Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-01-17
CHAPTER wy

lowing morning brought to Helen quite
ntrie batch of extracts from the Paris
Journals concerning herself.
delen read two or three of them cold
~, then pushed the rest aside. Her choc-
oiate remained untouched, and Mrs. Rod
pert Berinquay, who acted the part of
cnaperone in Helene's household, sat at
the head of the table, rubbing her plump
"nlte hands against each other and look
ing extremely miserable
Helene had barely taken any notice
OF her, and the old lady was as peevish
as any offended aunt can be. The read
er viii wonder how Mr.. and Mrs. Rod
pert Berinquay care to be so closely
connected with Eelene's household, but
the matter is very simple.
When Helene arrived in Europe and
round her nearest relatives struggling IN
the meshes of the direst distress, threat
ened by the terrors of the law, criminal
ana civil, she persuaded Adams to grant
immediate help to her unfortunate uncle
and aunt
Mr.. aodbert Perinquay accepted assist
ance with lofty cor descenson. He knew
mat 1t was useless to struggle against the
evidences of title which Helen, through
alters untiring help, was able to pro-
ouce, and he therefore most generously
consented not to impede Helene's case,
upon being assured Of the payment of
an his debts and liabilities, and of COM
portable income for himself and Mrs.
Perinquay
lie forgot with the most benign grace
that he had for years attempted to pro-
cure Helene's assassination through
Quayle, and he received her with be-
nevolent goodwill which kindly parent
might extend toward a long-lost daugh-
ter. Helene could not go about in Eng
fish society alone. chaperone had to
be found for her, and WHO better suited
to that purpose than Mrs. Robert Berlin
quay?
We'll" said Adams, tthat is pleasant
reading, l supposew
For reply, Helen pushed toward him
the letter she had received on the pre-
vious evening. Adams read the letter
1t can't be helped" he said. I'VE
ought not to have delayed so long"
i would not mind it," rejoined Helen;
but 1t is that man Roberts again.
Whenever l want thing particularly, /
cannot get it because that man Roberts
has got It, or has bought it. Who is he,
do you know?'
i know that he is an American gen
tleman, and very rich one" said Adj
ans. He owns gold and silver mines
ID Colorado of fabulous value. Here"
he added, pointing to a gentleman who
had just entered the room, perhaps
General Demon will be able to give you
more precise information. Who is Mr.
Roberts of Colorado?' he asked, with
smile, which had faint of satire in it.
cannot tell you much, / am afraid"
replied Demon. about the gentleman'3
early antecedents nothing is known. Peo-
pie say that he came to Colorado as
bullock driver, not more than FIVE or six
years ago one night, so people say, he
won two hundred dollars at poker. With
these two hundred dollars so further
saith popular information, he set up
gambling de.l in log hut. The two hun
dred dollars grew to two thousand and
the two thousand to twenty thousand,
and with these twenty thousand dollars
he bought a mountain which turned out
to be partly of gold and partly of silver
They have been digging it out by the
wagon loads these four or five years
past and they say that if they go on
digging for six hundred years more they
won't come to the bottom of it. A pleas
ant prospect for Mr.. ROBBERS, is it not p
Then he has more money than Ir' ex-
claimed Helen, bitterly.
Il suppose he has, or will have II when
he wants it," was Demons answer
Helen sat back in her chair and breath
ed long sigh.
What does he look like?' she said at
last.
He looks like a man who can take
care of himself and of what he pos
sesses,' replied Demon
But is he tall--short? an antelope
or hippopotamus" questioned Helene.
little more acridly.
He is of middling height. rather
stout" said Demon, land between forty
and fifty, | should say. Not an unpleas-
ant face rather dark of complexion. and
with dark eyes. His hair is iron gray,
and he wears a huge mustache and a
close-cut, pointed beard of the same
color. He affects an easy nonchalance.
dresses in rather Bohemian fashion. and
seems to know Paris exceedingly well.
He came here with letters of Introduction
20 the Duchess de Frenzy, and that amia-
bic scandal monger las opened the doors
of many of the best salons for him. You
seem interested in the gentleman. MAY
! ask whyg"
ale buys everything that i want :"
was Helene's answer. "He has bought
that house over there, and | want it''
well, surely exclaimed Demon. ssif
Mr.. Roberts knew you wanted that house
he would relinquish his bargain, and let
you have it."
do you think SOP" questioned Helen
"Of course he would" Demon answer
ed. "Who could refuse you anything.
if you asked? Mr.. Roberts may be verv
rich, but he is only a man after all. and
he certainly will not he able to deny him
self the pleasure of doing favor TO
Miss Berinquay. Write to him. Write
TO him NICELY. and ask him to come and
see you for the purpose of talking this
business over. You might present your
hest compliments, and you might say
that it would give you pleasure if Mr..
Roberts would call and take cup of tea
with you at FIVE o'clock. A cup of tea,
spoonful of cream, and two humps of
sugar cost little, but you will ind that
their power is magnetic"
.'Very WELL" said Helene az will 90
out of the way and be specially pleasant
TO this Rocky Mountain bear"
Five o'clock tea is a pleasant function.
much honored in Paris. 1t is the appoint
ed hour for all the tittle-tattle, the fragile
condolences which fit from salon TO sa-
lon. and then are reported in the fashion
able papers under the guise of rumor.
ii was therefore nothing unusual for
HeleAe to ask Mr.. Roberts to call on her
at that hour. especially as he was invit-
ed for the most formal business pur-
poses.
At the same time Helene argued that
anybody would consider it an honor Of
the highest degree to be SO invited. and
that Mr.. Roberts was bound to feel cor
rcspondingly influenced by the distinc-
ton bestowed upon him.
She was peculiarly ahsent-minded dur
ing the whole of the morning. and when
Walter called to take her for an hours
canter he had 70 wait an hour before the
lady was ready to accompany him.
Walter. however, was well accustomed
TO Helene's idiosyncrasies. and to his