The Portland daily press., 1898-04-26
COPYRIGHTED. 1897, B
Chapter xviii

why, what's the matter, old chap,
inquired Cargill, bending forward
quickly to glance at the journal You
look as if you've got an acute attact OF
the jim jams
"See,'' I gasped hoarsely, pointing to
the printed page upon which my trained
eyes had riveted themselves.
"Deucedly pretty woman" declared the
attache, who was nothing if not ladies'
man. Few men were better known in
Paris than Hugh Cargill
Eyes, yes, l know, exclaimed 1mpa-
tiently. I was sitting dIlmbfounded, the
words beneath the picture dancing before
my vision in letters OF lire.
The portrait that seemed to smile mock
iugly at me was reproduction OF pho
tograph of Ella. The handsome regular
features were unmistakable. With the
exception of the magnificent tiara, the or
narnents she wore 1 recognized as belong.
ing to her. All were now in my possess
sion, alas for on leaving me she had dis
carded them, and with inefable sadness
/ had locked them away ina small cabinet.
The Jewel case containing her wedding
ring was a veritable skeleton in my cup
board that 1 dare not gaze upon.
The picture was undoubtedly that OF
nv lost wife, yet beneath was printed in
French the words:-"Her Imperial High
ness the Grand Duchess Elizaveta Nicola
yeyna of Russia" t.6
Look" cried, my. eyes still upon the
page. "SureIy, there's some mistake !
That can't be the Grand Duchess !"
Allender and Cargill bent simultaneously
over the little table, and both declared
that there was no mistake.
s'Shs is very well known here" ex-
claimed the attache. sI've seen her driv-
ing her Orloff ponies in the Bots dozens
of hines. Besides one never forgets. such
b faoe as hers
UDess she live here?" I inquired breath
aessly.
ing behind the veil of tobacco smoke, he
added, "She's been away a long time now.
4 suppose you want an Introduction to
her-eh9 Well, don't expect you'll be
successful as her circle is the most select
In Paris: She never, invites any of the
coEp No. aiRl snsTsped huskily. "1 desire
no introduction. A sudden giddiness
had seized me. The jingle Of glasses the
sncessant chatter, the loud laughter, and
the heavy smoke of cigars had combined
with this sudden and bewitching discov-
cry to produce slight faintness. took
up glass of ice-water at my elbow and
gnlped it down.
"Do you know herr" inquired Allen
der, with pronounced American accent,
ut the same time regarding me curiously.
YES answered, not without hest
itation. "She isl mean we have already
he answered smiling. 81 reckon she's the
nest-looking woman in Parrus, an
that's solid fact"
Without replying slowly turned over
the page, and there saw brief article
with the same heading as the legend be-
meath the portrait Cargill and Allender
were attracted at that moment by the
entry of one of their friends, a wealthy
young man who, with his wife, had for.
saken Ohio for residence in the French
capital. and while they chatted I eagerly
scanned the article, which ran as fol.
lows:-
.Paris will welcome the return Of Her
Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess
Ellizaveta Nicolayevna, of Russia, whose
portrait we give Oh another page. Fol-
nearly nine months her great house in the
Avenue des Champs Ulysses, the scene OF
so many brilliant fetes during her last
residence there, has been closed, but she
arrived in Paris bout ten days ago, and
has announced her intention of remain
ing among us until the end of the year.
AS our readers are no doubt aware, her
Imperial Highness, n iece of the late CZa-
Alexander, and cousin OF the present
Gar. is an excellent linguist, speaking
English and French perfectly, in addition
to Der native Russian. She was born at
Tzarskoie-Selo but her early days were
spent in England. She, however, prefers
Paris to either London or St. Petersburg
SlGnCugQ ID Inc laGt6f Guy a6r enG6fGalQ
ments at the mansion on the English quay
are on q scale almost as brilliant as those
at the Winter Palace itself. Her beauty
Is Incompatible, and her diamonds among
the finest in Europe. Her munificenoe to
the poor of Paris is well-known. AL
though moving in the highestt circles she
does not fear to go herself into the very
vilest slums, accompanied by her trusty
Musocvite man servant, and there dis
tribute relief to the deserving from her
own purse. Both the needy and the
wealthy therefore welcome her on her re-
turn"
re-read the article. Then I sat with
the paper before me staring at it in blank
bewilderment. The surprising discovery
held me petrified. This beautiful woman.
who had masqueraded as Ella Laing, and
had become my wife by law, was ac-
tually the daughter of a reigning house,
the cousin of an Emperor.
The astounding truth seemed incredi.
BILE.
WELL asked Cargill, turning to me
with smile moment later. "Have you
been reading all about herr" 49,
EYES," I answered, drawing long
breath.
"Come, don't sigh like that, old fell
low" he cried, and CHANGING across to
the bar. he shouted, mix another dry
Martini, Tommy, for my friend.''
To affect indifference strove in vain
Nevertheless, I listened with eager ears
as my three companions commenced dis
cussing the merits Of the hlgh-born
woman who was my wife. To me she
was no longer Ella. Her personality, SO
vivid and distinct, seemed In those
moments ofsperplexity to fade like the
memory of some half-remembered dream
"Aer beauty is simply marvellous, ~
Allender acknowledged, smoking on in
his dry matter-of-fact way. He was not
more than thirty eight, but by sheer merit
as a sound lawyer and thorough good
fellow, he had risen to the lucrative post
he held, and had, in the course of five
years, formed large and valuable prac-
tice and a wide circle of friends among
the English speaking colonies in the
French capital.
II entirely agree with m'sieur," OBJ
served NJ. Goron, in his broken English
"Her highness is very beautiful but, ali
cold as an icicie.''
Is there no scandal regarding her?''
inquired, eagerly, we'll knowing that in
Paris no woman is considered really chic
without some story being whispered
about beg.