Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-12-10
FORTUNES WHEEL.

FORTUNES WHEEL.
Count Adrien MaoTrevor, notwithstand-
ing his Scotch name was a Frenchman
and Partisan at that In the face of aris
tocratic prejudices, his grandfather had
made fortune in the iron industry,
Adrien father had continued the business
and had been able to leave to his son an
enormous fortune, together with a spotless
escutcheon.
The count had passed the first years of
his life in the pursuit of pleasure, but
now he had decided to marry. Desirable
matches were not lacking, but courage
was "Women are such enigmas, he
argued ''that one can never tell how the
affair will turn out. !"
He was too intelligent to want a simple
ton and too honorable to want Il coquette.
The time for romance was over with him,
and he desired to make his married life a
charming reality TO sit opposite him at
his firesido he pictured a gentle companion,
refined and sincere, with enough elegance
to make his home brilliant and enough
culture to make it respected He asked II
great deal, it is true, but as fate had ever
kindly smiled upon him he still relied
upon her. This degenerate Partisan, while
not believing in women, still believed in
a woman Beneath the surface OF the so
cial sea- swarming with its life of all
kinds, he knew there were pearls waiting
to be discovered
All winter long Adrien had waltzed
with blushing damsels, who responded to
every smile bestowed upon them by this
| young man, declared by mamnas to be u
splendid catch At grand ball given
by u Russian banker he had met Mile
Clary Bernard, Il yeritable queen of
hearts. She was a dainty blond with
brilliant black eyes, who dressed perfectly,
mingled words from all languages i'll her
conversation and made a display Of ar
tistic tastes and aristocratic pretensions.
! She had superb dowry, too, and it seemed
as if Adrien need look no further
He hesitated, however, as his fastidious
taste was not quite satisfied. Mile Clary
prided herself on being a descendant of
the great Samuel Bernard, and made this
a pretext for covering her fans, her hand
kerchiefs her notebook, everything she
owned, in fact, with the coat of arms of
the celebrated financier. She was thor
oughly informed Of everything pertaining
to him, and she missed no occasion to dis
play her historical knowledge as she dis
cussed the regency
Adrien wished the fans and memoranda
at the bottom of the sea along with Sam
uel and the regency. He liked nobility,
but not that sort of nobility. His good
sense led him to repudiate everything not
established on solid basis.
At a charity concert given by the Ouch
ess do G. he was listlessly looking on
when he chanced to hear some remarks
exchanged by two young girls near him.
What they said did not interest him, but
the voice Of one of them went straight to
his heart. 1t was SO clear, it's reflections
were SO correct and refined that it suggest
ed the music of a running brook. He
turned and looked at the young girl whose
melodious accents SO reused him. She did
not seem to be very beautiful, She was
tall, fair as lily, with shining auburn
hair twisted close to her shapely head, an
oval face and eyes like Greuze's "Girl
With Broken Pitcher"
He inquired who she was and learned
that the angelic voice belonged to Mile
Marie -Marthe dc Hautefort d 'Asprelnont,
one Of the most aristocratc young ladies
of the noble Faubourg.
A moderate fortune, no mother, host
of little brothers and sisters to whom she
was devoted, rigid education, good
heart and fair intellect--these were the
facts he learned concerning the young lady.
He secured an introduction to the family.
The dowager D Aspremont invited him to
her Thursday reception. At precisely 9
o'clock he rang the bell at the entrance of
the modest mansion at the end of court,
where the old marquise resided.
A servant in English livery showed him
the salon, which to his surprise and de-
light he found furnished in true Louis
XIV style. Nothing was lacking, The
Marquis de Hautefort, having been obliged
to sell family chateau, had reproduced
in his Partisan home the salon of his
grandfather, a colonel under Louis XIV
On the gray woodwork with white cary
ings medallions by noted artists stood
out In relief The large easy chairs with
high backs of gilded wood were covered
with royal blue silk brocaded with silver.
The sun shaped clock with its Apollo
borne on four marble pyramids had marked
tho hours, sad and joyous, for two cen
turies. X shaped seats covered with sap
phire velvet reminded one of the presenta-
tions of duchesses. Tea was served on
Boule table crusted with copper and silver
which was worthy of tho great Conde.
Near the fireplace was seated an able
with violet hose who was addressed as
monseigneur. Nine la Marquisc d'As-
Fremont sat facing him. She appeared to
be good enough person, though blunt In
hon, ~ nay nf oil N
lace surmounted by two immense gray
butterflies and a plum colored dress OF
china silk She discussed all known topics
without reserve with the simplicity which
calls "a spade spade. y
The company consisted of two other
dowagers, an academician, an old general,
a young family man from the provinces
who had nothing to say, the grandnephews
Of the marquise, her son, and Marie Marthe
hemmed in by a crowd of youngsters. The
lady who had presented Adrien was the
only Partisan present.
She had dined with the marquise, and
as soon as Adrien arrived she tried to en-
tice Marie Marthe away from an exciting
game of Lotto. The girl waited until it
was ended, then reluctantly entered the
circle of grown people 1t was absolutely
impossible, however, to draw her into con-
versation. With her dress Of gray WOOL
her white guimpe, and her great CROSS she
resembled "tableau vivant" of pupil
Of the St. Cyr school Timidity and en-
barrassment were stamped upon her coun-
tenance. She had the appearance of one
who would like to sink out of sight. 1t
puzzled Adrien to think what they could
have told her about him to frighten her So
Was she unsophisticated or stupid? A
little of both, the young man decided. She
was asked to play. She at once obeyed,
h,1t never was an honest ear yexed by so