The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-11-18

IITINTER reigned throughout Eu-
wv rope, but on the Riviera spring
and summer bloomed together. Over
head the sky was infinitely blue. below
the sea was green and purple and
amethyst Everywhere the sun, every
where the scent Of geranium and
mimosa, the fragrance Of rose and
violet Always the deep boom, boom
Of the waves laundering against the
tail cliffs Of Monaco, always the cry
OF the sea gull. forever the chimes from
the church OF Sainte Devote.
At Monte Carlo, that paradise Of the
ganester, the season was at its height.
The Hotel de Paris and Beau-Riyage
were crowded, those Of the quarter La
Condsmine were full. and well-dressed
people, finding shelter In some cheap
lodging house over in Monaco, gave the
name OF some fashionable resort when
applying for a carte d'admission to the
sCercles des Etrangeres." the euphemis-
tic title OF that institution which draws
hItber the avid and the inquisitive OF all
the nations Day after day, night after
night, the Casino overhowed with those
who came to tempt Fortune Every
one laughed and sang and was gay.
Heavy hearts are hidden at Monte
Carlo.
II was AT concert that she first ap-
peared-the Woman in Red. The
French tenor was Just beginning his
number when the doors Of the middle
box OF the right hand tier swung slow
Iv open and closed behind her. She
stood for Just a moment outlined
against the ivory background. Very
tail she seemed, dressed from head to
foot in red-not cardinal. nor crimson
but the most intense and glowing
scarlet From out this mass OF color
her bare throat rose vividly white, and
down the satin OF her skirt her un-
eloved arms hung, soft and round az
those of a child. Her hair, too. fine
and fair. gave her head rather child
ian look. And then-no wonder fans
stopped nuttering and silks began 10
rustle-her face was entirely concealed
by a mask Of dark red velvet!
The lady seated herslf quickly, with
n curious grace in every movement
and the red OF her dress spreading out
around her. stained as with blood the
vhiteness OF the box. She raised her
elass and insolently swept the house
moving her head so that the jewels IN
her hair blazed and famed into the
faces turned In her direction. A laugh
foated from above as woman In the
gallery. with her programme twisted
into a roll, Knocked the motion. The
Woman in Red turned away her face
with a shrug OF her white shoulders
and sat through the performance quite
still and Indifferent. At the beginning
of the last number she rose slowly, and
gathering together her shimmerinl
scarlet lest the box. That was the
introduction TO the world OF Monte
Carlo of the Woman in Red.
After that, interest centered abou
her. increasing as her peculiarities be
came known. She never wore q sug
Eestion OF any color but red, and tha
alone was enough TO make her con
sbicuous. Then the mask, thought t
have been merely a caprice on TIT
night OF the concert, was never re
moved. That rendered her mysterious
She talked but little. going about 81
lently. with a soft. light step. On
might be quite alone, and the mex
moment suddenly aware OF the Re-
Woman's presence. When the tai
young Englishman who lost everything
at . turn Of the wheel went out into
the Casino garden and. cooking his
pistol in the shadow Of the cacti, NUT
tered: 'Tll end the whole cursed busi'
nessl" the Woman In Red murmuret
persuasively beside him: "Oh,
wouldn't" and he didn't, and wher
q lady knelt one evening before the
image Of the Virgin in the church oi
Sainte Devote. and whispered wildly
20 Blessed Mother. forgive me my
sinsl" II was the Woman In Red who
finished softly for her, "and those who