Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-27
The Lost Land.

David Royant was sitting out on
the terrace. sitting out with partner
who had laughingly declined to dance.
The fragrant scent Of dollhouse fow'
ers rung In the air, and the strains
OF the famous FL Dorado waltz float
ed out from the ballroom.
He was tall. notwithstanding
man; he had a strong chin and good
honest brown eyes. His was uhe
face OF man who had fought q
lizard battle and conquered.
! TIL woman--thc woman who didh
, want 10 dancc-was slight creature
with a pair of haunting gray eyes ana
IL cloud OF fair, exquisitely silky hair
There was something indcscribably at
tractivc and alluring in her whole per
sonality. THE FL Dorado murmur'
ed Vanessa, listening to the music
She gave a slight. delicate laugh, then
! she turned to her companion.
DO you think there is an Ell DO
rado-such a country" she asked
mcOltatlNely. Ut ID IL i"'y
like the rest?"
Her sigh was infinitely pathetic. IL
was difficult to realize for the mo-
ment that an eminently successful
woman was asking the wistful qucs'
ton. a woman whose art had maze
her famous, and who played the violin
az none other could or would.
Curious twOo that she should ques'
ton David Royant OH the subject. II
there was a man on earth who had
found the land OF FL Dorado this man
had. for Royant was illionaire. ana
more than millionaire, a man who
had built up miraculous fortune. as
It were. In stwinkling Of an eye. he
had stumbled on a gold mine by pure
accident.
"Oh. no, I believe In FL Dorado. VI
course, there Is such a land-there
must be-" he continued. "otherwlse
all the poets and dreamers have beeh
mad-all the singers. all the music
ians. And it would be rather pity
to believe that. wouldn't it,
Inlb was UOl tuc ob tihiS IN
met VanessaLessing by any means
for they were friends now OF long
standing; but the woman Interested
him. For all her fame. for all her
magnificent success. and her curious
and indefinable beauty. her face was
not the face of a happy woman. Inc
eyes were hungry eyes.
Some people"-Vanessa spoke SLOW
" and very softly-"some people mold
that FL Dorado is land OF gold. IL
is the city OF the rich man. and no
one can enter It unless he has great
wealth"
David Royan shook his head.
Don't believe that story he SAID
decidedly; 1T is a fable. am a ricn
man myself. but"-he spread out MS
hands, haven't found the land you
speak of, though / came near to md
ing it-once."
His strong rugged face softened. A
new look came into his eyes.
Tell me-" she leaned forward,
"how did you come near to the
country: how did you lose your chance
of landing in it,"
ut Is a very ordinary story ne
smiled, then crumpled his programme
M into a hard ball; Just the story
OF Young man passionately In love
with a young woman. who goes abroad
to try to make a fortune for her. he
comes back years after with his for
tune, but the girl
YES, the girl?" murmured Vanessa.
shes the mother Of girls herself
he answered simply. "a sparkling
Young matrOn OF 30. Happy enough
I've no doubt. even though the man
she married doesn't happen to be
quite SO wealthy as ! am. on. !
don't suppose she cared much los
me, really" he added with a dry
laugh. "else she would have waited
as other women have waited"
Things are better for you than
they were for me-" she muttered.
She shuddered as she spoke.
Years ago, when was young
barely eighteen she went on, Il was
engaged to be married. He was a
struggling young barrister, aud ! was
one Of a family OF many sisters
There gas no earthly prospects Of our
'being married for years: but that
didn't matter in the least. We were
i quite happy. And then. one afer'
noon. when I happened to be playing
NV violin at a small afternoon party.
a big musician heard me. and told
me that II I chose to work hard
should have a future before me-s
great future. or course. l was ex'
cited-aattered. Then. later on. when
the big mans opinion vas corroboTat
ed by other great musicians. II seem