Evening star., 1922-04-16
UCK is an element which

i In 19l2, when 1OuHu HySeii Stesihe
in the beautiful garden OF the VIVA
Iglea Hotel at Palermo. with the blue
Sicilian sea tapping lazily at my feet.
had been over to Montenegro on
a little piece of confidential business
connected with the affairs of GER
tain lady of royal birth, and, having
landed at Naples from Cattaro. had
crossed to Sicily to visit my ola
friend, Hubert johnson. who ts well
known English merchant in Palermo
My visit was at an end. ana was
urgently wanted in Paris-I had
booked a berth that night on the mail
steamer back to Naples.
As smoked my "half-Toscano"-
half of one of those long. thin cigars
of Italy which. cosmopolitan as am,
always delight mel fell to pom
dering. 1 had urgent business in
Brussels connected with cinema
play. and at the same time l was
wanted in Paris. Should I go direct
to Belgium by way of Bale or should
go first to Paris by way of Modane?
I suppose I was gazing fixedly into
space, when suddenly I heard a voice
with a strong nasal twang exclaim:
wal, Billy, I never! Fancy you
here. my boy?"
1 looked around and saw, to my
amazement and pleasure. my old
American friend, Mr.. Richard L. Gret-
ton, the great wheat speculator OF
Chicago-a big. burly, well-dressed
figure in a suit of ducks. like myself.
and wearing Trilby hat of white
felt. around which was a dark-green
band
T SPRANG up and grasped his hand.
for Dick Gretton and I were old
and very intimate friends. A bach
elor, he divided his time between Chi
caso and Europe. Usually he had
fat in st. James street, London. and
very often rooms in Paris at tho same
time. He was about forty-five. but
ten years before. by dint of speculat-
ing, he had made three-quarters OF q
million pounds, and now he had re-
tired from business in order to enjoy
himself.
MY dear Dickw cried. where in
the name of Fate have you sprung
from?'
Same question. boy. I might ask
you" he laughed. Just drifting
around, you know. We both drift
around, don't we?"
1t was true. have "drifted around"
Europe all my life. and he was quite
: as much a cosmopolitan as myself.
wal, what's your plansT he asked,
sinking into the long cane chair be-
side me and calling to the walter for
two cocktails.
I'm of back tonight-over to Ma
pies and then to Paris" was my
reply.
still at the same game, eh?" he
asked. with a SLY wink.
Yes I'm helping the French q
bit" I admitted.
Good boy. Your English people
are slow, somehow" he said, and
then, lowering his voice: Say. do
you recollect how we got the offer Of
the plans of the new Zeppelins and
your people at Whitehall turned 1t
down? Wouldn't give thousand
pounds for themr'
"I recollect," said, with q sigh,
for 1t was sore point with me.
Richard L. Gretton Of Chicago had
helped me to approach Count Zeppe-
Inns chief engineer, who had. through
me, offered the British government
the plans of the new Zepps being
built for q thousand pounds. but the
intelligence department regretted that
they could not spare so much money.
And that's why you're helping
France, eh?" he asked.
nodded. The fact was that had
endeavored, at my own cost and pay
ing all my own expenses. to assist
Britain, the country in which I was
born. But I had only aroused the
jealousy of certain high but incom-
petent officials, and received Official
snubs for my pains. So here confess
that had turned my attention to the
country Of my father, and was de-
voting my time to serving her and
keeping her informed Of the progress
of events in Germany.
After a cigarette I strolled with
Dick into the town.
Suddenly my American friend ex-
claimed:
Say, Billy, have you noticed that
woman alone-over in the corner yon-
der? The woman in black, with the
Jade beads?"
1 raised my eyes and saw a very
handsome, dark haired woman OF
about thirty-fve at a table alone.
She was eating her risotto and at the
same time reading the Tribuna.
"Darned good-lookin' woman. that"
he went on. in admiration. wonder
who she is?'
l agreed that the lady was uncom-
monty handsome. She was OF that
type of the smart demi-monde which
we cosmopolitans know so well-the
world-weary. blase woman who is in
terested in nothing save her own
Jewels and hnery. And yet, as she
put down the paper and raised her
glass of golden Orvieta there was q
look of keen intelligence in her eyes
which marked her as . woman Of
character.
Dick Gretton aseemed to be "smit-
ten" by her good looks and her
pleasing countenance.
Say, Billy" he exclaimed at last.
II think after lunch, II I catch her
alone. shall speak to her. One makes
easy acquaintances in hotels"
A BOUT half an hour after lunch
hfound my easy-going American
friend sitting in the lounge, taking
coffee and chatting with the lady
whom he had so much admired. He
beckoned me over. and sat at their
little table and chatted. ] did not
know her name. but fellow-visitors
at hotels soon chum together, espe-
cially on the continent.