Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-02-12

lie secured II, ana the crown was
transferred at once to fairyland
There were protests, of course, but
these Brewster had grown to expect
and he was learning to carry things
with a high hand The travellers had
been preceded by Bertier, and the
greeting they received from the stew
ard of the estate and his innumerable
assistants was very Italian and full OF
color. A break in their monotony was
welcome.
The loneliness of the villa. and its
grounds, which sloped down TO Tue
geatle lake, silenced criticism. For
time it was supremacy satisfying to do
nothing. Pettingill wandered about
as though be could not believe it was
real. He was lost in a kind of at
mosphere of ecstasy To the others,
who took it more calmly, it was still
a sort of paradise. Those who were
happy found in it an intensifcation OF
happiness, and to those who were sad
il offered the tenderest opportunities
for melancholy. Mrs. Dan told Brew
ster that only poet could have had
this inspiration. And Peggy added:
Anything after this would be an an
ticlimax Really, Monty, you would
better take Us home"
Il feel like the boy who was shut III
closet for punishment and found it
the place where they kept the JAM,
said Subway. 1T is almost as good
as owning Central park"
Tho cta I,Toe, xvoro wall oc,T7iTnnH and
the days wore on in a wonderful
peace. 1t was on a radiant afternoon,
when twelve of the crowd had started
out after tea for long ride toward
Lugano, that Monty determined to call
Peggy Gray to account. He was GER
tain that she had deliberately avoided
! him for days and weeks, and he could
find no reason for it. Hour after hour
he had lain awake wondering where
he had failed her, but the conclusion
/ Of one moment was rejected the next
| The Monte Carlo episode seemed the
| most plausible cause, yet even before
: that he had noticed that whenever he
approached her she managed to be
talking with some one else. Two or
! three times he was sure she had seen
his intention before she took refuge
with Mrs. Dan or Mary Valentine or
Pettingill. The thought of the last
name gave Monty a sudden thrill.
What if it were he who had come be-
tween them? 1t troubled him, but
there were moments when the idea
seemed impossible. AS they amounted
and started off the eXhilaration of the
ride made him hopeful. They were to
have. dinner in the open air i'll the
| shadow of an abbey ruin some miles
away, and the servants had been sent
ahead to prepare it. 1t went we'll, and
with Mrs. Dams help the dinner was
made gay On the return Monty, who
was off last, spurred up his horse to
| join Peggy. She seemed eager to be
! with the rest, and he lost no time with
preamble.
do you know, Peggy" he began,
something seems to be wrong, and I
am wondering what it is"
'Why, what do you mean, Monty %
as he paused.
Every time come near you, child,
you seem to have something else to do
II | join the group you are in it is the
signal for you to break away"
Nonsense, Monty! Why should ]
avoid you? We have known one an
other much too long for that" But he
thought he detected some contradiction
in her eyes, and he was right. The CIR
was afraid of him, afraid of the sensa
lions he awoke, afraid desperately OF
betrayal.
"Pettingill may appeal to you," BIZ
) ! said, and his voice was serious, ''bu
} you might at least be courteous to me.
How absurd you are, Monty Brew
, ster." The girl grew hot. "You needn'
, think that your million gives you tn,
. privilege Of dictatiOn to all of you
| guests"
| Peggy! How can your he inter
J, jected..
She went on ruthlessly eff my con
. duct interferes with your highness
pleasure 1 can easily join the Preston
/ In Paris"
) Suddenly Brewster remembered tina
l Pettingill had spoken Of the Preston
e. and expressed a feeting wish that b
7 might be with them in the Latin quar-
: ter. with Pettingill to follow, SUP
: pose," he said Jelly. ''It would certain
e ly give you more privacy"
''And Mrs. Dan more opportunities,
d she retorted as he dropped back towar
t the others
:. The artist instantly took his place
o The next moment he had challenge
l. her to race and they were f1yin
down the road in the moonlight. Brew
ster, not to be outdone, was after then
U but it was only moment before hi
: horse SHE'D violently at somethin
s black III the road Then he saw Pc:
gy's horse galloping riderless. Instan
ly, with fear at his throat, he had di:
L mounted and was at the girls sid
!, She was not hurt, they found onl
bruised and daZed and somewhat Ian
> ed. A girth had broken and her SAL
: die turned. The crowd waited, siler