The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-28

IL was ABOUT q CLOCK one diltIIlooH ih
February, and Hippesley was sitting ON
the veranda of the Cafe de Paris at Mon
to Carlo. He sat, deep In thought, his
ears mechanically listening 10 the strains
OF the little Hungarian band few yards
away from him He was thinking OF the
reason that had brought HIM 10 the piace.
He had been abroad for twelve years. yet,
within a month of his return, he had left
again and hurried to spend n few days
on the Riviera before taking steamer at
MarseilIes.
IL was absurd, he knew II, but the long
ing to see her face again was Irresistible
lie would not seek an opportunity OF
speaking with her-the scheme on which
their lives had been worked out made
this impossible. He simply had an over
whelming desire TO see her. Then he
could 20 back 10 his lonely life, not happy
he could never be that. but with fresh
picture OF the one woman he had ever
loved
lie noticed a smart carriage draw up
before the broad steps OF the Casino, and,
almost simultaneously, a man and wo-
man came out of the building. Tne man
~as middle-aged. triile heavy I'm build
and faultlessly dressed. He handed the
lady into her carriage. Hlppesley, az he
caught sight OF her face. gave a start,
and clutched hold of the table. She was
young Englishwoman, magniiicentiy
beautiful.
The color left his face. and he riveted
his eyes on her He watched her smiling
Iy say good by TO the man on the steps,
then the carriage turned and drove rapid
~ away. AS It vanished from sight he
sank back I'm his chair, his mouth witch
ing His throat seemed dry and parched;
he stretched forward and drank some tea
at gulp. Then the voices OF two men
talking just behind him reached his ears.
"rhat was the Princess zandra-she is
living at the villa Erondel at Beaulieu."
Enormously rich?'
She was till day or ago" The man
lowered his voice Hippesley found him
self straining for .he next words. II hap
pen 10 know. came In almost whisper,
that the late Prince was sufficiently ILL
advised to invest nearly all his money in
an enterprise that has recently come TO
the ground with "A crash, and the Prin-
cess who never had the slightest suspt-
ciou OF her affairs not being I'm a salts
factory state, has suddenly been told that
another year at her present rate of ex-
peuditure win leave her penniless.'
What will she do?'
90 on living M she has done-and
marry again. Women with such beauty
can pick and choose--there are no hard
places for them. Rumor says IL will be
the man who has Just left her. Tie II not
a good man. but he is passionately I'm love
with her, and a millionaire twice over"
Hppesley rose from his seat, and, maxi
ing his way round 10 the terrace. sank
into "A seat. tie felt he could ..ear no
more. IL was all 40 curious, so startling
ly strange TO think that the girl he had
left living with her father on the out
skirts OF a quiet English country town
should have developed into this wonderful
Princess Zandra, whose beauty was
known throughout Europe. And they had
loved one another, He had gone abroad
with the hope Of making a name for him
self. of being able 90 claim her. But IN
luck had dogged him, and the time had
never come when he could write 10 her.
pe had left her free. aud as the years
went by, bringing nothing but persistent
failure he knew that n was not FOR him
to possess the only thing he couhted
worth having. Occasionally scraps OF Ia
tellixence AS To- the course her life had
taken drifted 20 him. Her father had
died. and she had gone to live with a
wealthy aunt I'm London. From stray pa
pera that reached him he learned that her
beauty had caused quite "A sensation In
society. Then at last came the news that
che had married foreigner Of great posi-
ton. Prince zandra.
lie wondered ~ she ever thought Of him
--remembcred the night he had confessed
his love 10 her. Not day had passed I'm
those long years OF failure but her image
had been before him. Now. az length.
when he had achieved some slight sue
cess n was too late. All that was left
for him was 10 take ,he absurd little
Journey ~ sentiment
Early next morning he Travelled 10
ppRuiieu lie rot out st the railway sta
tlou and. following the path that led
round 90 St Jean. passed the fishing VIZ
LACE and gained the Point There he sank
down on the ground. and gave himself up
70 his reflections. Is was a perfect morn
frg a cioudess sky the air soft and
vregusut with the i~rfuns cl th, roses