kolnitz, the lady as Nine. Mosenthal, and
they were supposed to be brother and sis
ter As a matter Of fact they were not re-
lated, and theS names were quite different
but that has nothing to do with the story.
They gazed long and earnestly. Theman
was the first 20 break silence.
ut will upset all our plans If she does
prevail on him TO stay" he said in the gut
teral accents Of his race. "Who can say
what a woman win dor She may put her
soul into the job, now mt the last moment,
and disorganize everything. Our mission
would then have TO be attempted in this
crowded hotel If we are TO give him his
quietus by the 18th"
1.-THE date matters little, fancy, so long
as he never sees St. Petersburg again." said
Nine. Mosenthal
The baron shrugged his shoulders.
You make no allowance for my feel
fngs," he replied. Il have planned every
thing to nicely; have spent 500 francs in
squaring the guard of the rapide, Francois
Petre, to do our bidding; our own escape is
arranged with certainty, and yet you ask
TO view the overthrow Of our plans with
complaisancen
ut will be time enough to grumble when
cause arises, " returned the lady. "For my
self, do not anticipate any change in the
programme Would it not be well to re-
capitulate the chief points in it, now that
we have the opportunity" she added,
glancing round the room, which was de
serted save for the presence Of the head
waiter, busy at a distant buffet and well
out OF earshot.
kolnitz satisfied himself with a stealthy
glance in the same direction and proceeded
10 enumerate his points with the gusto OF
an artist well pleased with his own design
''The train by which the prince Is to trav.
ell" he whispered. "leaves here at $3.50 thi.
afternoon. We also travel by that train
but at first not together. We arrive early
at the station and take our tickets to Paris
but we do not know each other-you and /
When the train comes In. proceed to any
apartment may select-full or empty, al
the same, it does not matter which But
on you at this stage everything depends
Till the moment Of departure you remain
in the waiting room. Then. as if distracted
at the thought Of losing your train, yot
rush on to the platform.
Francois Petre, the guard. already
squared with my so francs, is on the lool
out. lie bundles you with many apologies
into the coupe reserved for our good friend
the prince. Spando1 win recognize you a
fellow guest at his hoteL and as you AR
pretty when-pardon me-Mme. Nanhuy