The Portland daily press., 1898-11-14
CHAPTER xvII-Continued.

ssNo," observed Liane. with forced
smile. 10 her also the name of d 3Auzac
was Synonymous of cunning, brutality,
and nscrupulousness She pictured 10
herself the great mountain stronghold,
a grim, grey relic of an age OF barbarlsan,
the lonely dreary place psopled by ghosts
of an historic past, that was to he her
home. in which she was to live with this
man who held her euthralled. Then she
shpddered
Her hostess noticsd it, wondered, but
attrib ibuted it to the draught from the open
window. To her it was inooncsivable that
any girl could refuse Prince Zertho's oTel
of marriage He was one of the most
eligible of men, his polished manner had
made him favourite everywhere, anC
one heard his wealth discussed wherever
one visited Either of her own daughters
would, she knew, be only to pleased tc
become Princess.
Liane, although nothing of coquette,
was nevertheless well enough verscd in the
ways of the world to be tactful when oc
casioned required, and at this moment
strenuousiy strove not to betray her
worldweariness. Although consumed by
grief and despair she veltheless smiled
with fsigned contentnent and moment
later with an air SO gay and fippant that
none would guess the terrible dread
which was wearing out her young lie,
joined in ths light amusing chatter with
Madame's daughters.
We saw you at Monte Carlo last
night /" one of the girls exclaimed, sud
denly, addressing Zsrtho.
did your" he answered, with start
81 really saw nothing of you.
"We were quite close to you, observed
her sister. You were sitting with Cap
tain Brooker, and were having quite
run of good fortune when, suddenly, you
both jumped up ard disappeared ike
magic. We tried to attract your atten-
ton, but You would not glance IN. our u
direction. Before we could get round 20
you you had gone Why did you leave SO
quickly?"
"We wanted to catch our train, !" Zertho
answered, lie ever ready upon his lips.
1--WE had only three minutes, and just
managed to scramble in.
''Did you notice fine. handsome-l0ok-
ing woman at the table, a woman in blue
dress trimmed with silYer?" asked
Madame BerthoIet
Zertho again started. In second, how
ever, he recovered his self-possession.
81 am afraid did not, y he replied with
smile. II was too intent upon the
game. ''Bssides,p and he paused, 6 lane
Ing at Liane female beauty ought not
to attract me now.
They all laughed in chorus.
vi COur6c cttOt, HAn0cpl14o 1S%SSsNs
" But the woman wore such gay COS
tune, and was altogether SO reckless that
1 thought you might have noticed her.
Every body was looking at her. l was
told that she is a well-known gambler
who has won hugh sums at various times
and is invariably SO lucky that she If
known to habiuues of the tables as = Ths
Golden Hand.
sEvery thing her hand touches turns to
gold-ef1?' Zertho hazarded. II only
wish my fingers possessed the same
potency. It must be delightful"
"But she's not at all a desirable ac'
uuaintance, if all / hear is true," Madame
bserved. Do you know nothing of her
by repute'?'
fore; = he repiied. "I'm sorry I didn't
notice her. Did she win?''
Liane and the Prince exchanged signii.
can't Glances.
ssYes, while we watched she won, at 9
rough estimate, nearly ten thousand
francs, !" one of the girls said.
"a friend who accompanied us told uf
all about her, MadaNe observed. Hers
has been a most remarkable career II
appears that at one time she was q well
known in Paris as a singer at La Scala,
and the music halls in the Champs
Elysees, but some mysterious oircum-
stance caused her to leave Paris hurriedly.
She was next heard of in New York
where she was singing at the music halls
and it was said that she returned tt
France at the country's expense, but that
on being brought before the tribunal
the charge against her could not he sub
stantiated, sand she was therefore re-
leased. Subsequently, after strange ano
checuuered life, she turned up about foul
years ago at Monte Carlo, and became
so successful that very soon she had
arnassed a considerable sum of money
To the attendants and those who frequent
the Casino she is a mystery. For sheer
reck lessness no woman who comes to the
tables has her equal; yet she is invariably
alone, plays at her own discretion with
out consulting anyone, and with thor
oughly business-like air, speaks to scarce
Iy anybody, and always rises from the
table at eleven, whether winning or los
ing, Indeed, the Golden Hand is al
together most remarkable person.
luxurious, observed Zertho, refec
lively. 81 wish I had noticed her You
say she was sitting at the other table?''
"Yes,'' answered one Of the girls. "Sht
sat straight before you, and because you
were winning she watched you closely
several times"
Watched mei'' he exclaimed dis
mayed.
efYes,' answered the girl with a laugh
| w nv. you Sp6fth co IL Sii0 pJsSSSS6u biit
evil eve, or something! She's smart ano
good looking certainly, but don't think
Liane need fsar in her :. rival
Scarcely, he ans 1ered, with forced
smile. But the alarming truth possessed
him that Mariette had surreptitiously
watched Brooker and himself before they
had discovered her presence He reproaoh
ed himself bitterly for having gone te
Monte Carlo that night, yet gambler that
ln Eoa hco rJfaah h Ia RI. CT h 6
temptation of the tables once again ere
they left the Riviera.
But the woman known as the ''Golder
Hand" had watched them both, and by
this time most probably knew where they
were living. Neither he nor she the Cap
tain had any IDEA that Mareitte Lepagt
still hoyered about the tables they would
certainly never have set foot inside the
Principally.
Liane in her cool summer-like gown sa
in low wicker lounge-obair and listened
to this description of the woman withou