The Elbert County tribune., 1912-02-16

| ter. And at this time O'Rourke was
ostensibly In funds and consequently
| Gas the saying runs) cutting a wide
swath. Heaven and himself only knew
the limits of his resources: but his
manner Monte Cristo might have
aped to advantage. His play was a
wonder Of the Casino; for the matter
of that, his high-handed and extrava-
gan. ways had made the entire Prin-
ci2ality of Monaco conscious of his
presence in the land. And you fail
in the least to understand the nature
of the man II you think for moment
that 1t irked him to be admired. point
ed out. courted. pursued. He was, in
deed. never SO splendid as when
aware that he occupied the public eye.
In short. he was Just an Irishman.
l.. So, then, it's nothing wonder
full that he should seem thought fini-
cal about the set OF his tie.
Now as he stood scowling at his
image. and wishing from the bottom
of his heart he had never been fool
| enough to let Danny leave him. and
calling fervent blessings down upon
the head OF the fiend who first design
| ed modern evening dress for men-he
found himself suddenly with a mind
| divested of any care whatever and at
tentive alone to sound which came
to him family, borne upon the heavy
wings Of the sluggish evening air.
1t was nothing more nor less than
woman singing softly to herself (hum-
ming would probably be the more ac-
curate term), and 1t was merely the
tune that caught his fancy: bit of
an old song he himself had once
been wont to sing. upon time when
he had been happier man. 1t seem
ed strange to hear 1t there, stranger
still that the woman's voice, indistinct
as 1t was, should have such a familiar
ring in his memory. He frowned in
wonder and shook his head. THE age
of miracles is past" he muttered;
'twould never be herself. I've had
me chance-and forfeited 1t. Twill
not come to me second time. :"
The singing ceased. or a sudden
O'Rourke swore with needless heat.
and. plucking away the offending tic.
cast 1t savagely from him. THE div
vie fly away with vel" he said. rs it
bent on driving me mad ye are? I'd
give me fortune to have Danny back.
Me fortune-faitb!" He laugh
ed the word to bitter scorn. "'Tis
meself that never had the least of any
thing like that without twas feminine
with a mis- tackled onto the front
of it," And he strobe away to the
window to cool on.
It was like him to forget his exas-
peration In the twinkling of an eye;
another mood entirely swayed him by
the time he found himself gazing out
into the vague. velvety dusk that mo-
mentarily was closing down upon the
fairy-like panorama of terraced gar
dens and sullen, silken sea. His
thoughts had winged back to that
dear woman of whom that fragment
of melody had put him in mind; and
he was signing and heavy of heart
with longing for the sight of her and
the touch Of her hand.
Even as he watched. stark night fell.
black as pocket beneath porten.
tous pail of cloud. Far out
upon the swelling bosom of the Med
iterranean a cluster OF dim lights be-
trayed a stealthy coasting steamer
making westward. Nearer. in the har-
Dor. feet of pleasure craft, riding
at anchor on the still. dark tide. was
revealed In many faint. wraith-like
shapes OF gray, all studded with yell
low stars. Ashore, endless festoons of
colored lamps draped the gloom of the
terraces; the facade of the Casino
stood out lurid against the darkness;
the hotels shone with reflected bril-
lance. the palace OF the Prince de
Monaco loomed high upon the penin-
sula. its elevations picked out with
lines of soft fire.
The C'Rourke shook his head. con-
demning 1t all. "'Tis beautiful" he
said; faith. yes, It's all Of that. But
I'm thinking 'tis too beautiful to be
good for one-like some women I've
known In me time. 'Tis not good for
Terence-that's sure; tits the
O'Rourke that's going stale and soft
with all this easy living. Me
that has more than many another to
live for and hope for and strive for!
And I'm lingering here in the
very lap of luxury stuffing meself with
rare food. befuddling meself with
rarer wines-me that has fought
day and night and half day atop
of that on nothing and glass of
muddy waterl-risking me money as
II there was no end to 1t, throwing 1t
away In scandalous tips ike any
drunken sailorl And all for the scant
satisfaction of behaving like fool of
an Irishman. 'ris sickening-dis-
gustmg: naught less. Pm
thinking this night ends 1t, though;
come the morning I'll be pulling up
stakes and striking out for healthier.
simpler place. where there's some
thing afoot man can take an inter