Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo

ng in his wicked-looking grey racing car, saw

a Turbie, by any c

leys n

replied. "The hotel motor is star

me," Rich

ittle doubtfully at t

up?" he asked. "It's r

e young man promised. "That

of them little lights shone out from the villas and small houses dotted away in the mountains. Almost imperceptibly they passed into a different atmosph

," he said, "thi

chard assented, "and doe

y swung upwards. The road now had become narrower and the turnings more frequent. They were up above the region of villas and farmhouses, in a country which seemed to consist only of bleak hill-side, open to the winds, wrapp

the trees," Richard declared.

rigid. He bit his lip. His wife had just issued from the cloak-room and was drawing on her glov

ed pleasure,

raconmeyer," she told

rleys

rty?" he

eur Pericot, the director here, to come and bring Mrs. Draconmeyer. At the last momen

ys asked quietly. "You know very well

wn that we were likely to meet-well,

emarked bitterly. "May I be permitted

swered, "there is certainly no rea

ch made him, for a moment, feel weak. She was a very beautiful woma

oubled by the attentions of th

atched," she

rleys continued, "and I have come t

me that you have not

nour, that I have nothing

some remark about the room to Violet. Then Richard came up and they all passed on into the reception room, where two or three very fussy but very

red. "I say, Sir Henry, you

to get away," Hunterl

felt a grip of

n white! Just look at the colour of her hair! There she is, goin

wo in a corner, which they annexed. Hunterleys was in a grim humour, but his companion was in the wildest spirits. Considering that he was placed where he could see M

ake up your mind to it. There never was anything like that girl upon the earth. There never was anything like the feeling you get," he went on, "when you're absolutely and entir

ugh it!" Hunterleys

of an hour. It was not until the coffee and liqueurs arrived that they returned to the subject of Miss Grex. Then it was Hunterleys himself who introduced it. He

given you several hints d

best to head me off. So did my future father-in

ys shook

u what I know about Mr. Grex, but for a good many people's sakes, it's just as well that those few of us who know keep quiet. I am sure you trust me, and it's just the same

onfidence, was a little stagge

, "the girl isn't ma

ow of," Hunter

, but honestly, Sir Henry, there are a good many prejudices over this side that you fellows lay too much store by. Grex may be a nobleman in disguise. I don't care. I am a man. I can give her everything she needs

lped himself

s presume, for a moment, that she is, as you surmise, the daughter of a nobleman. When it suits her father to throw off his incognito, she is

the young man answered

of the world, do you? It's a pretty formidable enterprise to come from a New York office, with only Harvard behind you, and a year or so's travel as a tourist, and enter the list against men who have had twice your opportunities. I am talking to you like this, young fe

lk to her she'll understand that I care more than any of the oth

speech of acknowledgment. He remained standing for a few minutes after the cheers which had greeted his ne

ou are familiar, has but one drawback. We are subject to very dense mountain mists, and alas! I have to tell you that one of these has come on most unexpectedly and the descent must be made with the utmost care. Believe me, there is no risk or any danger," he went on earn

ce, Richard and Hunt

night, young man," Hunterleys

yes to wander and he was watching the girl with golden hair who w

s in love," he declared, "never come to a