The Portland daily press., 1898-11-03
Chapter XII.
LANES SECRET.

When Liane had left the two men she
| first obtained her sunshade, then, descend.
| ing the steps, walked slowly beneath the
shadows round to the front of the Casino
| and out upon the beautiful broad terrace.
| fianked by palms, aloes, and flowers,
which faced the sea. There were but fe "
promenaders, for the sun was still-Warm
and most of the people were inside tempt
| ing Fortune.
| With her white sunshade above her head
she leaned upon the stone balustrade, her
clear eyes fixed in deep thought upon the
wide expanse of blue sky and bluer sea.
| On tn terrace below, where a pigeon
shooting match was IN progress, the
crack of gun was heard at intervals,
while pacing the gravelled walk near her
was one of the Casino attendants with
the curious closely fitting coat and con-
spicious broad striped belt of red and blue.
Ths duty of these men is somewhat
unique They watch the loungers
narrowly, and if they appear plunged In
despair they eject them from the gardens
lest they should commit suicide.
The soft breeze from the sea famed her
face refreshingly after the closeness of
those crowded rooms, where the sun IS
brightness was excluded, and the light of
the glorious day subdued. She was an
noyed at Zerthos action in melting her
father by winning the paltry couple of
louis, more UNau au GU0 OApbalH lOF bn1S
want of self-control. She stood there
thinking, tall 1.-THE figure in white
girdled with violet, refined. exquisite and
dainty, from the gilt ferrule Of her SUM-
shade to the tip of her tiny white kid
shos. She reflected what terrible fascina-
tion the tables possessed for her father,
and was half inclined to forgive him,
knowing how irresistible was the tempta-
ton to play amid that accumulation of
all the caprices of all the fantasies, of
all the eccentrioities, OF all the idleness,
of all the am billions, and all the indisore-
tions But Zertno's contemptuous smile
had added to her vexation and dis
pleasure.
Her father had commenced playing, and
she dreaded the consequences knowing
with what logged perSistenCy ha would
stake his last louis on the chance of re-
gaining his losses, needless Of the
fact that for each coin lost they would
be deprived the comforts of life to that
amount. She reproached herself for con-
senting to accompany them, but as she
pondered her anger soon turned to poig
nant sorrow. She had believed that her
father, hard hit as he had been, had re-
linquishca eli thought of play. Time
after time he had assured her that he had
renowned roulette for ever, yet now on
the first occasion he had revisited the
scene of his old triumphs and defeats, all
his good resolutions had crumble away,
and he had tossed his money before the
Unsuitable NAV of the bank as reokl essly
as he had ever done. She sighed as she
thought of it, and bitter tears dimmed her
vision. BY her own influence she could
have taken him away; it was, she knew
the fear of Zartho's Gerision that caused
him to fling those notes SO defiantly upon
the table.
With that picturesque, well-remem bered
landscape Of rugged mountain height,
olive-clad slopes, and calm sea, memories
sad ami bitter continued to crowd upon
her. This place, among the fairest on
earth was to her the most hateful and
loathsome. With it were associated all
the evil days which had passed SO drearily
the poverty which had kept her and her
dead companion shabby and heavy heart
Cd; al the months Of anxiety and weari-