Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-07-22
SATURDAY. JULY %, 1899
A Mysterious Guest


formed by the maskers dancing to the
vitchinv music OF Strass' bow, when
sthe door of the box was flung open and.
with IA silken frou-frou, three masks en-
'1cred and greeted us by name. Clio the
Fair, Antonio Chantilly and Susannah
jackson were as well known In the
lyvorld Of artists for their beauty as for
their wit. Cantal gave them chairs.
ssslxing with a smile: You are playing
trnants TO the bal2'
Suddenly we caught sight OF you'll
,cried Antonio; I'VE win have supper to-
gether, if you've nothing better on
foot"
-'Wen and goodl" said Cantal, turn
ing to me; Il win engage the red cin-
ing-room at once, If you are nll agreed"
In the midst of his last words my eye
was caught by the face OF man of IS
in the box opposite; he had an oriental
spallor. Lowering his opera glass he
bowed 20 me. After n moments thought
u remembered he had rendered me
.srining service, such as custom permits
between fellow-travelers-in
about a certain brand of cigars, IL re-
Smember rightly returned his bow.
Il had hardly reached the foyer when the
stranger approached me- Recalling his
courtesy in Germany, I could do no less
than invite him to join us. If he was
quite alone. in the gay hubbub.
~And whom shall have the honor OF
presenting to our merry Partyr 1
asked, smiling, when he had accepted.
.Baron Won H. he said But, in
view OF the indulgence of the ladies, the
sdificulties of pronunciation, and the
carnival season, let me assume, for IN
hour, another name, no matter what
with laugh-"Baron Saturn, If you
like"
This caprice surprised me slightly,
but / fell in with his fancy, and an
nounced him formally under the my
theological title he had hit upon. Has
Fantastic appellatiOn was received with
favor; Clio insisted liza was a king from
the Thousand and One Nights," tray.
cling incog.
After the preliminary compliments
l6usannah Jackson, between two ire
sEistible yawns, aslxeds WIN the baror
Join us at supper, for the sake of sym
snetry2"
/ AZ am very sorry TO refuse" said the
stranger. UNFORTUNATELY "A circum
stance Of capital Importance will cal
hne away In few hours"
"a make-believe duel ?" said Clio, Will
b pOut.
! 4eNo, madame; a rencontre, since yo'
nave deigned TO consult me"
bah, a mere trife; not worth cross
ing swords over, you may be sure
words. exchanged at an opera ball dom
lDOunt; you are q stranger, that's plain
~ 70 be seen"
~Quote true, madame; am some
what OF q stranger sverywhere," tn
baron replied, with bow.
-Allonsl Do you get people to Goa
zDs2s
20 "Veery seldom, I assure you'll" the oil
ikszlow replied, both gallantly an
sequivocally. Cantal and exchange
iRlancesy what was he driving at2
Knight turn out amusing, In any case.
like a child who insists on havin
what is refused to II, Antonio seized h
nrn, exclaimingi "You belong to US 81
lnHwni''
He surrenderedJ We left the oper
30 here We were with the prospect b
Dre IN Of several hours relative l.
Almacy with a man ofswhom we lme
absolutely nothing, except that he hs
played at the Wiesbaden Casino al
Studied Havana cigars.
Leaning back in the carriage, CT
called to the footmani TO the Mails,
DOreeI" The foreigners heavy &C
sriage was rolling after ours. Anton
better known under her yomantic no
de guerTe, "Yseult," had accepted
mysterious escort.
Installed in the red dininE-roo
Joseph received strict orders not to
An single living being, except t
,Ostend oysters-and our illustrio
friend, the fantastic little DIR. Flori
les EgliSottss. If by chance he sho,
come for his provsrbial ecrevisse.
A great log rolled in the flrepla
The air was heavy with the scent
Surs and winter flowers. Wine ste
chilling in silver coolers. Bunches
camellias trembled on theiF wire ste
an crystal vases. Outside dense sn
mingled with rain fell, and we caul
= mufHed sound of carriages.
During the sparkling sallies of /
supper. l gave myself up to my irncc
smania of observation; was not Ions
discovering that the Saxon baron '
worthy OF study. Our chance guest '
not wildly hilarious, that was certs
His features and his bearing were
hacking In the conventional distinct
that is passport to society; his acc
was not disagreeable as with most
ieigners. Strangely enough it was
pailor that was against him; from t
to time he turned a challty, ghas
white. his lips were as thin as
drawn by g paint brush; his eyebr'
met in perpetual frown.
An hour winged by, freighted Y
Testing, confessions, and laugh
words; smiles and diamonds flash
the magic OF. the deep mirrors reheC
in an infnitude of blue distance e,
gesture, every candle fame. Ca.