The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1911-05-28

surrounded by high walls, throng of
women dressed in white with little
black masks hiding their features were
promenading arm in arm with young
men in evening dress. Venetian Ian
terms everywhere shed their soft diff
fused light on the scene. 1t was a
carnival in the "Cerole des Arts" in
Avenue Marceau. Standing a little
aside from the rest, Claude Celere
looked at the crowd fitting back and
forth.
Somebody lightly touched his arm.
A voice with slight foreign accent
said to him. will Monsieur Celere.
the famous painter. honor a stranger
with few moments OF his company"
The stronge lady was tall. unusual
ly tall. Her satin robe left bare a
pair of dazzling white, perfectly mould
ed shoulders. She wore a costly dia-
mond tiara on her dark hair. and
through the openings in her mask, you
| saw a pair of brilliant large and mag
netic blue eyes of indescribable charm.
Claude and his unknown admirer
walked to an artificial shrubbery Of
orange trees which hid them from
view.
1T was to meet you that I came
here tonight said the young woman.
Il wanted to see you, if only once"
why only once, madame?"
Because we must not meet again"
The night was warm and fragrant.
The presence of this mysterious lady
| whose beauty he felt, exerted an ire
sistible charm upon Claude. He grew
eloquent, witty. brilliant in his conver-
sation as he tried to persuade her to
meet him once more. but she only
shook her head. At last she arose.
Il must go now" she said. "My
friend who brought me here has given
me the signal that her car is waiting"
Celere took her hand.
Il can not part with you like this. l
| want to meet You again. l must see
you once more"
"Are you discreet? Will you prom
ise me never to try to find out who
am. or where l live?"
Claude was ready to promise any.
thing.
We'll! Be at Porte Dauphin tomor-
row evening at ten. An auto will call
for you. Two men will blindfold you
| and take you to my house"
The next night Claude was at the
appointed place ten minutes ahead OF
time A big car drove up noiselessly
and a bearded giant. evidently Rus
sian. jumped out. He asked the paint
er to enter the limousine, tied hand
kerchief around his eyes and sat down
next to him. Another man of equal
stature was seated opposite. The car
sped along for half an hour at a rapid
pace. Celere could feel that he was
breathing the fresh air of the country.
Then he was led up a wooden stair
way.
At last the bandage was removed
from his eyes and he found himself in
beautiful salon hung with costly COB
elins and illuminated by scores of can
dies. The air was fragrant with in
cense and the aroma Of the Russian
cigarettes.
The unknown entered without any
mask now and her beautiful face was
at the same time gay and sad. She
looked even more statesque than at
the carnival.
"You see.' she said to Claude. Il
have confidence in you. You probably
think it strange that should resort
to such tricks. but am married to a
husband whom l love with all my
heart, who is so insanely jealous that
he watches me continually and will
not allow me to see anybody or make
any friendships, though he must un-
derstand that a woman with my inter
ests in literature and art cannot be
Gagged up and made lonely without suf-
fering mentally. ! must have compan-
| ions and friends with whom I may talk
about the things that interest me. I
must know personally the great poets
and artists that admire. Fortunate
ly my husband CANDLES but when he