Evening journal., 1922-09-14
CHAPTER w.
Enter Romance.

vine an attachment there. between
d,Aubrac and Louise de Montalais.
Duchemin fancied (and, as it turned
out, rightly) the W. were betrothed
But Madame de Montalais was
claiming his attention.
Momentarily a hand slender and
firm and cool rested in his W
Then its owner was settling into
place beside Madame de Vevenie, and
Duchemin clambering up to his OF
the box.
The road proved quite rough and
declivitous. Duchemin was grateful
for the moonlight-until he remem-
bered that without the moon there
would have been no expedition thai
night 10 view the mock ruins OF
Montpelier by its unearthly light,
and consequently no adventure TO
entangle him.
Upon this reflection he swore soft
ly but most f~ervently into his becom-
ing beard. He was well fed up with
adventures. thank you, and could
have done very well without this
latest.
What now OF the comfortable
psuedonymity OF Andre Duchemin2
Posed in an unacceptable glare OF
publicity, how long might he hope to
escape recognition by some acquaint-
ance friend or enemy? Heaven
knew he had enough Of both sorts
scattered widely over the face OF
Europei
II seemed hard. indeed
AT La Rogue il was as Duchemin
had foreseen. Whereas the motor
car was waiting safe and sound
enough. its chauffeur had vanished
into thin air. Whereupon Duehemin
asked whether the ehsuneur had
been a stout man. and being in
formed that It was so. considered
the case complete. Mesdames de
sevenie ct de Montalais. he suggest
ed, might give up all hope OF ever
again seeing that particular chauf-
feur.
The landlord OF the auberge. a
surly sot. who had supplied the ba-
rouche with the man to act as driver
and guide in one. took with i'll grace
the charge that his employe had
been IN league with the bandits. But
this was true on the word of Madame
de Montalais; II was their guide. she
said. whom Duchemin had driven
over the cliff. And Gas Duchemin
had a~nticipated) her name alone
proved enough to silence the land
lords virtuous protestations.
Seated beside Madame de Mont
aiais, Duchemin watched her oper-
the car with sk4iful hands on the
roda to Nant. II
The sweep of nikHt air in his face
was sweet and smooth, and stroked
eyeiids with touches as bland as
caresses of a pretty woman's fingers
II was good to be alive tonight,
alive and weary and not ill-content
with self. in a motor car swinging ,
swiftly and silently along a river
in the hills OF southern France,
with a woman lovely and mysterious
at the wheel.
Duchemin was conscious Of some-
think like a shock OF emotion a sud
den surging Of some hunger that had
long lain dormant In his being, I'M
suspected. how long he could not
surmise. gaining strength I'm latency.
waiting to be awakened and set free
by one careless. sidelong look and
smile OF a strange :
Eve" he whispered. unheard.
Eve de Monfalais !"
CHAPTER v
Phinuit & Co.
In the upshot. however. legal ne
cessity had nothing TO do with the
of time devoted by Monsieur
Duchemin TO kicking idle heels In
he town of Nanti where the civil
authorities proved c~onsiderate in a
that gratiied and surprised
he confirmed Partisan.
The d~river-guide of La Rogue
urneG out to have been a through
ugh paced scamp well and Unknown
o the gendarmie; the wound sus- :
aimed by Monsieur d'Aubrac bore
estimony to the gravity OF the :
flair. amply excusing Duchemin's :
Interference and its fatal sequel. :
Late in the afternoon of his sec :
md day in Nant. Duchemin let his !,
ision dwell upon the distant
thoughts. I,
He was to dine there hat very
He had yet to hold one !,
of private conversation with =
de Monialais. and yet
Now he had seen Madame de Mon O..
talsis another time. and had found
she fitted 70 the sweetest de-
tail OF perfection his ideal Of wo- :.
man. =
On the previous afternoon, meet =
ing the ladies Of the chateau by ar
rangenent in the bureau of the ,,
mayor Duehemin had sat opposite .
and watched and listened TO Eve de .
Montaiais for upward of two hours. =
Posed with consummate elegance in q
her half-mourning, she had mar q
quietly her version of last
misadventure. an occasional y
remor of humor tightening the NOV :
ng modulatiens of her voice. A :
and vibrant voice. c%ontralto In !.
limiting at hidden treasures
Z strength. A fair slim
ut round. with brown eyes level and {
aim. a translucent skin of match
,ss texture, hair the hue of bronze l
with limitations of gold 4
Her age, she said. was twenty I
Inc; her birthplace, the City of New I
ork; her parents, Edmund An {
.ruther, nee of Bath, England, but
/ tho time of her birth a natural S
I'd citizen Of the United stateA L