The Havre herald., 1908-05-13
CHAPTER z.


There are all kinds o. men in Paris,
atl kinds oil failures in iifa and all kinds
OF 8Ecce7ses-tHe poor genius who dis
patches himself in an attic, and the
financial nagnate. The Vcomte de Va
lair was one Of those gentlemen who
might be placed in the latter category.
At bound he had risen from compara-
tive obscurity to sudden wealth and such
social position az his title, having it's
source in the king Of the Begians, could
insure him in q society which cared rath-
er more for good dinners than old blood
The Vicomte de Valiar's great hit had
been the successful floating of the City
and Suburban Messenger Company. Lon
don had refused to accept this scheme,
preferrng TO send it's servants out into
the rain and ruin its liveries, to having
a little instrument in the house by which
to summon at n trifing charge a messen-
ger, doctor or a cab. De Valiar, with
an eye keen as hawk, had watched the
career of the enterprise in the English
metropolis. He saw that it was insult
ed to the phlegmatic and exclusive tenn
permanent of the Briton. In the Ameri-
can colony at Paris alone was to be
found successful field for its opera
tions.
The projectors of the London COM
pany, Americans, were glad enough to
sell the French patents. They even
laughed IN their sleeves at the vicomte,
as they pocketed his cash, regarding him
already as ruined man. At the same
time they could not help admiring his
audacity. The Vicomte de Valiar was
audacious, and he displayed consummate
tact in putting his scheme before the
public. He opened q large and snowy
office. He subsidized the most venal of
the Paris newspapers; he pulled thou
sand strings. Then, when all was ready,
he opened his subscription books. Hun
dreds came to his Office, rang up a mes.
senger, and having subscribed, called up
cab on the queer little buzzing instru-
ment, and departed rejoicing in their
hearts that there were such enterprising
men in existence as the Viconte de Va
liar.
All that was five years ago. Once
foated, the vicomte had promptly with
drawn himself from the messenger enter
prise, and invested the increased capital
which that speculation had brought him.
in the Mutual Crr''it and Trust Com
pany. A very limited number OF shares
Of tlis concern had Lctu Ctcrcl to the
public. Such vas the prestige of the
vicomte's name that they had been sub
scribed for over and over again in n very
few hours.
But it was not alone in the field OF
business that dc Valiar had achieved
such remarkable success. The vicom,
tesse was brilliant, dark eyed, handsome
woman, whom de Valiar claimed to have
met abroad during his travels in the Wost
1ndies-Martinique, rumor had it. He,
entertainments were much sought after
and who shall say that she was NOT 8
useful and excellent helpmeet? If 8
wealthy subscriber wayered. an invita-
tion to the house where they could tall
the matter over almost invariably result
ed in the closing of the transaction. I
was not possible that a man with sucI
an stablishment-above all such a wifi
could go wrong. If the vicomtes ida,
Of an office was rather O loud one, tn
urdoubted good taste of his wife cor
rected these things at home.
Those deep blue eyes of the vicomtess
were not the only attraction at the d
Taliar mansion. There was always hig
play for those who relished that kind G
thing. and q sprinkling of those ladie
whom such woman as the de Valia
as she vas familiarIy called at the club
would be sure to gather around her. The
were women Of great personal attraction
soase OF zten Divorces. others on Il
hlsh r@ 70 thar enviable state, Il