Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-01-19


$4,000 had been spent on the
\ carnival, and no opportunity
of annihlating the roulette winnings
seemed to offer itself His experience
at Monte Carlo did not encourage him
to try again, and Peggy's attitude to-
ward the plare was distinctly antago-
nistic. The Riviera presenting no new
opportunities for extravaganza, it be-
came necessary to seek other worlds.
Il never before understood the real
meaning of the phrase tight money!"
thought Monty. Lord, if it would only
loosen bit and stay loosened" Some
thing must be done, he realized, to earn
his living. Perhaps the role of the
princely profligatc would be easier in
Italy than anywhere else. He studied
the outlook from every point of view
but there were moments when it seem
ed hopeless. Baedeker was provoking
~ barren of suggestions for eXtrava-
gance, and Monty grew impatient of the
books small economies. Noticing some
chapters on the Italian lakes in an in
spired moment he remembered that
Pettingill had once lost his heart to a
villa on the lake of Como. Instantly a
new act of the comedy presented itself
to him. He sought out Pettlngill and
demanded description of his castle in
the air.
"Oh, it's a WONDER" exclaimed the
artist. And his eyes grew dreamy. 1T
shines out at you with its white ter
races and turrets like those fascinat-
Ing castles that Maxfield Parrish draws
for children. 1t is fairyland. You ex-
pect to wake and find it gone"
"Oh, drop that, Petty" said Brew
ster, "or it will make you poetical
What l want to know is who owns it
and is it likely to be occupied at this
season."
1T belongs to a certain marquise,
who is widow with no children. They
say she has horror of the place for
some reason and has never been near
1t. 1t is Kept as though she were to
turn up the next day, but except for
the servants it is always deserted"
The very thing" declared Brewster.
Petty, We'll have house party"
You'd better not count on that. Mon
ty. y man | know ran across the
place once and tried for Il wear to buy
II. But the lady has ideas of her own"
We'll, if you wish to give him a hint
or two about how to do things. watch
me. If you don't spend two weeks in
your dream castle will cut the crowd
and sail for home.'
He secured the name of the owner
and found that Pettingill had even
remote idea of the address of her agent.
Armed with these facts, lie set out in
search of courier, and through Phi
hppe lie secured Frenchman named
Bertler, who was guaranteed to be sur
prlslngly Ingenious in providing meth
odS OF spending money. To him Brew
ster confided his scheme, and Bertier
realized with rising enthusiasm that at
last he had secured client after his
own heart He was able to complete
the address of the agent of the mys-
ferrous marquise, and an inquiry was
Immediately telegraphed to him.
The agents reply would have been
dlScouraging to any one but Brewster.
1t stated that the owner had no inten-
ton of leasing her forsaken castle for
any period whatever The prohicate
learned that fair price for an estate
or that kind for a month was 10000
francs, and he wired an offer of five
times that sum for two weeks. The
agent replied that some delay would be
necessary while he communicated with
his principal. Delay was the one word
that Brewster did not understand. so
he wired him an address in Genoa. and
the Filter was made ready for sea.
Steam had been kept up. and her coal
account would compare favorably with
that of an ocean liner Philippe was
GREATNESS with joy when he was paid !
In advance for another month at the |
hotel on the assumption that the party /
might be moved to return at any mo-
ment. The little town was gay at part |
ing and Brewster and his guests were !
given a royal farewell /
AT Genoa the mail had accumulated
and held the attention of the yacht
to the exclusion of everything else
Brewster was somewhat crestfallen TO
learn that the lady of the villa haughti-
ly refused his princely offer. He won
the lifelong devotion Of his courier by
promptly increasing it to 100000
francs. When this. too, met with re-
lection there was a pause as we'll as
serious consultation between the
two.
"Bertier," exclaimed Brewster, "a
must have the thing now. What's to
be done? You've got to help me out"
But the courier, prodigal us he was
Of gestures, had no words which seem.
ed pertinent.
There must be some way of getting
at this marquise," Monty continued re-
hectively. What are her tastes? Do
you know anything about herr"
Suddenly the face of the courier
grew bright. II have it," he said, and
then he faltered. But the expense
monsieur-it would be heavy"