The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-25
PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.



every European language uttered by. gay
laughing lips; the sibilant french OF the
dainty Parisienne, the musical Italian,
the cultural German, the rapid English
and the slow Russian, all combine to
make veritable Babel of tongues, while
nv the costumes alone, many OF the mar
yellous creations of the famous men dress
~ Rkers. the race of their wearers may
usually be determined. fashlonable
Europe Is making happy holioay amlo
premature summer
Amid this chattering crowd OF pleasure
seekers Liane was strolling beside Prince
Zertho one morning fortnight after old
Mr.. Harrison had visited George in his
diney London chambers. Gowned in
peari grey, the fitting Of which bore the
impress Of the Partisan costumer and
on, chatting. laughing, and ever and anon
bowling to those she knew, while the
Prince, in black jacket suit and soft felt
hat of silver-grey, lounged leisurely along
beside her, smoking q cigarette and listen
ing anlusedly to her light, vivacious gos-
sip. Her appearance was entirely differ
emit to the trim neatly dressed girl who, in
cotton blouse and shabby skirt, had
cycled over the level Berkshire roads,
With her pure and perfect French, her
slim waist girdled narrow, her cheyelure
as carefully arranged as by maid OF the
first order, one might have easily mis-
taken her for a true Parisienne. Her
beautiful face combined with her delight
full chic caused many to turn and glance
after her as she passed. fact not I'M
noticed by her companion.
Her cheeks, no longer wan as they had
been at Stratfeld Mortimer, were again
flushed with health; her eyes sparkled
with pleasure as she became conscious OF
the profound admiration she everywhere
g. Lo-u o. xA~A~ hn IrTh r.
moss of one In whose heart there lurked
no shadow.
The day was perfect. Both see and sky
were of deep, intense blue, the long
line of sun blanched villas and hotels
were gay with visitors. the trees were
their freshest green, and the sweet scent
of violets pervaded verything. AS they
walked, Zsrtho was rejecting how strik-
ing was her beauty, even among that
crowd of Europe's prettiest and wealth.
est women.
Through November and December she
and her father had remained in Paris,
and early in the new year had travelled
down to Nice, taking up their quarters
at a small select pension" in one of the
own pretty garden planted with oranges
palms, and roses, faced the Mediterranean
at the end of the Promenade towards tho
Magnan, while close by them Zsrtho oc'
oupied the handsome Villa Cherrier, q
great white house with palms in front.
which also faoed the sea at the corner OF
the Rue Croix de Magnan.
In Nice wealthy man can, If he desires,
easily obtain a large cosmopolitan circle
of friends, therefore the villa of Prince
Zertho d'Auzac quickly became social
centre, for his entertainment being upon
a scale almost unequalled, he found no
lack of acceptances to his invitations.
r. hxy
sight; the well-informed "Petit Nicois'
mentioned him almost daily in its
"Echoes de Partout," the "Swiss and
Nice Times" devoted whole columns to
descriptions of his fetes and lists OF his
guests, among which figured many we'll
| known names, and the "Phare du Lit
toral'' was loud in it's praise OF his din
ners, his driving parties, and the dances
at his house. Well-groomed and usually
attired in dark suit, he walked in the
Avenue de In Care, drove tanoem with
| Lame at his side along the Promenade,
rode his unmatched bay on the Corniche
Road, ur strolled about the Casino. and
was everywhere recognized, for he YVES
| indeed the man of the hour.
He smiled, however, when he recollect-
ed how two years before, he had occu
pied an apartment eau troisieme'' in the
narrow noisy Rue de France, while Lame
Nelly and the Captain had lived equally
| precar1ously in the Rue Dalpozzo, close
| by. Often dependent on his wits for a
meal, he had more than once, he remem-
bersd, strolled out upon that same prone
made where he now walked with Lame,
| in search Of some inexperienced youth
| from whom he might obtaina few louis
at cards and thus stave off starvation for
the next few days. Their run of ill-luck
had almost knocked them both under
until one night, after the Captain had
,1t1 III Ia GRIN of Monte o-In
sudden suggestion occurred to them,
and together they started private gam.
ing-house in the Boulevard Ga1nbetta in
Nice, a place, which. although remaining
open only a few months, gained a decided
~ unenviable repute. Nevertheless, both
men found their venture most profitable
one and it is more than. likely that their
avarice would have led them into the
arms of the police had not BROKER, at
LANES instigat1on. suddenly dissolved
the partnership, taken his money, and re-
turned to England
Liane knew Nice we'll. Some of the
most weary, anxious, and monotonoCs
days of her life had been spent in a we'll
remem bered frowsy room high up in that
narrow back street which smelt etsrnally
of garlic, where they had lived for nine
months almost penniless. In those days
when the Fates were unkind neither she
she nor Nelly ever venture upon the
Promenade in the daytime, because their
dresses were too dowdy, and they feared
lest they should encounter some of the
people with whom they had become &C
quainted when living at the big hotels at
Monte Carlo, Mentone, or Cannes as they
did when her father prospered. Yet she
had now come back to the town she once
abhorred. Her father had sufficient to
keep them both respectfully and in COM
fort, and Zertho was almost, if not quite,
millionaire. Fortune they had SO often
oourted had smiled at last upon them all.
They were almost constantly at the
Villa Chevrisr. Each morning the Prince
would call with his tandem and take
her for a drive returning in time for half
an hours walk on the Promenade before
dejeuner, then lazy afternoon, asdinner
with guests. visit to the Opera, to the
Casino, or perhaps to ball. So passed
the warm, brilliant days delightfully."-.
People soon began to inquire who was
the handsome, sweet-faced English girl
with whom the Prince was seen so often,
| but Lame, entirely ignorant OF Zertho' s
| mysterious influence over her father, or
of his motive, merely regarded him with
the cordially Of an old friend. Zertho,
IT, h. old knI