The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-07-17

complacently. Not that I'll step into
the old donkey's shoes, though. He
hates me like poison. ! grieve to say
that my father has a mind purely com
mercial and utterly incapable of ap-
preciating any OF the refinements of
| life."
1t isn't often that I wish / were a
man, but that's what did Just then,
80 that might have had the pleasure
OF kicking him. But smothered my
rage and struggled with my surprise.
1t seemed like the opening of some
wonderful melodrama, my chance en-
counter, with this man while on my
way to Europe. to take my securities
out of his fathers safety deposit box.
murmured something and fed up to
the deck. Later. Mr.. Magniff appeared
and engaged me In conversation for
about an hour, until found some ex-
cuse to dismiss him and go TO bed.
During the next few days he made
himself my constant companion. He
seemed TO time his appearances at the
table so that we should sit down to-
gether. When | paced the deck was
i
tering the direction OF his walk. he
would keep step with me. At evening.
no sooner had drawn up my chair in
a comfortable and secluded place than
he would discover me and immediate
ly seat himself at my side. | made
few acquaintances on the boat, so that
my name was never mentioned In his
presence, and 1t was characteristic of
his complacency that he did not dis
cover 1t.
When, by chance. obtained few
minutes respite from his odious pres
ence, as sure as fate I would see him
upon the lower deck in lengthy and
stealthy conference with the villainous
Greek-for such / had discovered his
nationality to be. There was a cross
eyed woman. apparently the servants
wife. whom had observed with him,
and after the first day, when Mr.. Mag
Mfr would bring his servant up on our
deck and keep him near while he en-
gagged me In conversation, / began to
notice that the woman would post her
self below and watch my face with
somber, never-winking eyes.
My curiosity became SO great that
questioned Mr.. Magniff about this
strange pair of dependents. He burst
into loud laughter.
Poor Zeuxis is unhappily married, :
he chuckled when he could speak y
took the fellow over to America with
me, and his wife, who Is insanely
Jealous of the scamp, followed on the
next boat. Ever since that she has
stuck to him closer than leech.
fancy she imagines that he's trying to
leave her"
But why does she stare at me?"
demanded.
He hemmed and hawed little.
You're good sport, Miss Howard, :
he confided at length. "I'll let you
In. She's jealous of you. She thinks
he's planning to elope with you. Ho
no, ho!"
The cur collapsed into my chair and
laughed. l started away Indignantly
J but he sprang to his feet and grasped
me by the sleeve.
Don't CO." he begged. "I1l stop
the fellows insolence II you say the
} word. But Zeuxis has been useful to
} me In many ways, and just now we
are planning to pull off little coup In
England which is going to net us q
few thousands. Our last one failed
unfortunately"
What was it," asked, my curiosity
stimulated.
He looked at me leeringly. believe
that, for some occult reason, the rascal
considered that he had made a con
} quest OF me. At any rate. he began
: blabbing his story quite proudly into
my eager ears.
ITS long tale" he said. ITO tel
1t I've got to go back to my father
and he amt pleasant subject"
: %. please go on" | said, as entic
/ ingly as | could. Somehow the ides
had entered my head that this rogue
In some way was bound up with the
! success or failure of my enterprise
Try as | might, | could not rid myself
} of the thought.
WELL" he began. drawing up {
chair close to me, you wouldn't think
to look at me, that my father started
life as a humble horse-meat vendor II
! the Rue Strasbourg, would your"
Il could believe It by wild stretch
Of the imagination" answered.
quite So" he answered. tiattered
We'll. to do him justice, the old don
. key has one of the shrewdest brain,
! In France. Somehow he got In on tn,
D ground floor of the De Lesseps Pana
) ma concession and made millions on
OF II before 1t went to pieces. Thei
nothing would content him but that h
9 become country gentleman. witt
this end in view he bought a magni
4 tlcent estate near Clichy, in MOI
r mandy. remodeled the castle In
. CHASTITY manner. and laid out dee
{ park. But 1t didn't get him anywhere
e Clichy is still feudal province, an
, the old bounderis manners are sue
n that the mobiles of the locality had N
: use for him. Our presence there wa
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