The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-03
81 @0Y TGHGGGH7
llopyright ls9a by Irving Bachellerl

DO you mind writing a letter or two
for me?" he said, after the first pre-
l.minary greetings. You are always
obliged to give .Maubeuge a holiday to-
day"
OF course | was delighted TO be of any
service. He dictated one cor two short
notes and, when had written them he
sad:
Il hope you Will dine with me this
evening. / am really depending on you
to cheer me up little. This fatal
business Of the treaty has been such u
grievous blow to me-"
/ accepted his invitation.
Now don't run away meanwhile" he
added. II generally take a little nap.
as you know, at this time. but shant
be asleep more than half an hour.
Meanwhile. there are the journals. or
perhaps you have some letters TO
write"
Thank you" said. that will suit
me admirably. I will plunge into my
correspondence while you take a dive
into oblivion"
The prince answered with a smile.
Then he poured some chloroform on
his handkerchief, threw the latter over
his face, and was asleep almost i'm
mediately. Meanwhile. I had taken
sheet of paper and had written few
lines when, to my great astonishment.
heard a muffled voice in the room. For
moment I did not realize that it was
the prince who was speaking. When I
did realize it. ] pricked up my ears in
voluntarily. What was he babbling
about In his narotic slumber? Heavens!
it was all bout one subject that domin-
ated his mind at the moment-the
treaty. Some of the phrases were con-
fused. inconsequent. fragmentary, but
over and over again came from beneath
the handkerchief the words "clause
thirteen" dn French, of course) and
then, in fashion more or less discon-
nected. the actual provisions Of that un-
lucky clause.
/ sat there paralyized with astOnish-
ment; the pen had fallen from my hand:
I was as one in dream. Here, then, at
last. was the solution of the mystery.
Nor was the william far to seek. Maui
beuge. sitting where / now sat, had
taken down these unconscious and in
voluntary confidences. had placed them
cunninglv together. and then had sold
the secret to lie Grand.
How strange, how touching It was
tfat the most experienced dplomatist
In Europe should thus far have babbled
like Child-that the man who OF all
others was the most anxious to keep
the treaty secret should have been the
very cne to dvulge Its. most important
provisions.
I was still sitting lost in wonder
when I heard slight noise behind me-
I turned Sharply round: the door was
open, and Maubeuge was standing on
tine threshold. The prince was still in
nocently prattling Of things that meant
the ruin or salvation of empires. Mau-
beuge from under his heavy eyebrows
cast a dull"and yet most anxious glance
first at him. then at me. AS he did so.
I rcticed that his complexion turned
to lead and the whole fashion of his
face was altered. No doubt he had
taken in the situation at a glance. and
knew that his v!illainy had been detect
ed, for without a single word he turned
round and Withdrew. closing the door
behind him.
/ followed him at once. MY anger
was keen against him. I should have
liked to take him by the throat and
hand hinr over to the police. But for
line sake Of my dear friend the prince.
] could not do this. He must never
know what he had done. The know
ledge that he had betrayed himself
ard the sovereign he loved so well would
have overwhelmed him. In all prob
abfHy he would never have recovered
from the shock. 1t Is for this reason
that ! have waited till his death before
publishing thfs revelation.
so reined in my anger as went in
pursuit of Maubeuge. I followed so
swiftly on his heels that caught him in
the corridor
NJ, .,,I<. Z
ask you to favor me with an interview"
He did not venture to decline the in
vptait!on, but followed me submlssively
into another room belonging ito the
princes suite of apartments.
There ! came to the point at once.
"Monsieur MauE2uge," ] said, "I
think II would be we'll for you to retire
a'. once from the princes service"
He was far too clever ITO buster In q
tete-a-tete. He knew that in my eyes
he wasirretrievably degraded. and there
was no one else present whose opinion
he could influence. so he took my re-
marks In simple business-llke fashion.
II must give some excuse" he said.
as 1t not the case" asked, suddenly
remembering what Gresham had told
me, that your eyes are very bad. and
that you have altogether lost the sight
Of your left eyer"
He looked greatly surprised.
ut Is true" he said but did not
know that any one knew II except my
self"
"Well, that Ia excuse enough. Say
that your eyes are so bad that you must
at any sacrifice resign your position at
once. At once-you understand me. On
that condition I will refrain from COM
municating with the police. You will
have tolsacrlflce months wages, but