The Portland daily press., 1898-11-10
Chapter XVI.
THE GOLDEN HAND.

u
Lame declared that she must return TO
lunch; therefore they walked togetner IN
the sun-glare along the Promenane. at
that hour all but deserted, for the cosino o..
politan crowd of persons who baskeu IN
the brilliant sunshine during the morn
ing had now sought their hotels for de.
jeuner Few " words they uttered, SO fuli
of gloom and sadness were both their
hearts. Liane had insisted that this
must be their last meeting, but time after
time he had declared that he would
never allow her to marry Zertho, although
he could make no suggestion whereby she
could escape the cruel fate which sooner
or later must oyerwhelm her.
They hau strolled about halfway to-
wards the villa in which she and the
Capain were staying, when suddenly he
halted opposite short, narrow lane which
openei from the Promenade into the
thor ou ghfare running parallel-the old
and narrow Rue de Frame. On either
side were high garden walls, and half
way along THESE walls, taking saaaen
turn at right angles, opened wider; there
fore the way was much narrower towards
wnere they stood than at the opposite end.
Let us go down here George sug-
gested. sIhere is more shade in the
street, and you can then reach your villa
by the back entrance.
s'No." she answered, glancing with re-
DuQQaucS db bl6 lldIIOW lhI0, anu Uulh-
ing away quickly. He fancied she shuG-
dered: but on glancing at the clean little
tboroughfare only about hundred PAGES
in length, he could detect nothing which
could cause her repulsion, and at once
rsassured himself that he had been mis-
taken.
''But it is so terribly hot and daszling
along here" he urged
You should carry a sun-umbrella, =
she smiled. "But there, suppose men
don't care to be seen with green ging-
hams.
tBut surely this glare upon the foot
way hurts your eyes,, he continued. ''It
is SO much cooler in the Rue de France. !"
sNo,' she replied. And again he
thought he detected gesture OF uneasi-
ness as, turhing from him, she walked
on. her sunshade lowered to hide her face
Puzzled, he stepped forward and quickly
caught her up. There was, he felt oer-
tain. some hidden reason why she declined
to pass along that small unnamed lane.
But he did not refer to the SUBJ Ject again,
although after he had left her he pom
dered long and deeply upon her curious
attitude and in walking back to the
town he turned into the narrow passage
and passed through it to the Rue de
France, whence he took the tram down
to the Place Massena
A dozen times had she urged him to
leave her and return to London, but SO
full of mystery seemed all her actions
that he was more than ever determined
to remain and strive to elucidate the
the curious problem of her strange in
expli cable terror.
It was plain that she feared Mariette
Lepage, and equally certain also that this
mysterious woman who feigned to be her
friend was nevertheless her bitterest foe.
The reason of her visit to him was not
at all plain. Her inquiries regarding the
tragic circumstances of Nelly Brldson' s
death were, he felt confident, mere ex-
cuses. AS he sat in the tramcar while it
logged slowly along the narrow, noisy
street it suddenly occurred to him that
rom her he might possibly obtain some
information which would lead him to- an
e explanation of Liane's secret.
He thought out the matter calmly over
a pipe at his hotel, and at last decided
upon bold course She had given him
her address, he would, therefore seek
her that afternoon.
In pursuance of his plan he a1ighted
about four O'Clock from the tram at
Monaco station and inquired his way to
the Villa Fortnnee. Following the direo-
lions of waiter at the Hotel des Nego-
Giants he walked down the wide road to
the foot of the great rock whereon the
town is situated, then assembled by the
broad footway, SO steep that no vehicles
can get up, and passing through the mar
row arches of the fort, found himself at
last upon the ramparts, n front OF the
SO uare Moorish-looking palace OF the
Prince. Around the small square vera
mounted several antiquated cannon,
while near them, were formidable looking
piles of heavy shot which are carefully
busted each day, and about the tiny re-
view ground there lOunged several gaud :
iIy -attired soldiers in bright blue uni
forms, lolling upon the walls smoking
cigarettes. The Principally is small
one, but it makes a brave show, even
though it's defences remind one of comic
opera, and it's valiant soldiers have never
smelt any other powder save that of the
MONDAY gun. The silence of the siesta
was still upon the little place, for the
afternoon was blazing hot On one side
of the square the sentry Mt the Palace. gate
leaned upon his rifle half-asleep, while
on the other the fireman sat upon the
form outside the engine house and with
his hands thrust deep into his trousers
pockets moodily watched the slowly -moy-
ing hands of the clock in it's square,
white castellated tower.
George stood for few moments in the
centre of the clean, carefully swept square,
he centre of one of the tinlest govern
ments in tho world, then making further
inquiry Ol Uu6 oi0opy AICAlad w so NiACSuoA
along the ramparts until he found him
self before a fine, square, fatroofea
house, with handsome dead white front
which, facing due south, and situated
high upon the summit of that bold rock,
commanded magnificent veiw Of Cape
Martin, the Italian coast beyond, and the
opep Mediterranean. Shut off from the
raniparts by a handsome iron railing, the
garden in front was filled with high palms
fruitful oranges, yariegated aloes and q
wealth of beautiful flowers, while upon a
marble plate the words villa Fortunee2
we're Inserted in gilt letters. The closed
sun-shutters were painted white, like the
house, and about the exterior of the place
was an air of prosperity which the young
Englishman did not fail to notice.
It's situation was certainly unique
Deep below, the great brown rocks
descended sheer into white foam, while
way seaward the water was brilliant
blue which, however was losing its colour
each moment as the shadows heightened.
Within sight of gay, dazzling Monte
Carlo, with all her pleasures and haunt-
ing vices, all her fascinating beauty and
hiaeous tragedy, the hoy Sc was neverthe-
less quiet and eminently respectable For
an instant he paused to glance at the
beautiful view of the sea-coast and noun
l.