Democratic messenger., 1910-04-23
)~O-ONO~O-O-OO
} :: II ::
{ Deception +:
| An American Heiress Inn +,
poses Upon Her Titled
Suitor.
BY SARAH j. ATWATER
| Copyright. 1910. By American Press ,
Association.
Copyright. 1910. BY American Press
Association.

The center OF art In Europe Is Flor.
ence. The town Is always full OF
Americans. and there are usually
American art students there. One day
an American girl. In rich apparel
while gazing at the paintings hung In
the Pitti palace In that artistic city
stopped at the easel Of copyist-a
| girl about her own nge-who WAS copy.
Ing Titan. admired her work aud
entered into conversation with her.
The artist was a Miss May Monroe OF
st. Louis. the other Miss Margaret DE
Forest Of New York. The acquaint.
ance thus begun was continued. and
In time Miss dc Forest engaged Miss
Monroe 10 paint her portrait.
Il am going TO take you into my con.
fidence." snid Miss De Forest to Miss
Monroe one day while sitting for the
picture. ''and ask you to do mo favor.
possess an immense fortune and
have come abroad for the purpose Of
meeting a suitor who has never seen
me. Mutual friends have made an ar.
| rangcment by which Count Desmond
de rAmourcux. descended from one
Of the oldest families In France, Is to
| yisit me. aud IL we are both agreed
we are TO marry. ! am not TO be taken
In by any adventurer and have inves.
tigated the counts position thoroughly.
| He possesses valuable estates which
with my fortune would enable us to
take very prominent position IN Eu-
ropcan society.
But ! will marry no man who does
not love me. My wish Is that you
shall impersonate me to the count.
impersonating you. protegee OF my
real self If l like him will endeavor
10 win him away from you. In that
way shall know that he loves me for
myself"
"That would make very pretty ro-
NANCE" said Miss Monroe.
Unless you fall in love with him
yourself"
"No fear OF that. I'm engaged TO
be married."
"Indeed"
"Yes: to a young American. strug-
Cling artist like myself"
"That Is fortunate. We can take
him into the secret and. forming n
party OF four. go about together, thus
enabling me TO carry out my plan"
"And enjoy ourselves as well"
Count Desmond de rAmoureux ar
rived and was introduced to the two
girls. they occupying reversed posi-
tions. Bernrrd Wright was introduced
to the count ms the fiance of the real
Margaret Do Forest. The four visited
together the galleries. the medieval
buildings and the environs of Florence.
enjoying every moment. The party
filed a carriage. and many were the
drives they took over the beautiful
hills and dales about the city In the
delicious Florcntinc sunshine.
Young Wright. devoted to his art
and. with the usual artistic tcmpcra-
ment. careless as TO material posses
sions. entered upon his part of the de.
ceptlon reluctantly aud merely to
please Miss Monroe. lie paid his de-
voirs perf,inctorily TO the heiress. but
was by no means bored Mt doing so.
His real mistress was his brush. Mis-,
Monroe seemed 10 enjoy immensely
personaiing an helress and was yer
patronizing 10 the real Miss De Forest.
Count de rAmoureux was evidently
from the first very much pleased with
the girl whom be supposed to be Miss
De Forest. and Miss Monroe knew
with wohan's quick Intuition that
II was not interest alone that moved
him.
Miss DE Forest soon began TO prac
tlce ariful means to draw the noble
man away from her substitute. Mar
garet was an attractive girl and knew
how TO win man Nevertheless the
count was constant to May. one day
while sitting with her on the Piazza
Michelangelo. hill overlooking the
city and the Arno flowing through its
guayed banks and under its old fash
ioned bridges. he said:
where did you pick up your pro-
tegec?"
Il met her here In Florence. She's
a lovely girl"
Hin. don't fancy her."
Miss Monroe laughed.
"why are you merry?" asked the
count.
II was thinking. supposlng were
10 turn over my fortune to her. how
long would II he before you woulG
transfer your attentions from me TO
her"
Il will grant that there was time
when I might have dnne this. when we
first met. though fancicd you In pref
erence immediately. i,ut now that l
have known you n transfer would be
impossible"
suppose YOU try"
TRY. What do you mean:"
II think May cares for you. Before
entering upon any contract 10 become
your wife should prefer that you
remain for n time under her influence
She and ! are bosom friends and shall
always be- much together. ! don't care
to have an affair between my husband
and my friend. prefer TO trust his
consiancy before marriage"
"But yom must have seen that Miss