The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-04-26
STERLING
OHEILJG


Countess Manola has
abjured all made coop
Grafton.
Men are poor crea-
lures" she said. on
quitting the Abbey of ClairyauN in the
Llustrous Valley Men are clumsy.
noisy, b!g.mouthed. violent. iInpulsive.
without patience. without self-control,
II you want trouble. take a man"
None will recognize her in Cairo,
Naples. Rome. Vienna, Botzen. ST.
Aoritz, Como. Lugano. Madrid. Tan.
giers The severe elegant. intellectu'
Al great lady. we'll on toward middle
age. will promenade her melancholy
hauteur to only sympathetic and ad-
miring glances
American tourists beware: death
stalks invisible beside her. mystery.
suspicion. loss OF Jewels. travellers
checks. bank notes and letters o;
credit
She can strike at q distance. After
she has left q fashionable resort, rich
tourists who admired her may wake
Of morning. safe In their rooms. and
find they are robbed. stripped. desu.
tute.
Let them be happy that they wake.
The gouine Is out and loose again
upon the world. The jirnouichs are
Jailed and scattered; but the shadowy
flocheuse de coils. the glider IN the
hallway" has her choir Of wicked viz
gin nymphs TO stay behind and do her
will. while she moves on. with the
new perfume in their hands.
BY day. they may be English old
maids. French blue stockings, plain
dressed yet with an air OF ease. cold,
aloot. yet capable Of impulsive kind
nesses when touched by friendship
for the rich and inexperienced. They
may be pathetic young widows. Rus
sian or Italian. seeking forgetfulress
round Casino gambling tables, at con
certs. teas, subscription balls and he
Eel dances. where the most modest
tourists fash their diamonds II an
observer. you might be struck BY
their eyes. the eyes OF nyctalops OF
great or little animals that see by
night. the eyes OF mice. mice, mice
The great old mother EQUINE loved
70 frequent the villa des Fleurs al
Nice or the public rooms at Monte
Carlo where fortunes are won IL IN
evening. too late 10 be banked. see
moved from table 20 table. noting The
great winners. smiling as the roulette
ball whirled
Then the Countess Manola mods an
aristccratic good night. pulls her
sabies about her. steps into the auto
limousine and speeds home 70 he rich
hotel. SO the naughty English old
maids. severe French bluestock!rss.
feverish Italian widows. With their
eyes OF nyctalops.
They lock their bedroom doors and
walt The noises cease the lights g.
out. They dof their t7ouIrou d!cae-
gowns. however sober. cracking pSi!-
lettes. tinkling set. rrsilins Sai!s'e
and silk. They dress again. you Noulc
saw for teep mourning; Black stock
iuss. black SLIPPERS. black gloves.
black skirt and scat Of sol:est WOOL.
and rourt their heads, covering their
faces, covering their mouths and
noses. a veil G. black rocssehae de-
sceniirg below the neck and carefully
tied round the shoulders
Is Il the Countess Ma-ca' Is 9
the Honorable Helena. Certainly 20
4, Is the equine who turns olt the
electric light CT her bedroom. 4 feeble
ncht struggles through tie t-anson
70 the ceiling like phosphcveseeree
Gliding pas; the long mirror O. TIE
wardrobe. she glacces 81 u and does
not see herself.
Satisfied. she turns ~ the light
Naught Jars In the costume. From
her trunk she takes what seems
curling iron OF dull bronzed steel.
only both pincers are convex; and
then another with the pircers longer.
similar: and little instrument with
steel teeth. like q comb. that push
back on slight pressure and spring
out again, marvel OF mobility and
changing forms; and then three slim
steel picks. as 1. for dentists. Each
slips into lis compartment OF a vel
vet bag. not &c tinkle or rattle Fin.
ally. she takes phial Of liquid
She turns out the Ugh, again and
stands before the mirror. All Is dark
aud silent Five minutes pass. Ter
minutes. Is Il Countess Marola. Is
II the soft, sorrowing Marchesa: No.
certainly: for she begins 20 see her.
self. quite clearly. IN the darkness.
In the mirror. II Is the uyctslop who
opens her room door with a fe-oc.ous
smile-the hotel mouse who gldes
down the corridor.
She knows the plan OF the hotel
She has picked out three rooms 70 Try
rooms OF big winners, rooms OF os
tentatious tourists sporting diamonds
rooms OF heavy spenders. cashirs
large notes: rooms Of modest. solid
tourists who have shown travellers
Checks.
She Is before the victims room
Most travellers imagine Il q safegrart