The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 6, 1903, Page 3

ficers and ladies son were asked, and Monty would have entertained the entire regiment with beer end sandwiches if his friends had mot in- terfered. “It might cement the Anglo-American alliance,” argued Gardner, “but your pocketbook needs cementing a bit more.” Yet the pocketbook was very wide open, and Gardner’s only consolation lay in a tell Euglish girl whom he took out to dinner. For the others there were many compensations, as the affalr was brilliant and the new element a pleasant relief from the inevitable monotony. It was after the guests had gone ashore that Monty discovered Mr. and Mrs. Dan ding & tete-a-tete in the stern of the boat, “I am sorry to break this up,” he in- terrupted, “but as the only conscientious peron in the party, I must warn you ready being talked sedate old married “] yleld to the host” sald Dan, mocke ingly. “But I shall be consumed with jealousy until you restore her to me.” Monty noticed the look in Mrs. Dan's eyes as she watched her husband go, and marked a new note in her voice as she said, “How this trip is bringing him out. “He has just discovered,” Monty ob- served, “that the club is not the only place in the world.” “It's & funny thing,” she answered, “that Dan should have been so misunder- stood. Do you know that he relentlessly conceals his best side? Down underneath he is the kind of man who could do & fine thing very simply.” My dear Mrs. Dan, you surprise me. It looks to me almost as though you had fallen in love with Dan yoursel “Monty,” she said, sharply, “you are a8 blind as the rest. Have you never seen that before? I have played many games, but I have always come back to Dan. Through them all I bave known that he was the only thing possible to me—the only thing in the least desirable. It's a queer muddle that one should be tempt- ed to play with fire even when one is monotonously happy. I've been singed once or twice. But Dan is a dear and he has slways helped me out of & tight place. He knows. No one understands better than Dan. And perhaps if I-were less wickedly human he would not care for me so much.” Monty lstened at first in & sort of daze, for he had unthinkingly accepted the general opinion of the De- M situation. - But ° there were tears in her eyes for a moment, and the tone of her voice was convincing. It came to him with unpleasant distinctness that he had been all kinds of & fool. Look- ing back over his intercourse with her, e realized that the situation had been ar enough all the time. How little we know our friends!” he exclaimed, with some bitterness. And a moment later, “I've liked you a great deal, Mrs. Dan, for a long time, but to-night— well, to-night I am jealous of Dan.” The “Flitter” saw some rough weather in meking the trip across the Bay of Lyons. She was heading for Nice when an incident occurred that created the first real excitement experienced on the voy- age. A group of passengers in the main saloon was discussing, more or less stealthily, Monty's “misdemeanors,” when Reggy Vanderpool sauntered lazily in_ his face displaying the only sign of inferest it hac shown in days. Funny predicament I was just in,” he drawled. I want to ask what a fellow sho have done under the circum- stances.” “I'd have refused the girl" * Van Winkle, laconically. had nothing to do with it, old went on Reggy. dropping into & cha “Fellow fell overboard a little while ago,” he went on, calmly. There was a chorus of cries and Brewster was forgotten for a time. *“One of the sallors, you know. He was doing something in the rigging near where I was standing. Puff! Off he went into the sea, and there he was puttering around in the water.” e poor fellow,” cried Miss Val- observed entine. “I'd never set eyes on him before—per- fect stranger. 1 wouldn’t have hesitated a minute, but the deck was crowded with a lot of his friends. One chap was his bunkie. So, really nmow, it wasn't my place to jump in after him. He could swim a bit, and I yelled to him to hold up and T'd tell the captain. Confounded captain wasn't to be found though. Some- body said he was asleep. In the end I told the mate. By this time we were a mile away from the place where he went overboard, and I told the mate I didn't think we could find him if we went back. But he lowered some boats and they put back fast. Afterward I got to thinking about the matter, Of course if I had known him—if he had been one of you— it would have been different.” And vou were the best swimmer in college, you miserable rat,” exploded Dr. Lotless. There was a wild rush for the upper @eck, and Vanderpool was not the hero of the hour. The “Flitter” had turned and was steaming back over her course. Two small boats were racing to the place where Reggy’s unknown had gone over. “Where is Brewster?” shouted Joe Br-gaon. T can't find him, sir,” answered the first mate. “He ought to know of this,” cried Mr. Valentine, iere! By the eternal, they are pick- ' ing somebody up over yonder,” exclaimed the mate. “See! that first boat has laid to and they are dragging—yes, he’s saved.” A cheer went up on board and the men in the small boats waved thelr caps in response. Everybody rushed to the rafl as the “Flitter” drew up to the boats, and there was Intense excitement on board. A gasp of amazement went up from every one. Monty Brewster, drenched but smiling, gat in one of the boats, and leaning limp- 1y against him, his head on his chest, was the saflor who had 'fallen overboard. Brewster had seen the man In the water and, instead of wondering what his én- tecedents were, leaped to his assistance. When the boat reached him his uncon- sclous burden was a dead weight and his own strength was almost gone. Another minute or two and both would have gone to the bottom. As they hauled Monty over the side he shivered for an instant, grasped the first little hand that sought his so frantically, and then turned to look upon the half- dead saflor. “Find out that boy’s name, Mr. Aberts, and see that he has the best of care. Just pefore he fainted out there he murmured something about his mother. He wasn't thinking of himself even then, you see. And Bragdan”—this in a lower volce— “ewill you see that his wages are properly increased? Hello, Peggy! Look out, you'll get wet to the skin if you do that.” sir, XX. LE ROl S8'AMUSE. It Montgomery Brewster had had any misgivings about his abllity to dispose of the balance of his fortune they were dis- pelled very soon after his party landed in the Rivieria. yacht required & thorough fug” Brewster transferred his guests tothe hotel of a fascinating village which was near the sea and yet quite out of the the time and the proprietor wept joy when Monty engaged for bis party the entire first floor of the house with balconies overlooking the blue Mediterran. about the village. and the others were only silenced when Monty threatened to rent a villa and go to housekeeping. The town quickly took om the appear- ance of entertaining a royal visitor and a number of shops were kept open longer than usual In the hope that their owners might catch some of the American’s money. One morning Philipps, the hotel proprietor, was trying to !mpress Brews- ter with a gesticulatory description of the glories of the Batallle de Fleurs. It seemed quite impossible to express the extent of his regret that the party had not arrived in time to see it. “This is quite another place at that time,” he sald ecstatically. ‘‘C’est mag- nifique! c'est superbe! If monsieur had only seen it!" ‘Why not have another all to our- selves?” asked Monty. But the sugges- tion was not taken seriously. Nevertheless the young American and his host were In secret session for the rest of the morning, and when the result was announced at luncheon there was general consternation. It appeared that ten days later occurred the fets day of some minor saint who had not for years been accorded the honor of a celebration. Monty proposed to revive the custom by arranging a second carnival. “You might just as well not come to the Riviera at all” he explained, “if you can’'t see a carnival. It's a simple mat- ter, really. I offer one prize for the best decorated carriage and another handsomest lady. Then every cna puts on a domino and a mask, throws confettl at every one else, and there you are.' “I suppose you will have the confett! made of thousand-franc n & house and lot as a prize. And Brag- don feared that his sarcasm was almost insulting. “Really, Monte, t! lous,” said DeMille, low 1t.” “Won't they, though!" said Monty, ex- ultantly. *“The chief happens to be Phil- ippe’s brother-in-law, and we had him on the telephone. He wouldn’t listen to the scheme until we agreed to make him grand marshal of the parade. Then he promised the co-operation of the entire force and hoped to Interest his colleague, the chief of the fire department.” “The parade will consist of two gen- darmes and the Brewster party in car- riages,” laughed Mrs. Dan. ‘“Do you ex- pect us to go before or after the bakery carts?” k “We review the procession from the hotel,” sald Monty. “You needn’t worry about the fete. It's golng to be great. Why, an Irishman isn't fonder of march- ing than these people are of having a carnival.” The men in the patty went {nto execu- tive session as soon as Monty had gone to interview the local authorities, and serfously considered taking measures to subdue their host's eccentricities. But the humor of the scheme appealed to them too foreibly, and almost before they knew it they were making plans for the carnival. “Of course we can’'t let him do it, but it would be sport,” sald “Subway’ Smith. “Think of & cake-walk between gen- darmes and blanchiseuses.” * “I always feel devilish the moment I get a mask on,” sald Vanderpool, “‘and you know, by Jove, I haven't felt that way for ‘years.” “That settles it, then,”. said DeMille. “Monty would call it off himeelf if he knew how it would affect Reggle.” Monty returned with the announcement that the Mayor of the town would declare a holiday If the American gonld see his way to pay for the repalirs on the mairie roof. A circus, which was traveling in the neighborhood, was guaranteed ex- penses if it would stop over and occupy the square in front of the Hotel de Ville. Brewster's enthusiasm was such that no one could resist helping him, and for nearly a week his friends were occupled in superintending the erection of tri- umphal arches and encouraggng the shop- keepers to do their best. Aithough the scheme had been conceived iIn the spirit of a lark it was not so received by the townspeople. They were quite se- rious in the matter. The railroad officials sent advertisements broadcast, and the local cure called to thank Brewster for resurrecting, as it were, saint. The expression of his gratitude was so mingled with flattery and appeal that Monty could not overlook the hint that a new altar plece had long been needed. The great day finally arrived, and no carnival could have been more bizarre or more successful. The morning was de- voted to athletics and the side shows. The pomplers won the tug of war, and the people marveled when Monty duplicated the feats of the strong man in the circus. DeMille was called upon for a speech, but knowing. only ten words of French, he graclously retired In favor of the Mayor, and that pompous little man made the most of a rare opportunity. Refer- ences to Franklin and Lafayette were so frequent that “Subway” Smith Intimated that a rubber stamp must have been used in writing the address. The parade took place in the afternoon and proved quite the feature of the day. The question of precedence nearly over- turned Monty’'s plans, but the Chief of Police was finally made to see that if he were to be chief marshal it was only fair that the pompiers should march ahead of the gendarmes. The crew of the Flitter made a wonderful showing. It was led by the yacht's band, which fairly oatdid Sousa in noise, though it was less unani- mous In the matter of time. All the fla- cres came at the end, but there were 5o many of them that at times they were really leading the procession despite the galiant efforts of the grand marshal. From-the, balcony of the hotel Monty and his party pelted those below with flowers and confettl. More allusions to Franklin and Lafayette were made when the cure and the Mayor halted the pro- cession and presented Monty with an ad- dress richly engrossed on imitation parch- ment. Then the school children sang and the crowd dispersed to meet again in the evening. At 8 o'clock Brewster presided over a large banquet, and numbered among his guests every one of distinction in the town. The wives were also invited and Franklin and Lafayette were again al- luded to. Each of the men made at least one speech, but “Subway” Smith’s third address was the hit of the evening. Know- ing nothing but English, he had previous- ly clung consistently to that language, but the third and final address seemed to demand something more friendly and genial. With a sweeping bow and with all the dignity of a statesman he began: scheme is ridicu- the police won't al- the obscure - THE EUNDAY CALIL. — () il = > T “MesGames ot Messleurs; J'ai, tu as, {1 &, nous avons,”—with a t gest- ure, “vous avez.” The French members of the company were not equal to his pro- nunciation and were ander the impres- sion that he was still talking English. They were profoundly impressed with his deference and grace and accorded his pre- amble & round of applause. The Ameri- cans dd their utmost to persuade him to be seated, but their uproar was mistaken by the others for enthusiasm, and the ap- plause grew louder than ever. ‘‘Subway” held up his hand for ence, and his manner suggested that he was about to utter some pecullarly important thought. He walted untll a pinfall could have been heard before he went on. “Maitre corbeau sur un arbre perche—" he finished the speech as he was being carried bodily from the room by DeMille and Bragdon. The Frenchmen then im- agined that Smith’s remarks had been insulting, and his friends had silenced him on that account. A riot seemed im- minent when Monty succeeded in restor- ing silence, and with a few.tactful re- marks about Franklin and Lafayette quieted the excited guests. The evening ended with fireworks and & dance In the open air—a dance that grew gay under the masks. The wheels had been well ofled and there was no Visible faflure of the carnival spirit. To Brewster it seemed a mad game, and he found 1t less easy to play a part behind the foolish mask than he expected. His own friends seemed to elude him, and the coquetries of the village damsels had merely a fleeting charm. He was stand- ing apart to watch the glimmering crowd when he was startled by a sméthered cry. Turning to investigate, he discovered & little red domino, unmistakably fright- ened, and trying to release herself from & too ardent Punchimello. Monty's ar- rival prevented him from tearing off the girl's mask and gave him an entirely new conception of the strenuous life. He arose fuming and sputtering, but he was taken in hand by the crowd and whirled from one to another in whimsical mockery. Meanwhile Monty, unconscious that his mask had dropped during the encounter, was astonished to feel the little hand of the red domino on his arm and to hear a voice not all unfamilar to his ear. “Monty, you are a dear. I love you for that.” You looked like a Greek athlete. Do you know—it was foolish, but I really ‘was frightened.” “‘Child, how could it have happened?’ he Wwhispered, leading her away. “Fancy my little Peggy with no one to look after her. What a beast I was to trust you to Pettingill. I might have known the chump would have been’ knocked out by all this color.”, He stopped to look down at her and a’light came into his eyes. “Little Peggy in the great world,” he smiled; “you are not fit. You need—well, you need—just me.” But Mrs. Valentine had seen him as he stoood revealed, and came up in search of Peggy. It was almost morning, she told her, and quite time to go back to the hotel and sleep. So in Bragdon's charge they wandered off, a bit reluctant- 1y. a bit lingeringly. It was not untll Monty was summoned to rescue “Reggle’ Vanderpool from the stern arm of the law that he discovered the identity of Punchinello. Manifestly he had not been in a condition to recog- nize his assaflant, and a subsequent dis- agreement had driven the first out of his head. The poor boy was sadly brulsed about the face and his arrest had prob- ably saved him from;worse punishment. “I told you T couldnt wear a mask,” he explained - ruefully Monty led him home. “But how could T know that he could hear me all the time?’ The day after the carpival Brewster drove his guests over to! Monte;farlo. He meant to stay only long enofigh to try his luck at the tables and lose enough to make up for the days at sea when his purse was necessarily idle. Swearengen Jones was forgotten, and soon after his arrival he began to plunge.. At first he lost heavily, and it was with difficulty that he concealed his joy. Peggy Gray was watching him, and’ in" whispers im- plored him to stop, but Mrs. Dan excited- ly urged him to continue until the luck changed. To the girl's chagrin it was the more reckless advice that he followed. In so desperate a situation he felt that he could not stop. But his luck turned too soon. “I can't afford to give up,” he said, miserably, to himself, after a time. “I'm already a winner by five thousand dollars, and I must at least get rid of that.” Brewster became the center of interest to those who were not playving and people marveled at his luck. They quite misinterpreted his eagerness and the flushed anxious logk with which he followed each spin of the wheel. He had chosen a seat beside an English Duchess whose practice it was to appro- priate the winnings of the more Inexpe- rienced players, and he was aware that many of his gold pleces were being de- Itberately stolen. Here he thought was at least a helping hand, and he was on the point of moving his stack toward her side when DeMlille interfered. He had watched the Duchess, and had called the croupler's attention to her neat little method. But that austere indlvidual si- lenced him by saying in surprise, “‘Mais c'est madame la Duchesse, que voulez- vous?”’ Not to be downed so easily, DeMille watched the play from behind Monty’s chair and cautioned his friend at the first opportunity. “‘Better cash in and change your seat, Monty, They're robhmg you,” he whis- pered. “Cash in when I'm away ahead of the game? Never!” and Monty did his best to assume a joyful tone. At first he played with no effort at tem, piling his money flat on the numbers which seemed to have least chance of winning, but he simply could not lose. Then he tried to reverse different systems he had heard of, but they turned out to be winners. Finally in desperation he be- gan doubling on one color in the hope that be would surely lose in the end, but his particular fate was against him. With his entire stake on the red the ball con- tinued to fall in the red holes until the croupler announced that the bank was broken. Dan DeMille gathered in the money and counted forty thousand dollars before he handed it to Monty. His friends were overjoyed when he left the table, and wondered why he looked so downhearted. Inwardly he berated himself for not tak- ing Peggy's advice. “I'm so glad for your sake that you did not stop when I asked you, Mounty, but your luck does not change my bellef that gambling 1s next to stealing,” Peggy was constrained to say as they went to supper. “I wish I had taken your advice,” he sald gloomily, “And missed the fortune you have won? How foolish of you, Monty! You were a loser by several thousand dollars then,'” she objected with whimsical inconsis- tency. “But, Peggy,” he sald" quietly, looking deep into her eyes, “it would have-won me your respect.” ' . - § XxXT~ FAIRYLAND. Monty’s situation was desperate. Only & little more than six thousand dollars had been spent on the carnival and no opportunity of annfhileting the roulette winnings seemed to offer itself. His ex- perience at Monte Carlo did not encour- age him to try again, and Peggy's atti- tude toward the place was distinctly an- tagonistic. The Riviera, presenting no new opportunities for extravagance, it be- came necessary to seek other worlds. “I never before understood the real meaning of the phrase ‘tight money,’* thought Monty. *Lord, if it would only loosen a bit and stay loosened.” Some- thing must be done, he realized, to earn his living. Perhaps the role of the prince- ly proligate would be easter in Italy than anywhere else. He studied the outlook from every point of view, but there were moments when it seemed hopeless. Bae- deker was provokingly barren of sugges- tions for extravagance and Monty grew impatient of the book's smail economies. Noticing some chapters on the Italian lakes, in an inspired moment he remem. bered that Pettingill had once lost his heart to a villa on the lake of Como. Instantly a new act of the comedy pre- sented {tself to him. He sought out Pet- tingill and demanded a description of his castle in the afr. “‘Oh, 1it's a wonder,” exclaimed the artist, and his eyes grew dreamy. “It shines out at you with its white terraces and turrets like‘those fascinating castles that Maxfleld Parrish draws for children. It is fairyland. You expect to wake and find it gone.” “Oh, drop that, Petty,” sald Brewster, “or it will make you poetical. What I want to know is who owns it and is it likely to be occupled at this season “It belongs to & certaln Marquise, who s a widow with no children. They say ehe has a horror of the place for some reason and has never been near it. It is kept as though she were to turn up the next day, but except for the servants it is always deserted. “The very thing, “Petty, we'll have a house party. “You'd better not count on that, Monty. A man I know ran across the place on: and trled for a year to buy it. But the lady has tdeas of her own.” ““Well, 1f you wish to give him a hint or two about how to do things, watch me. If you don’t spend two weeks in your dream castle, I will cut the crowd and sall for home.” He secured the name of the owner, and found that Pettingill had even a remote idea of the address of her agent. Armed with these facts he set out in search of a courfer, and through Philippe he secured a Frenchman named Bertier, wno was guaranteed to be sur- prisingly ingenious in providing methods of spending money. To him Brewster confided his scheme, and Bertler realized with rising enthusiasm that at last he had secured a client after his own heart. He was able to complete the address of the agent of the mysterious Marquise, and an inquiry was immediately tele- graphed to him. The agent's reply would have been dls- couraging to any one but Brewster. It stated that the owner had no intention of leasing her forsaken castle for any period whatever. The profligate learned that a fair price for an estate of that kind for a month was ten thousand francs, and he wired an offer of five times that sum for two weeks. The agent replied that some delay would be necessary while he communicated with his principal. Delay was the one word that Brewster did not understand, so he wired him an address in Genoa, and the Flitter . was made ready for sea. Steam had been kept up and her wcoal account would compare favorably with that of an ocean liner. Philippe was breathless with joy when he was paid in advance for. another month at the hotel, on the assumption that the party might be moved to return at any moment. The little town was gay at parting and Brew- ster and his guests were given a royal farewell, At Genoa the mall had accumulated and held the attention of the yacht to the ex- clusion of everything else. Brewster was somewhat crestfallen to learn that the lady of the villa haughtily refused his princely offer. He won the life-long de- votion of his courier by promptly increas- ing it to one hundred thousand francs. When this too met with rejection there was a pause and a serlous consultation between the two. “Bertler,” exclaimed Brewster, “I must have the thing now. What's to be done? You've gof to help me out.” But the ®urier, prodigal as he was of gestures, had nb words which seemed per- tinent. “There must be some way of getting at this Marquise,” Monty continued, reflec- tively. “What are her tastes? Do you know anything about her?” Suddenly the face of the courler grew bright. “I have it,” he sald, and then he faltered. “But the expense, monsieur—it would be heavy.” “Perhaps we can meet it suggested Monty, quietly. ‘“What's the idea?” It was explained, with plenty of action to make it clear. The courier had heard in Paris that madame la Marquise had a passion for automobiles. But with her in- adequate fortune and the many demands upon it it was a weakness not readily gratified. The machine she had used dur- ing the winter was by no means up-to- date. Possibly if monsfeur—yet it was too much—no villa— But Brewster's decision was made. “Wire the fellow,” he said, “that I will add to my last offer a French machine of the'latest model and the best make. Say, too, that I would like immediate posses- sion.” He secured it, and the crowd was trans- ferred at once to falryland. There were protests, of course, but these Brewster had grown to expect, and he was learning to carry things with a high hand. The travelers had been preceded by Bertler, and the greeting they received from the steward of the estate and his innumer- able assistants was very Italian and full of color, A break in their monotony was welcome, The loveliness of the villa and its #rounds, which sloped down to the gentle lake, silenced criticism. For a time it was supremely satisfying to do nothing. Pet- tingill wandered about as though he could not believe it was real.. He was lost in a kind of atmosphere of ecstacy. To the others, who took it more calmly, it was still a sort of paradise. Those who were happy found in it an intensification of happiness, and to those who were sad it offered the tenderest opportunities for melancholy. Mrs. Dan told Brewster that only a poet could have had this inspira- tion. And Peggy added, “Anything after this would be an anti-climax. Really, Monty,.you would better take us home.” “I feel like the boy who was shut in a closet for punishment and found it the place where they kept the jam,” said “‘Subway.” “It Is almost as good as own- ing Central Park.” The stables were well equipped and the days wore on in a wonderful peace. It was on a radiant afternoon, when twelve “of the crowd had started out after tea for 2 long ride toward Lugano, that Monty determined to call Peggy Gray to ac- count. He was certain that she had de- liberately avolded him for days and weeks and he could find no reason for it. Hour after hour he had lain awake wondering where he had fafled her, but the conclu- sion of one moment was refected the next. The Monte Carlo eplsode seemed the most plausible cause, yet even before that he had noticed that whenever he approached her she managed to be talking with some one else. Two or three times he was sure she had seen his intention before she took refuge with Mrs. Dan or Mary Valentine or Pettingill. The thought of the last name gave Monty a sudden thrill. What if it were he who had come between them? It troubled him, but there were moments when the {dea seemed impossi- ble. As they mounted and started off the exhilaration of the ride made him hope- ful. They were to have dinner in the open air In the shadow of an .abbey ruin some miles away, and the servants had been sent ahead to prepare it. It went well, and with Mrs. Dan's help the dinner was made gay. On the return Monty, who wag off last, spurred up his horse to join Peg- Ey. She seemed eager to be with the rest and he lost no time with a preamble. “Do you know, Peggy,” he began, “something seems to be wrong, and I am wondering what it is.” “Why, what do you mean, Monty?” as he paused. “Every time I come near you, child, you seem to have something else to do. If I Join the group you are in it is the signal for you to break away.” “Nonsense, Monty, why should I avold you? We have known one another much too long for that.” But he thought he detected some contra- diction {n her eyes, and he was right. The girl was afrald of him, afraid of the sen- sations he awoke, afrald desperately of betrayal. \ “Pettingill may appeal to you,” he said, and his voice was serious, “but you might at least be courteous to me.” “How absurd you are, Monty Brew- ster.” The girl grew hot. “You needn't think that your million gives you the privilege of dictating to all of your guests.” “‘Peggy, how can you?” he interjected. She went on ruthlessly. “If my conduct interferes with your highness’ pleasure I can easlly join the Prestons in Paris.” Suddenly Brewster remembered that Pettingill had spoken of the Prestons and expressed a fleeting wish that he might be with them in the Latin quarter. 1 suppose,” “It would certainly give more privacy.” nd Mrs. Dan more opportunities, she retorted as he dropped back toward the others. The artist instantly took his place. The next moment he had challenged her to arace and they were flying down the road in the moonlight. Brewster, not to be outdone, was after them, but it was only a moment before his horse shied violent- ly at something black in the road. Then he saw Peggy's horse galloping riderless. Instantly, with fear in his throat, he had dismounted and was at the girl's side. She was Wot hurt, they found, only bruised and dazed and somewhat lamed. A girth had broken and her saddle turned. The crowd waited, silent and somewhat awed, until the carriage with the servants came up and she was put into it. Mrs. Dan’s maid was there and Peggy insisted that she would have no one else. But as Monty helped her in, he had whispered, “You won't go, child, will you? How could things go on here?” “With Pettinglll to follow, he said feily. you XXIL PRINCE AND PEASANTS. The peacefulness of fairyland was something which Brewster could not af- ford to continue, and with Bertier he was soon planning to invade it. The automo- bile which he was obliged to order for the mysterious Marquise put other ideas into his head. It seemed at once abso- lutely necessary to glve a coaching!party in Italy, and as coaches of the right kind were hard to find there and changes of horses most uncertain, nothing could be more simple and natural than to import automobiles from Paris. Looking into the matter, he found that they would bave to be purchased outright, as the renting of five machines would put his credit to too severe a test. Accordingly Bertler telegraphed a wholesale order, which taxed the resources of the manu- facturers and caused much complaint from some customers whose work was unaccountably delayed. The arrange- ment made by the courfer was that they were to be taken back at a greatly re- duced price at the end of six weeks. The machines were shipped at once, five to Milan and one to the address of the mys- terious Marquise in Florence. It was with a sharp regret that Monty broke into the idyl of the villa, for the witchery, of the place had got into his blood. But a stern sense of duty, com- bined with the fact that the Paris chauf-- feurs and machines were due in Milan on Monday, made him ruthless. He was as- tonished that his orders to decamp were so meekly obeyed, forgetting that his so- licitous guests did not know that worse extravagance lay beyond. He took them to Milan by train and lodged them with some splendor at the Hotel Cavour. Here he found that the fame of the princeiy profigate had preceded him, and his portly host was all deference and atten- tion. All regret, too, for monsieur was just too late to hear the wonderful com- pany of artists who had been singing at La Scala. The season was but just end- ed. Here was an opportunity missed, in- deed, and Brewster's vexation brought out an ironical comment to Bertier. It rankled, but it had its effect. The courier proved equal to the emergency. Discov- ering that the manager of the company and the principal artists were still in Milan, he suggested to Brewster that a special performance- would be very dif- ficult to secure, but might still be possi- ble. His chief caught at the idea and authorized him to make every arrange- ment, reserving the entire house for his own party. “But the place will look bare,” protest- ed the courier, aghast. “Fill it with flowers, cover it with tap- estries,” commanded Brewster. “I put the affair in your hands and I trust you to carry it through .in the right way. Show them how it ought to be done.” Bertler’s heart swelled within him at the thought of so glorious an opportunity. His fame, he felt, was already established in Italy. It became a matter of pride to do the thing handsomely, and the neces- sary business arrangements called out all his unused resources of delicacy and dip- lomacy. When it came to the decoration of the opera-house, he called upon Pet- tingill for assistance, and together they superintended an arrangement which cur- tained off a large part of the place and reduced it to livable proportions. With the flowers and lights, the tapestries and the great faded flags, it becdme some- thing quite different from the usual empty theater. To the consternation of the Italians, the work had been rushed, and it was on the evening after their arrival in Milan that Brewster conducted his friends in state to the Scala. It was almost a tri- umphal progress, for he had generously if unwittingly given the town the most princely sensation in years, and curi- osity was abundant. Mrs. Valentine, who was in the carriage with Monty, captives in our train.” “No,” “Subway” BSmith protested, “I seem to see disappointment In thelr faces, They are looking for crowns and scepters and a shower of gold Really, Mon~ ty, ‘you don’t play the game as you should. Why, I could give you points on the potentate act myself. A milk-white steed, a few clattering attendants in gorgeous uniforms, & lofty nod here and there, and little me distributing silver in “the rear.” “I wonder,” exclalmed Mrs. Dan, *if they don’t get tired now and then of be- ing potentates. Can’'t you fancy lving :np;?xammmmm-muhuuu age? “‘Easily,” answered with & laugh. “Haven’t we tried it ourselves? Two monwus of living upon nothing but fatted calves is more than I can stand. ‘We shall be ready for a home for dyse peptics if you can’'t slow down & bit, Monty.” Whereupon Mrs. Dan evolved a plan, and promptly began to carry it out by inviting the crowd to dinner the next night. Monty protested that they would be leaving Milan in the afternoon, and that this was distinctly his affair and he was selfish. But Mrs. Dan was very sure. My dear boy, you can’t have things your own way every minute. In another month you will be quite spolled. Anything to prevent that. My duty is plain. Even if I have to use herolc measures, you dine with me to-morrow.” Monty recognized defeat when he met it, and graciously accepted her very kind invitation. The next moment they drew up at the opera-house and were ushered in with a deference only accorded to wealth. The splendor of the effect was overpowering to Brewster as well as to his bewlildered guests. Aladdin, 1t seemed, had falrly outdone himself. The wonder of it was so complete that it was some time before they could settle down to the opera, which was “Alda,” given with an enthusiasm that only Itallans can compass, During the last intermission Brewster and Peggy were walking in the foyer, They had rarely spoken since the day of the ride, but Monty noticed with happi- ness that she had om several occasions avolded Pettingill. “I thought we had given up fairyland when We left the lakes, but I belleve you carry it with you,” she said, “The trouble with this,” Monty replled, “is that there are too many people about. My fairyland is to be just & little differe ent.” ‘“Your fairyland, Monty, will be butlt of gold and paved with silver. You will sit gll day cutting coupons In an office of ala~ er."” ‘Peggy, do you too think me vulgar? It's a beastly parade, I know, but It can’'t stop now. You don’t realize the momentum of the thing.”_ “You do It up to the handle,” she put in. “And you are much too generous to be vulgar. But it worries me, Monty, it worries me desperately. It's the future Tm thinking of—your future, which Is being swallowed up. This kind of thing can't-go on. And what is to follow it? You are wasting your substance, and you are not making any life for yourself that opens ou ‘Peggy.” be answered very seriously, “you have got to trust me. I can't back out, but I'll tell you this: You shall not be disappointed in me In the end. There was a mist before the girl" as she looked at him. * Monty,” she sald stmpl; get.” The curtain rose upon the next act, and something in the opers toward the end seemed to bring the two very close to- gether. As they were leaving the theater there was a note of regret from Peggy. “It has been perfect,” she breathed, “yet, Monty, isn’t it a waste that no one else should have meen {t? Think of these poverty-stricken peasants who adors mue sic and have never heard an opera.” - “Well, they shall hear one now." Monty rose to it, but he feit llke a hypocrite in concealing his chief motive. “We'll re peat the performance to-morrow night and fill the house with them.” He was as good as his word. Bertler was given a task the next day which was not to his taste. But with the assistance of the city authorities he carrfed it through. To them it was an evidence of irsanity, but there was something prince- ly about it and they were tolerant. The manager of the opera-house was less complacent, and he had an ex- clamatory terror of the damage to his up- holstery. But Brewster had discovered that in Italy gold is a panacea for all ilis, and his prescriptions were liberal. To him the day was short, for Peggy’s intere est 1~ the p ce, as it came to be called, was so kefi that she Insisted on having a hand In the preliminaries. Thers was something about the pgrtnership that ape pealed to Monty. To her regret the DeMille dinner inter- fered with the opening of the perform. ance, but Monty consoled her with the promise that the opera and its democratio audience should follow. During the day Mrs. Dan had been deep In preparations for her banquet, but her plans were elab- orately concealed. They culminated at eight o'clock In the Cova not far from the Scala, and the dinner was eaten In the garden to the sound of music. Yet it was an effect of simplicity with which Mrs. Dan surprised her guests. They were prepared for anything but that, and when they were served with consomme, spaghetti—a concession to the chef—and chops and peas, followed by a salad and coffee, the gratitude of the crowd was quite beyond expression. In & burst of enthustasm “Subway” Smith suggested a testimonial. Monty complained bitterly that he hime self had never received a ghost of a tes- timonial. He protested that it was not deserved. Why should you expect it? exclaimed Pettingill, “when have you risen from ter- rapin and artichokes to chops and chie- ory? When have you given us nectar and ambrosia llke this?* Monty was defeated by & unanimous vots and Mrs. Dan’s testimonial was assured. This matter settled, Peggy and Mrs. Val. entine, with Brewster and Pettingill, walked over to the Scala and heard again the last two acts of “Ald: But the audlence was different, and the applause. The next-dayat noon the chauffeurs from Paris _reported for duty, and five gleam- ing French devil-wagons steamed off through the crowd in the direction of Venice. Through Brescia and Verona and Vicenza they passed, scattering largess of silver In their wake and leaving a trail of breathless der. It was there that he suddenly recalled to his duty from dreams of moonlight on the water, by a cablegram which de- manded $324 before it could be read. It contained word for word the parable of the ten talents and ended with the sim- pic word “Jones.” (Concluded Next Sunday.) eyes believe you, shall not fore