Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-18
herself now. He'll take her straight to
her cousin"
CHAPTER XIV.
Plaisir D'Armour Ne Dure Qu'un me
ment.

DuAt WHllS events were COuSp hA6
against the rightful heirs to Mile Quain-
tances millions, the dead mans legiti-
mate nephew. indifferent as ever to his
uncle's wishes and the reward of compli-
ance with them, had not been idle in the
pursuit of his own expensive ambition.
No sooner had Stephen Quaintance seen
the girl whom he knew only as Dagmar
sail from New York than he determined
to follow her. Cornoyer and he together
crossed by the first available steamer
They landed at Cherbourg and came on to
| Paris in haste by train.
VOLTA la ptite mamanw cried the vol
atile Frenchman exuberantly, and, burst
ting forth ere the train had well slowed
down, threw his arms about fashionably
dressed matron who might almost have
passed for his sister
This is my little old mamma" he re-
marked to Quaintance. "She speaks no
English like me, but she is the goods"
Quaintance was protesting vehemently
to Madame Cornoyer that he could not
avail himself other hospitality, but quite
in vain until that question was settled for
them by a most unlooked-for arbiter.
OFeTral came quietly forward, and, at
sight of him, Cornoyer was moved to the
utmost excess Of rapture while Nine.
Cornoye welcomed him wamly as an old
friend. Quaintance was inwardly overjoy-
ed to. see him, but shook hands stolidly,
after the fashion of the Anglo-Saxon. And
then the argument was renewed till
O'Ferral informed them that he had al
ready made all arrangements for the new
Corners accommodation.
What in creation are you doing here?"
Quaintance asked once more wringing
his friends hand as they went forward
to claim his belongings.
You h aven't seen or heard anything
of-of that girl of mine on this side, have
| your"
Not a sign of her. Is she here?'
"She sailed the day before 1 did,"
| Quaintance asserted. 81 think she intend
ed to give me the slip. 1t was by the
purest chance 1 hit the right trail l.
went down to the dock to see Cornoyer
off, but he was late, as usual The boat
sailed just as we got there-the girl was
| on board. 1 saw her. She came on deck
as 1t started"
There's the list of arrivals for ten
days past" OFerral proffered him a
paper and pointed out a long column of
names, which Quaintance fell to perusing
with silent avidity.
Might be any one of a dozen who have
| and maid attached to their Names" he
| remarked doubtfully "but I'll tell you
| Miss Lorraine and maid. Mrs. Smiths
| her maid I'll be bound-and she's Dag
| mar Lorraine. Yes, that's it, sure. Dag
| mar Lorraine"
He fingered over the name as though it
| tickled his ears, and O'Ferral, confirmed
| bachelor, smiled to himself.
Then the next thing to do" he opined,
sis to find Miss Dagmar Lorraine, who
is probably someone else altogether"
/
busting life in conjunction with Cornoy-
er. but Quaintance found time withal to
prosecute his assduous search, and
OFerral did all he could to aid him. But
| they could find no faintest trace of Dag
mar Lorraine.
| Quaintance had even thoughts of adver-
| Using for the owner of the bracelet, but
| finally decided not to do So. since he could
not we'll plead ignorance OF her desire re-
gardNng it. He presently took to his car
again, and patrolled Paris both within
and without the walls, in the vain hope
that fortune might once more favor him
| through that medium.
One afternoon he drove Madame Cor
noyer and her hopeful son to Auteuil,
| where there was a steeplechase meeting
| at which he could count on seeing a good
many members of the English and Amer
! lean colonies in the French capital.
He was wandering up and down dis
consolately, putting a cigarette, not much
| interested In the race on hand, when he
saw familiar face in the throng and al
most Immediately lost it again. 1t was
| that of man, but he could not at once
recall where he had last seen it, until
| like at1ash there came to him the ~
| semblance of one in a light tweed suit
| and a panama who had shown a sus-
picious interest In the shutters of the
\ bungalow on Peconic bay.
He felt dull and disappointed as he re-
turned to the city with a gay party in
| the tonneau, since to have found out who
the man was might have been of assist
aDce incalculable in locating the girl.
And fortunately O'Ferral was at home,
ready to condole with him over such
mishap.
Brace up!" urged his friend "You
| can never tell when or where your luck
may be going to change. You might cas-
| lily meet Miss Lorraine-or that man at
| the Elysee. Brace up!'
In half an hour therefore they drove
along to the palace, there to attend a
| function for which Mime. Cornoyer, at
/ her sons fnstigation, had got Quaintance
| a card, while O'Ferral had received his
| from an official source The scene there
| was a very brilliant one, and he felt
we'll repaid for the effort of will power
winch IL nad cost MIN 10 come. OFFER
rails eyes had been busy, but the CORES
pendent, beyond pointing out one or two
| notabilities, had had little to say, and
| Quaintance, against his pillar able be-
| cause of his height, to overlook the spec
| tacle at his ease, had fallen into a rev.
| erie. A strange hush fell on the ante
| room and extended to the larger salon as
a couple just announced as the Duo ct
Madame la Duchesse des Reeves" came
| forward from between two lines Of bow
| ing lackeys, all eyes upon them.
| Quaintance had ceased to breathe. His
| lips were bloodless, compressed. He stood
immobile, stricken, staring. Where had he
seen the Due before? Once at the bunga-
low on Long Island, and yet again that
morning at Auteuil. And the duchesse?
All, 1t was that which hurt.
She was dressed in purple velvet Her
neck and arms and shoulders her fair,
sweet face, from which the wild roses
had fed, were all of a tint with that
| texture. Where had he seen this cold
bride of snow before. She was holding
her proud head high. Her blue eyes were
very somber as she and her husband
stopped where the president of France
stood, while all about them babel went
on again as though it had never been
suspended.
Hold up, old chap" said O'Ferral, for
| Quaintance had clutched at his arm. His
r.