The Glenwood post., 1924-09-11
Chapter v


Of their wistaria-covered villa
Madame de Poniere hunched mp In
her chair, smoking cigarette through
q long tube; Pauline, her reputed
niece, her coffee and cigarette alike
neglected, gazing fxedly seaward
Their immediate environment suggest
ed at once 4 taste for luxury and the
means to crafty 1t. The linen and
silver on the little table at which they
had just lunched was of the finest pos
sible quality-the former lace-bordered
and adorned with a coronet. A bowl
of pink roses occupied the center of
the table. The coffee had been served
In little cups Of the finest Sevres china
In the background, single servant
was standing, dressed in plain black
livery. man gray-haired and with
lined face, but tall and of powerful
build. He possessed to the full the
lmmobility of feature of the trained
English servant, but their was some
thing entirely foreign in his sphinx
like attitude and expression. He had
the air Of one who neither saw nor
heard save at his mistress orders.
Il am weary Of everything here ex-
cept the SUM-" Pauline declared de-
liberatsly.
The woman opposite knocked the
ash from her cigarette. Hers was an
aged and withered face, but her black
eyes were still full of life and fire.
Her long, thin hand. on which flashed
OTIS - a1x lp~ sud
denly extended toward the waiting
servant Without a word he bowed
and disappeared.
zone must watt" Madame de
Poniere declared
"For whatT the girl asked lazily.
The older woman's eyes glittered for
= moment.
For what will surely come" she
declared. 1.-The portents are all there.
The writing is no longer upon the
wall-it blazes to the sky"
'And meanwhile" Pauline muir
INJURED, 1.-THE sun shines, my heart
beats in tune to 1t, and 1 feel all the
time the weariness Of the days"
ut ID the insurgence Of youth" the
older woman conceded indulgently. Il
suppose the greatest must feel 1t some
day"
She thrust another cigarette into her
tube and lit 1t, inhaling with the long,
regular breaths Of the confirmed smok-
or. Her delicately-shaped but talon.
like fingers were stained with nicotine
"Zubin arrives this week." she an.
nounced.
Palline yawned.
More mysteries." she murmured
more false hopes more exaggerated
stories. Nothing good will come Of
Zubin's visit but the money he brings
unless by any chance he has news Of
Stepan. Meanwhile, dear madame,
bore myself. rather wish that hat
been born an American"
The woman showed no sign Of an
ger, yet somehow or other she seemed
to diffuse an atmosphere Of contempt
sit is perhaps pity" she admitted
shat you are descended from one O.
the greatest rulers the world has eve
known. 1t is perhaps pity"
"Give me something to rule over
the girl declared, "and will be repent
ant-the souls and liberties Of few
million people, or the hearts Of few
men. I am twenty-three years old ant
the sun II warm. And then there Il
the music, our one resource when ther'
II NO money to gamble with. What Il
the use of music, madame, to one VIII
lives behind the bars7 It simply make
one pull at them little harder. l an
a. badly of as Stepan himself. wh
loves me from behind the fortres
walls. Sometimes wish that I wer
there with him"
Madame de Poniers reached for .,
ivory-topped stick and rose to her feet
Almost q though BY magic, fror
somewhere within the dim, cool n
cesses Of the room beyond. the gray
haired manservant was BY her side
Shs leaned upon his arm.
I'VE drive at four O'clock. Pauline,