Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo

colour and interest. A scarlet-coated band made wonderful music. The toilettes of the women who kept passing backwards and forwards, on their way to the vari

tion and taken their places. His wife was wearing black and she had discarded the pearls which had hung around her neck during the afternoon. She wore only a collar of diamonds, his gift. Her hair was far less elaborately coiffured and her toilette less magnificent than the toilettes of the women by whom she was surrounded. Yet as he looked from his corner across the room at her, Hunterleys realised as he had realised instantly twelve years ago when he had first met her, that she was incomp

sequence of events which had brought him, full of anticipation, nerved for a crisis, to Monte Carlo of all places in the world. He forgot that he was in the midst of great events, himself likely to take a hand in them. His thoughts took, rarely enough for him, a purely personal and sentimental turn. He thought of the earliest days of his marriage, when he and his wife had wandered about the gardens of his old home in Wiltshire on spring evenings such as these, and had talked sometimes lightly, sometimes seriously, of the future. Almost as he sat there in the midst of that noisy crowd, he could catch the fa

fé, mo

ening memories, sipped his coffee and looked out upon the crowd. Three or four times he glanced at his watch impatien

trouble monsie

ht, with sandy complexion, a little freckled, and with a straggling fair moustache. He had keen gre

said. "Wonderful

leys n

ng to tell me, D

other replied, his tone a little lowere

ong the Terrace?" H

although it's more my news they want to censor than anything personal. This crowd of Germans arou

on at the Sporting Club

aris that he was going down to Marseilles and from there to Toulon, to spend three days with the fleet. They sent a paragraph

le is coming himself?" H

ull powers, and the conference will take place at the Villa Mimosa. That will be the headquarters of the whole thing.... Look out, Sir Henry. They've got their eyes on us. The little fellow in brown, close behind, is hand in glove with the police. They tried to get me into a

s almost immediately seized by a small man dressed in brown, a man with a black imperial and moustac

eparted?" he enquired. "

," Hunterle

ted himself with a sigh of content an

btless a strange

visit only," Hu

lmost say a resident. Therefore, all faces soon become familiar to

sly. The man was neatly dressed and he spoke English with scarcely any ac

oceeded, "as coming to Monte Carlo for the first or seco

companion's obvious attempts to be friendly.

ish, half French. Years ago my health broke down and I accepted a position in a bank here. Since then I have come in to money. If I have a hobby in life, it is to s

, perfectly courteous. He had a conviction that

for a few days and for the benefit of my health. I d

he was followed by an attendant. Hunterleys recognised his wife and watched them with a curious little thrill. They turned towards the Terrace. Very slowly he, too, moved in the same

t," he

star

" she said. "I did

d stiffly, "that the Terrace is

h once he had found so charming and which now half maddened him. "Unfortunately, I

is no protectio

m. "She has wonderful lungs and she loves to use

is indulging in her vocal exercises, things happen. If

ment, frowning. Then s

like me, though, and feel the restfulness of a qui

glittering lights-the wonderful Bay of Mentone, with Bordighera on the distant sea-board; higher up, the twinkling lights from the villas built on the rocky hills. And at their feet

erleys said at last, "there is someth

tain

e was a new importation and she had no idea as to the identity of t

not personally concerned in it. But he will tell me nothing. I only know that for some reason or other your presence here seems to be an annoyance to certa

nswered firmly. "I had no idea that

e was there once more and a q

ad?" she

stances, would have been more distastefu

When she resumed the conversation

of warning. He did not tell me to pass them on to you but I feel sure that he hoped I would. You would not listen to them from him because you do not like him. I am afraid that you will take very little more heed of what I say, but at least you wil

rleys remarked, "by thi

the moon came up, was almost like the face of some marble statue, lifeless,

to you as I am doing. Yet I do know that this place which looks so beautiful has strange undercurrents. People pass away here in the most orthodox fashion in the

end of the Terrace

is more deeply concerned in it than you think. I told you once before that Draconmeyer was something more than the great banker, the king of commerce, as he calls himself. He is ambitious beyond your imaginings, a schemer in ways

t fact. It is Mrs. Draconmeyer whom I cannot desert. I knew her long before I did her husband. We

t deny, Violet, that this man Draconmeyer has in some way impressed or fascinated you. Yo

as a littl

brilliant, a wonderful musician, a delightful talker, a generous host and companion. He has treated me always

sent it st

asserted e

ys went on, "that the man was

y that you w

shrugged hi

lly or wilfully blind. I tell you that I know the type. Sooner or later-before very long, I should thi

sn't liberal enough," she added hastily, "but there is a fascination in winning, you know. And besides,

t he is in love with you. When you realise that these things are firmly established in my brain, you can perhaps understand how thoroughly distasteful I find your association with him here. It is all very well to talk about Mrs. Draconmeyer, but she goes nowhe

agreement, it has been your object to break off my friendship with the Draconmeyers. Unti

front of the Opera together, a

e may consider the subject closed. Only,"

ately he was looking straight ahead and seeing gloomy things. If he had hap

bit some interes

y hardening. "Have I not done my best to reciprocate? I have even passed

de the hotel. H

you have spoken of," he assured her. "The only en

nce, and too big a man, in his way, to have enemies. Oh, Henry, if only you could get

. His expression

Violet," he retorted, "is a man wit

aved her hand. He watched her pass