The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-13
CHAPTER 1.-ZERTHO

NV daughter: the daughter of BROKER OF
the Guards once an officer and still, L
hope, gentleman.
"Gentlemanl'' sneered the other, with a
curl of his lip.
krle BROKER shrugged his snouioers'
but did not reply.
"Yet many women would he eager
enough to become Princess d'Auzac II
they had the chance, observed the TALL,
dark, bearded, handsome man, speaking
English with slight accent as he leaned
ensily against the edge of the table, and
glanced around the shabby, cheaply FUR
nished little dining-room. Saliow-iaoeo,
dark-eyed. broad shouldered, he was aged
about FORTHWITH full lips and long taper
ing hands white as a woman's.
nBoth of us know tho world, my dear
t.llow.n answered Captain Erie BROKER
at last. standing astride before the ire
place in which a gaudy Japanese um preiia
had been placed to hide its ugliness
ssSureiy the five years we spent together
were sufficient to show us that there are
women-and women"
"Of course AS I expected the 9th or
cried, cynically. NOW that you're hack
again in England, buried in this sleepy
country village, you are becoming sentl-
mental. I suppose it is respectable to be
so; but it's hardly like you"
"You'v We prospered. Ihave fallen upon
evil days"
"Aud you could have had similar luck
If only you would have continued to run
with me that snug little place in Nice,
instead of showing the white feather" he
ssIt was entirely aaginst my grain to
fleece those beardless boys. I'll play fair,
or not at all.
Brooker."
1.-The speculation, no doubt, proved
yeritab1e gold mine, as of course 1t M ust.
But had a second reason in d1Ssolvlng
bur partnership.
.Liane urged your
eyes" & -
"And YOU took her advice, the advice of
a mere girl 7" he laughed CONTEMPORARY.
UI,uok is always with her," the Cap
tain answered, isShe sat beside me and
nsomp ted me on the occasion OF my last
big coup at roulette.
IA sort of sorceress. eh?"
BROKER smiled coldly, but again made
"Weii." continued his companion. do
you intend to accept my proposal9
"Certainly not /" replied the lucKiess
gamester. s'I'll never sacrifice my
daughters happiness.
Rubbish.
Zertho was silent; his features became
fierce and authoritative. His was an ar
FESTIVE face, indicating rare, possibly pro-
digious, mental and also bodily activity
mat unless cur bed and restrained by care
fully cultivated habits. might become dis
torted and thus become injurious 10 MINI :
self as well as to others. Two rows OF
strong white teeth redeemed large
mouth from the commonplace. but those
teeth were seldom seen-neyer, lndeeu,
unless their owner laughed. and II smiles
were rare, laughter still more rarely dis
turbed the steady composure OF that satur-
nine countenance. Yet there was an IN
dtyiduaiity about the man which produced
interest, though not always an agreeable
INTEREST. much less liking. He made an
Impression; he produced an effect upon
the Imagination that was not easily for
gotten. Again regarding the Captain
keenly, he asked:
"Don't YOU think I'm straightp'
Gas straight as you ever were, Zertho, !"
the other answered ambiguously, with a
light laugh. "But if you want wife,
surely you can fancy some other girl be-
sides Lame I'm afraid We know little
too much of each other to trust one an
other very far. "
There was another long silence. The
golden sunlight streamed in at the open
window, which revealed an old fashioned
garden filled with fragrant roses, and a
tiny lawn bounded by hedgerow beyond.
Through the garden ran paved path TO
the white dusty road. The afternoon mad
been hot and drowsy. Upon the warm
wind was borne in the sound OF children
at play in thesviliage street of Stratfeld
Mortimer, while somewhere in the v1c1n-
ity the shoesmith's hammer fell upon his
anvil with musical clang The house
stood at the east end OF the long struggling
village, towards Reading, small old
fashioned cottage, picturesque in its ivy
mantle, with deep mullions, diamond
panes and oaken doors. year ago an
old maiden lady who had resided there for
a quarter of a century had died, and the
village had been thrown into state of
commotion, as villagers are wont to be.
by the arrival of new-comers-Captai in
Erie BROKER, his daughter Liane and
Nelly Bridson, her companion. The lat
fer was daughter of Jack Rridson,
brother officer of Brookers S. Left an
orphan at nine years of age she mad been
brought up by the Captain, and through
out her whole life had heen LANES insep-
cradle friend Soon, however, the village
eossips found food for talk The furniture
they brought with them bore the distinct
impress of having been purchased second
hand, the maid of .all-work was buxom
Frenchwoman who bought stuff for soups
and salads, and the two girls habitually
spoke French when together, in preference
to English. Hence they were at once
dubbed s.f1ne, tinnikin' foreigners, and
regarded with suspicion by all the coun-
try folk from Beech Hill away to Silches-
ter.
The thin-faced vicar made formal
sail as Wears will, but, as might be ex-
peoted, received but cold welcome from
the ex-cavalry officer, and this fact spread
ing rapidly throughout the district, no
one else ever crossed their threshold. This
social ostraeism annoyed BROKER, not for
his own sake, but for that of the girls.
The reason he had decided to live i'll the
country in preference to London was first
because it was cheaper, and secondly be-
cause he had vague idea that both girls
would enter pleasant and inexpensive
circle VIII ere the designations would be
mainly in the form of tea and tennis. In
this, however. he and they had been sorely
disappointed
Zeitho had spoken the truth. Stratneld
i,,I l1u 1,,n