Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-03-20
The Roupell Mystery
q r a n v 1 e

| IL was a very small party which sat
down TO dinner. There were eight per-
sons In all. Herr Goldstein, the broker,
was one. Jules Chabot was also there
The banker, Colbert Rempln and Mad
anne Colbert-Remplin came In at the last
moment. The Swiss gentleman was duly
introduced to all In turn; but the for
tunes OF the evening placed him by the
side OF the vicomtesse and remote from
that portion of the table where Madame
Colbert-Remplin was seated.
He found in his hostess a woman Of
unusual conversational attainments She
was equally happy with the chat and
gossip Of society, or prepared to talk
cleverly on deeper topics. The dinner
was irreproachable. Had Cassagne's mind
not been SO preoccupied he would doubt
less have enjoyed it. There are some
dinners money will not purchase.
I'VE are to have no cards, believe"
said the broker; "that is the edict to-
night, Is 1t not?"
YES" replied the vicomtesse, I'VE are
to have for once a quiet evening. hope
you will manage to amuse yourself.
There Is Madame Froizart; she will sing
you something, doubtless, IL you ask"
And you, madamer
"Oh for me, have reserved a special
treat for myself. am going to show
Monsieur Lazare my conservatories
while he tells me something about peas
ant life in the Swiss mountains"
M. Lazare wandered under the palms
In the conservatory. 1t was but dimly
lighted. A few colored lamps alone were
suspended from the glass roof of the spa
cious building, SO spacious indeed that in
winter 1t appeared as a garden, covered
with glass and so heated as to protect
the rare collection of plants and flowers
from the killing frosts.
There were little paths running here
and there. The vicomtesse led her guest
along one which took them to the very
center Of the building, where some lofty
palms reared their heads under the great
glass dome. There was a rustic bench
facing the plashing waters Of the foun-
tain and sheltered from. observation by a
thick growth.
She began by a defense Of the vicomte
Her manner was the well-bred one of a
woman thoroughly accustomed to meet
men OF all ages and dispositions, of all
minds and temperaments.
Monsieur de Valiar has gone to play
cards, l feel convinced" she said, look
ing at Cassagne with her soft, liquid
eyes, "let us sit here and talk, you and
l. Do you know, it Is a rare thing for
me to have quiet evening. Don't think
my husband discourteous. He has some
peculiar ways. He thinks he has dis
charged much of his duty as host when
he has given his guests good dinner,
and then everybody in this house feels
so much at hsme. The world has treated
you very nicely" she continued, "has it
not? Ny husband tells me you have
done wonderfully well, and you are not
yet forty, l should judge. Why don't
you go into politics and make great
name? l think if l had been a man l
should have done so You should have
me talk to your friend Monsieur D'Au-
buron."
you think Monsieur D'Auburon has
career before him?"
The vicomtesse laughed very merrily
indeed.
| "A career-your friend Monsieur
D'Auburon. Why, no, he is far too lazy.
That is why we have had such interest
ing conversations. have kept urging
upon him tho necessity for exertion. He
maintains that work of any kind will
kill him."
"And yet when he visited me in Swift
zerland he was the most indefatigable
of climbers. l had hard work to keep
up with him, can tell you."
II thought Monsieur D'Auburon had
never been in Switzerland At any rate
know he says he detests mountains"
"Our friend possesses the rare merit
of being modest. Ask him about Chamou-
nix and the Matterhorn when you next
see him. He can tell you few stories
which would surprise you. But let us
talk of more immediate things, madame.
Monsieur D'Auburon is not in Partisan
society, and just now l am particularly
interested in Partisan society. Your own
circle, for instance. You seem to have
drawn around you some charming people
the lbert-Remplins, for instance"
"You like them?'
| "Yes; the husband is 80 well inform
ed don't mean merely on matters of
| uhuhSSt uut oh topiC5. was greatly
interested in what he was talking about
during dinner-the dissolution of your
second empire. By the way, what an
ideal lady Of the court his wife, with her
white hair and aristocratic features,
would have made under the-Third Napo-
leon."
"Do you admire her?'
"Greatly-in way. Is she not a
woman with history? She looks like
| it."
The words were spoken so quietly and
naturally, that though she started with
surprise at the directness of the ques-
tion, the vicomtesse could not possibly
doubt her guests good faith In putting 1t.
"Yes," she replied, "she has his
tory"
II thought l was right. am read
er Of human faces In a way. II had