St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-03-02
A WELLrMATCHED PAIR.


A WELL-MATCHED PAIR.
How Prince Denton and Lady
Constance Were Robbed.
The platform was crowded this sun
nv morning with excursionists and
swell yachtsmen and ladies with golf
sticks.
Two people attracted lot of atten-
tion by their palpable efforts at con-
cealment. He, although the day was
SO hot, was enveloped in long cloak
with collar reaching past his ears,
and his cotton-white hair and mus
tache showed up occasionally in strong
contrast to the deep brown of his face
as he turned to watch the porters at
tacking huge mound Of his belong
ings.
Each box and bag was emblazoned
with an imperial coronet over mono
gram. and they told one another
guardedly and under promises of pro-
found secrecy. ''that was Prince Paul
Demtoff. the owner of the new one
hundred rater now lying off South
ampton-"
She, the lady, was tall and graceful
ly girl like. A neat hat, blue serge
Redfern frock; sunburnt straw hat.
with dark blue ribbon; tiny tanned
boots, a white shirt with a turn-down
collar, and flowing white tie COM
pleted her costume, saving thick gos-
samer veil that completely hid her
face. and but for the whiteness and
purity of her neck it would have
seemed she suffered from some facial
Disagreement. It was evidently de-
sire not to be recognized that led to
the adoption of the yashmak.
She was evidently expecting or
avoiding some friends. Her head
moved with bird-like quickness as
she scanned each new arrival on the
platform. and her slender hand, white
and jewelless, twitched nervously
round the handle of the morocco mono
grained case she carried. Catching
her eye from a distance, he walked to-
ward her with the easy, firm assur-
ance that women like. She saw he
was coming to her and waited calmly
perhaps she breathed more quickly
He raised his soft hat, and with ,
courtly bow said in perfect English,
with the mere scent of accent: Par
don me, you are distressed. Have you
missed your maid? Can / be of any
service to you:"
Now that his hat was off he appeared
a prematurely white-haired man of
forty-tive or City, with q firm face and
voice-a man evidently used to COM
mand.
THANK you, very much" came in a
soft. sibilant voice from beneath the
thick gossamer. Il have not quite
lost my maid, but my portmanteau
am afraid it is under that pile of lug
gage, and''-with q little shrug-"Fm
afraid that pile Of luggage is yours"
THAT is mine. madame. l will get
your bag at once. May I ask where
you are going? To Southampton, and
it is OF the highest Importance that
you should not miss this train? Par
don, do not trouble. i will see that
all is arranged"
A few words to the guard, rapid
passage of backsheesh and the missing
bag, with a dainty monogram and
small crest, was placed carefully on
the rack of the first-class carriage by
which the veiled lady was standing.
With the coolness that seemed part
of his nature, the Russian indicated to
q porter a small hamper, and had 1T
placed in the same compartment
There must have been some collusion
and lavish tip, for though the train
was crowded, the guard. after the i'm
perceptible manner of his kind. kept
that carriage empty until the train
started and thcy found themselves
alone, securely locked in.
A sudden start ran through her
slender frame. She paused and asked
quickly: .'Do you know when the next
train leaves Waterloo for Southamp-
ton?'
He was desolated. OF course she
missed her maid, but he was afraid
1T for some hours.
Madame is glad? Madame is afraid
of being followed?"
"Yes, madame is glad. She does not
wish to be taken back and forced into
. hateful marriage" blushing prettily.
The old, old story stern father.
elderly lover, titled, rich. but horrid.
No mother, sister. no brother. She was
flying from bondage to her aunt, Lady
Azuregore, in Guernsey.
Yes, she was Lady Constance Azure
1ore. Had he really met her at the
duchess of Arlington's dance? She
thought she knew his face. That was
why She trusted him SO implicitly on
the platform. of course. But if she
was vci.ed. Why was he so shrouded
in q big cloak? Come, now" anxious.
", "a lady? An elopement?"
No. no, and again no. Nothing sc
;ovous. He was Prince Paul Demtoff
and had fallen between two stools
had incurred the enmity of the i'm
nerial court through connecting will
the n;hilists. That meant the Alexief
.kv Ravelia or the fortress OF Pete,
nd Paul in st. Petersburg. and. OF
,be other hand, finding the party o
rropress,, going too far, he was threat
ened with death for deserting the rex
Gag. ~.
.You must pardon me, prince. bu
seem in trouble together" and sh'
i.nrhed merrily. "Do You know hal
shcnpht yoa were = detective?"
Nv this time he had returned 20 M
hamper and produced defy : tabie
-lcth. plates, knives. forks and servl
e.ses. small bottle OF Chateau Mouto'
p.sthschild and . dainty cold chicken
s1,eir mutual contesslous h9d iessene'
enlarssssnest ea3 n sAds, sfss