Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-19
N AsA sAs AsA sAs AsA AsA sAs Ara sAs AZ
BREWSFkR'S !
=MiAA}0AS= !
CHAPTER XXI.
BY GEORGE BARR M'cUTcHEoN
RICHARD GREAvEsl
couvieh,, BY q Company =. - q

.., CHAPTER XXI.
Monty's situation was desperate
ONLY a little more than $4,000 had
been spent on the carnival, and no OPP
portunity Of annihilating the roulette
winnings seemed to offer itself. His
experience at Monte Carlo did not en-
couraged him to try again, and Peggys
attitude toward the place was distinct
ly antagonistic. The Riviera present.
ing no new opportunities for extrava-
gance, 1t became necessary to seek oth-
er worlds.
81 never before understood the real
meaning Of the phrase tight money,
Thought Monty. Lord, IL it would only
loosen a bit and stay loosened!" Some
thing must be done, he realized, to earn
his living. Perhaps the role OF the
princely profiigate would be easier IN
Italy than anywhere else. He studied
the outlook from every point OF view
hut there were moments when 1t SEEM
ed hopeless. Baedeker was provoking
ly barren Of suggestions for extraVa-
gance, and Monty grew impatient OF
the books small economies. Noticing
some chapters on the Italian lakes, In
an inspired moment he remembered
that Pettingill had once lost his heart
to a villa on the lake Of Como. IN
stantly a new act of the comedy pre-
sented itself to him. He sought out
Pettingill and demanded a description
of his castle in the air.
"Oh, it's a wonder" exclaimed the
artist And his eyes grew dreamy. 1t
shines out at you with its white ter
races and turrets like those fascinat-
ing castles that Maxfield Parrish draws
for children. It is fairyland. You ex-
pect to wake and find 1t gone"
"oh, drop that, Petty" said Brew
ster, "or it will make you poetical.
What I want to know is who owns 1t
and is 1t likely to be occupied at this
season."
'It belongs to a certain marquise,
who Is q widow with no children. They
say she has a horror Of the place for
some reason and has never been near
It. 1t is kept as though she were tt
turn up the next day, but except FOR
the servants 1t is always deserted"
"The very thing" declared Brewster.
Petty, We'll have a house party
you'd better not count on that, Mon
tv A man I know ran across the place
once and tried for year to buy 1t.
But the lady has ideas of her own"
"Well, If you wish to give him hint
or two about how to do things. watch
me. II you don't spend two weeks In
your dream castle 1 will cut the crowd
and sail for home"
He secured the name Of the owner
and found that Pettingill had even a
remote idea of the address Of her agent.
Armed with these facts, he set out In
search of a courier, and through Phi
lippe he secured a Frenchman named
Bertier, who was guaranteed to be sur
prisingly ingenious in providing meth
DDS Of spending money. To him Brew
ster confided his scheme, and Bertier
realized with rising enthusiasm that at
last he had secured a client after his
own heart He was able to complete
the address Of the agent Of the mys-
terious marquise, and an inquiry was
Immediately telegraphed to him.
The agents reply would have been
discouraging to any one but Brewster.
1t stated that the owner had no inten-
ton Of leasing her forsaken castle for
any period whatever. The profiigate
learned that fair price for an estate
of that kind for month was 10000
francs, and he wired an offer Of five
times that sum for two weeks. The
agent replied that some delay would be
necessary while he communicated with
his principal. Delay was the one word
that Brewster did not understand, so
he wired him an address in Genoa, and
the Filter was made ready for sea.
Steam had been kept up, and her coal
account would compare favorably with
that of an ocean liner. Philippe was
breathless with Joy when he was paid
in advance for another month at the
hotel on the assumption that the party
might be moved to return at any mo-
ment The little town was gay at part
ing and Brewster and his guests were
given a royal farewell.
At Genoa the mail had accumulated
and held the attention Of the yacht
to the exclusion Of everything else
Brewster was somewhat crestfallen to
learn that the lady of the villa haugh-
tily refused his princely offer. He won
the lifelong devotion Of his courier by
promptly increasing it to 100000
francs. When this, too, met with re-
lection there was pause as well as
a serious consultation between the two
"Bertier." exclaimed Brewster. 81
must have the thing now. What's to
be done? You've got to help me out
But the courier. prodigal as he was
of gestures, had no words which seem
ed pertinent.
There must be some way Of getting
at this marquise," Monty continued re-
fiectively. What are her tastes? DC
you know anything about herr"
Suddenly the face Of the courier
grew bright. 81 have It," he said, anc
then he faltered. But the expense
monsieur-it would be heavy"
Perhaps we can meet It," suggested
Monty quietly. Whats the idea?"
It was explained. with plenty OF ac'
tion to make 1t clear. The courier hao
heard in Florence that madame ls
marquise had a passion for automo'
biles. But with her inadequate for
tune and the many demands upon II
1t was a weakness not readily graft.
fed. The machine she had used dur
ing the winter was by no means up tc
date. Possibly If monsieur Yet Il
was too much. No villa
But Brewster's decision was made
Wire the fellow" he said, that l will
add to my last offer a French machine
of the latest model and the best make
Say, too, that 1 would like immediate
possession"
L. rrnf