The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-20
The Spanish Necklace
BY BER7HA M. CROKER
tCopysht, isos by B. M croker. All Rights Reserved,
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 1 with her, she would be at ease, and | Paul would be amused. Therefore. | one afternoon, on his return from golf, Paul was surprised to find already in- stalled at the vile his beautiful cousin i the Condesa. She was the same as | ever and full of life and grace and diablerie. She fattered him delight fully, smoked with him, chattered to him in his own tongue. and sang ,o | him as he and his mother sat on the verandah after dinner.
 And this talk of an English wife. Pablo mio?" she asked suddenly. What means it?"
 Nothing" put in la Duquesa. "Sht is an ugly redhaired Protestant. It Is | only her money"
 "Mio madre, you are wrongi'' pro- l tested Paul. Tt Is herself. She is I very handsome. she has a foot as small as yours. and but one fault 1 she Is too goos for me"
 "Ah, Paul" broke in Dolores. with I mocking laugh and wicked look In her splendid eyes. T cannot spe you l married to an English 'mee heretic and ugly. Diosmfoi what a fate for the gay Marquesl Sooner, than that" l and she blew cloud. 'I would rescue | him myself.''
 Dolores Was born with the instincts of siren-not In their grosser sspce but in the. utmost rehnemenls Of sednction-b0autiful bewitching, versed by art and nature in every fascination that appealed to a hot-bIooded Span lard, she acted in short time as an tntoxicant on Paul's sences There is so much In propinquity; the ties of the same race and tongues. the bonds of old times and pleasures the thraIi of a pair of too eloquent eyes.
 Paul was now to be seen driving with his mother and cousin in the big ducai carriage-motoring with la Con esad esortinB her to tho theare; and people exclaimed
 An, the tickle Marquis has forgotten Miss Forde-out of sight, out of mind: HIS aunt, Mercedes, however. had a more retentive memory, and ei Duoue his father. who had received inteiii- gence of his sons fine prospects, ar rived from Madrid in order to be pre- xented to the lady. and to arrange matters financial; for his race and It's interests was in his very bones
 Fl Duque de San Telmo was one of the thinnest and most gentlemanly men alive. AS soon as you saw him you realized what was conveyed by the terms Spanish grandee." a grandee of spain" He held his meagre figure superbly, his en1aciated features were proud patrician and expressive his eyes shone forth from two carverns on either side of a singuiariy weiI-cl,t nose. Fl Duque was domestic despot. out hts manners were chivaIrous and courteous; he was sixty years of age, dressed with extreme care. and al- ways carried a cane. When hs arrived at the Villa Andalusia, to his amaze. ment, the good match was no longer alscussed. His wife shrugged her ample shoulders. Dolores laughed, Paul smoked in silence. When thew were alone. he asked his son. and his tone was blunt
 Is the marriage broken o.r?"
 well Sir. It was never a formal en- gagement though am ready to marry MISS Fords tomorrow. My mother Is against the match"
 WayT demanded el Duque 4ercely. c.,.osI tause the lady is not of our Church. She Is a Protestant"
 Bah' And was she not a Protestart two months ago. when your mother wrote and declared that she would now die happy?" "4u io" them '"i"u slnce !. ,,,l ,'YOur aunt. too, wrote and gave the lady muchpraise" s49 for me" Nfess--eoo good
 And the other Is too. ba,4 for v,, :.
 nat do you mean. sir?" and his eyebrows went up. ms mean your cQusin-that intrieu 1ng, lylng. gambling. handsome devil
 Sir. she is our guest!'
 Your mothers guest-not n,t,o for Know, her. She Is also your naother,s sooi. Well we will say no more. | nave come on fools errand--if tha other arair is ended"
 o this question his, son could give no reply. What was he to say? Was really ended? Was he going out 10 Cambao to see~La Rubia again-the too-cautious English girl who hesi- tated to pledge herself or accept his ring? Her tears and avowal had meant nothing. if she had really cared. she would have said Yes" without de. mur. He was still free-free to amuse himself little longer. to play the bon comrade with Dolores. and maybe marry La Rubia after all.
 He would write out to Miss Forde and make his excuses Alas! It was true what Mrs Tudor said that in the art of serving up his heart on a sheet of notepaper. few could rival el Mar ques de Sarazin.
 The Duke paid a long visit to his sister in the magnificent Villa Flora. He dined with her tete-a-tete. and be- walled the plans and plots of Dolores, who had reft from him rich and ami. able daughter-in-law.
 T dare say Paul will never marry he knows his own mind for five min- utes. no more; and Leon is, you are aware, betrothed to Casilda. a dear child, a sunbeam, but so poor!"
 By-and-by the brother and sister discussed other topics, and she mad vertently mentioned the great treas- ure. the Sarazin necklace.
 Maria has 1t with her." she declar- | ed. flor I saw the case: but she will | not suffer any one to open it."