Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-05-04
Published BY special arrAnscment with Ths
Chicago Tribune syndicate)
PART M

= rARRHAM made his way along the
NN narrow corridor Of that express
Xv1 which runs between Calais and
the Riviera and which is known
all over the world as "the Blue Train"
He walked unsteadily past the open doors
of luxurious compartments and through
the concertina-like arches at the juno
lions of the coaches avoiding thin peo-
pie. squeezing past fat people. observ-
ing the chocolate uniformed attendants,
and escaping as if by miracle all the
corners that seemed to run at him
without warning through the switching
n swaying Of the train.
Arriving at the dining car, which was
his objective, after what seemed to have
been q twenty mile walk, Markham q
into the chair indicated to him by the
magician in charge and remained petrl-
fed for fifteen seconds. He was dazzled
by the brilliant lights, by the impressive
display of food, but the dexterity OF the
walters. Only when he had been seated
for that length Of time could he begin
to look confidently about the car and
dip his spoon into the soup. which. like
an incoming tide, surged in the plate
before him.
Markham was thirty-two. a bronzed,
vigorous man whose soldering In the
European wal had left him almost mill
tary in bearing. But although outwardly
he was unusually good looking and an
excellent example of the species English
gentleman, there was in his blue eyes
SO cordial a smile and upon his lips SO
clear an echo to that smile, as well as
the indication of a keen will, that no.
body could glance even Casually at Mark
ham without realizing that here was q
man in a multitude.
Markham did not know that of course.
He glanced cautiously first at one neigh
Dor and then at another as he supped
his soup. Immediately opposite was an
old woman dressed as a schoolgirl. HI
was not interested in her. Next to this
anomaly, and obviously in no way con-
nected with her, was a younger woman
a woman of perhaps thirty-five, beauti-
full, with rather high cheekbones and
sunken cheeks, with ever SO slightly
prominent teeth, with those violet blue,
not quite parallel, long lashed eyes
which can never be read by the men
whom they enslave. Markham dismissed
the woman as a voracious adventures
Nevertheless she was not loud, and she
did nothing to attract his attention. She
sat, perfectly composed, IN spite OF the
rapid motion Of the train, eating her
dinner. Markham followed the lady's ex-
dlilBiCs AAO IN tlAAC LIN bbOaA1fr 49,
his ears were assaulted by an eager de-
claration.
mo, No. I don't want my. Pas de vim
No" sale a very English young voice be-
side him; and he felt his head slightly
brushed by the walters arm as the arm
was sharply withdrawn.
But, darling, you must have some
thing to drink" 1t was the woman with
the violet eyes who spoke. She looked
across at the person directly beside
Markham with a deep smile in which he
nevertheless read q arkness of impa-
thence. You funny child"
Couldn't I have water?" came the
clear voice. I'D rather. I'm not used tc
wine. I'll have it if you want me to, but
I'd rather not
"Of course, dear" There was peace
Markham was struck by two things-the
first was the youth and unusual mex
perience of the child who had refused
the wine; the second was her readiness
in spite of disinclination-to do as her
companion wished. Who was this neigh
Dor of his? Was she as young as she
sounded? Was she being chaperoned by
this vampire? Was she, rather, some poor
relation, who was being taken as a great
treat to the Mediterranean cost by q
Weather relative?
Half turning, involuntarily to satisfy
his doubts, Markham was interested to
see that the girls eyes seemed to be
fixed upon her travelling companion with
unrestrained admiration. 1t was not love,
but admiration. That was his first
thought. 1t was Immediately followed by
a realization that this girl, naive as she
was, and even childish. was the l~oveliest
creature he had ever seen. She was
simply dazzling. Her clear blue eyes, the
delicate turn Of her cheeks, her enchant-
ing color, her lips, her chin, the way
her head was carried, the extraordinarily
pure gold, without i%nsipidity, of her hair,
all made her ravishingly attractive.
Markham's breath caught. His eyes were
for an instant as if they had been mag
netized. Then he forced himself to look
away, and as luck would have it his
distracted glance fell straight into the
line Of a glance which the violet eyed
beauty across the table was directing at
himself. His was the glance of one who
has received a profound shock; hers held
sheer amusement. Coolly but with Sc
cretly ruffled nerves, Markham dropped
his eyes to his plate and a later
drank from his wine glass. Outwardly
he was the picture Of Unconditional calm,
Inwardly he was on fire.
III.
He did not see his young beauty again
before the RAIN arrival at Cannes; but
IN the meanwhile he had thought a great
deal about her. That lovely face kept
rising in his memory. All the time as the
train, shrilly whistling. roared through
the night, he longed for the mornings
breakfast and for the apparently certain
r~encontre. 1t did not occur. He break
tasted at q table with two elderly spin
sters, and the beauty was quite obviously
not present. Had she left the train at
Marseilles? At Toulon or Frejus or San
Raphael? At any Of the smaller inter-
vening stations? Should he go on to
Cannes or travel back In search Of herr
e Markham laughed at himself