The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-25
CHAPTER XXI.
a Chance Encounter.


The great terrace OF the big hotel at
Caux was thronged with the usual motley
crowd which naked the height OF its
season. Holiday makers reluctantly re-
turning homeward and lingering for d few
last days on its serene heights; others
southwark bound to linger in Italy; all
the lotsam and jetsam of the great out
ward and inward tides Of travel
Far down below Lake Leman lay. Ike
FURNISHED mirror. rejecting the cres-
cent sweep Of its northern shores, ablaze
with the autumn splendors of the vint-
age. a Golden Horn" indeed. as the yell
low LEAKAGE glowed Respondent in the
sunset light. In front. the Savoy Alps
doomed up in the shadow, a rampant Of
the deepest indigo. their fantastic outline
delicately etched against sky a-quiver
with light. into which. closing the pic
| tUre the Dent du Midi raised its shat
1 tered white crests.
/ But for many eyes upon the terrace that
sumptuous feast of form and light and
color was OUtspTead in vain. They were
much more occupied with the various
/ groups who came and went, drank tea or
/ liqueurs at the many little tables, or
/ smoked and~chatted till il should be time
10 dress for dinner. And among those
was Evelyn Ashe at table admirably
placed for the observation both of nature
and of human nature. Though he could
4 turn y very neat compliment to the fdf-
nler when occasion required. he preferred a
/ landscape with figures plenty Of figures
and very much in the foreground, so that
/ the terrace, gay as a tulip bed. ruffied by
/ a breeze. might well have satisfied his
requirements. To ali outward appearance
/ it did
Lying back in his chair he looked the
/ perfection of elegant ease and indolent
content, though every now and then he
sent a long, inquiring glance through the
| shifting groups, smart Americans chief
". bright as parrakeets. and chattering as
melH1uously, with large admixture OF
the travelling German with his solid frau
and iourishing family. The British ele-
ment was, of course, Well represented
too. in its many very varying types. and
after each apparently unsuccessful excur-
sion Ashes eyes returned with q faint
gleam of idle amusement to the couple
who had just established themselves al
his table
Rich. childless, fussily beneveIent-tht
/ benevOlence which consists in forcins
i your own way upon those who are una bl,
to resent 1t, Asae mentally summed then
up The husband, little. gray. weasel
faced man, with a manner at once fidgety
and pompous. as IL ever uneasily aware OF
the need to assert himself. The lady, ike
various works Of nature and art, was
rendered imposing by sheer size anC
strove after an air OF massive calm 4
match her proportions. She intensified
the effect Of her British stare by for
midable long-handled eyeglass, but fOrtu
nately this implement was frequently
amissing amid her voluminous draperies
and the effort TO find and adjust it de
traeted somewhat from its terrors anC
the awful majesty of her mien. The PAL
had evidently been discussing some letter
and the current of Ashes reflections HAD
been flicked by the recurring phrases
My dear Emily. Il you would allow m'
to explain" and My dear Henry. il m!
opinion had been asked" when suddenly
the lady dropped her eyeglass with a clat
ter on the handicapped table.
Good gracious!" she exclaimed, in mucl
less measured accents, and then SCENE,
struck into staring silence, her eyes round
her mouth wide
Il Observation-Disclosures is it, my dear?' ex