Washington State journal. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1907-1911, 1907-12-19
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-SM THE GIRL WITH ~
w. A MILLION ~
CHAPTER III.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER III.-(Continued.)
The Levantine advanced, halted before
the trio, and raised his hat.
II beg you to pardon my intrusion. u
he said. speaking in German to Fraser.
"You were good enough to help me once
before. have a postcard here which /
cannot read. Will you be so kind as to
translate it for me"
Fraser sraciously took the postcard
and translated it into German. A Brus-
sells chemist wrote that one or two of
the ingredients in the prescription for
warded to him by Mr.. Athanos Zeno were
he had been compelled to send to England
for them. The prescription would be
made up and forwarded in a day or two.
Mr.. Athanos Zeno raised his hat once
more and accepted the proffered postcard
from Fraser's fingers, protesting his in
finite obligation. He had received the
prescription some years ago from an Eng
lish physician whom he had met at Ber-
lin. 1t had always done him great deal
of good. He was q little unwsll now,
and he had been recommended to Janenne
because Of its famous air. He had ex-
pected to have had friends with him who
spoke the language. but they had not ar
rived. 1t was not very cheerful to be all
alone there, and to exchange Z word with
nobody. He trusted to be forgiven this
intrusion.
Fraser intimated, in his swn lerdly and
eondescending way. that he should DO
happy at any time during his brief stay
In Janenne to be of service, and Mr..
Athanos Zeno, with a bow to each in
turn, withdrew himself.
CHAPTER ~.
At the back of abe Hotel des Postes
u little garden where the flower beds
sehist, and where in summer time the
gray stone walls which bound the garden
on three sides beat back the heat Of the
sun upon the air like the reverberators
Of . furnace. Unobservant visitors won
der to end themselves hotter here in shade
than they are in sunshine elsewhere in
the same village.
Athanos Zsno sat here pretty often,
leaning back in q springy chair Of painted
strip iron. with his lustrous black eyes
half closed. A delightfully."- idle man to
look ct was Athanos Zeno. and on the
outside nearly always distracted from
the world. though to . keen observer
there was visible when people talked in
his nsishborhood that curious listening.
sbservant poise Of the head which Austin
FARLEY had noticed in him. He had moth
&ng t. conceal. and but little 70 observe,
Just new. Dobroski, Fraser and O'Reurke
were talking together. in front Of the
Cheval Blanc. and now and again q stray
village girl came down to the village
pump fer water, but there was Nobody
dss in sight.
Mrs. Farley walked int the garden
with the boys hand in one Of hers, and
seating herself at some distance from
the Levantine, busted herself ever . bit
Of lace work.
At an open window overlooking the gar
den sat Austin, with rumpled hair and
disordered aspect, occasionally scratching
his head with the feathersd stump of .
very short quill pen. Lucy, who had 20
arranged her seat as to command . view
Of him at will, observed him rmilingly
and tenderly for awhile, but he began to
rumple his hair 20 wildly at length that
she spoke to him.
Cant you work to-day, dearT'
tits tinsling all over me-" he an
swered, with an irritated flourish of the
hands. Actually and absolutely ting
ling"
''You do nothing In that mood" she
said, smiling. Leave it for little while.
Come down into the garden"
II think l WILL" he answered: and
she watched him whilst he swept away
from his table 4 disorderly double hand
ful Of papers, and matching q straw hat
from . hook on the wall, stuck It frstful-
~ At the bac kof his head and left the
room.
Just at that moment the carriage driv-
On BY Maskelyne pulled up in front Of the
ChevaA Blanc. and the good wife cried, in
. hurried whisper. Austin, here are the
people from Houfoy. And you in your
slippers! Go away and make yourself
preseatable."
Austin arose with something Of an air
sf humorous discomfort, and nuntered
into the hotel, reappearing in time to
greet Maskelyne and Dobroski at the door,
where the ysung American introduced
Miss Butler with q solemn little phrase
o. two about the novelist's fame, which
caused him to blush like q schoolboy.
angela looked upon him with eyes Of ven
eration-the first live author she had be-
held. She was at the age when venera-
tion II at its freshest, and this encounter
was an unfeigned and unique delight to
her.
BY and by they were all seated In the
garden together, and O'Rourke and Fra
ser came in, and each took 4 chair in the
hot shade Of the trained lines. Angela,
Farley and Maskelyne were just begin
ming to feel at home together, and were
gliding into talk. O'Rourke sat near and
kept silence, though it was q common
habit Of hi tt lead conversation. He was
esteemed good talker. but his power a
q listener was rarer and more remarkable,
As listener he was full of subtleties.
He responded silently to the slightest
shade of thought, and the talker always
felt certain, Of sympathy with him.
He saw but little Of feminine society,
and knew but little of women's manners
OF their interior ways. He watched with
q closer interest than he could altogether
have accounted for at the moment for any