The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-01
ROBERT BARR
CanssL 1srs b. IN. ,a,nsr,
-AnunIooked-for Encounter.

was allowed FOR a Ielsureiy
breakfast IN the buffet OF the
s.--r. The restaurant pas thr0nged
.r- rr~ereu, passengers. most OF whom
..r- hardly yet awake. while many
-- -akcmuJ and d!sheyelsd as II they
a.. ... Little sleep during the night
-rr- found a small table and sat
s4- beside Dr.. ordering coffee snd rolls
f-r -s- wdtcr who came 10 serve her.
r..E.rs round At the cosmopolitan cone
-... md listening 20 the many languages
.. clash gave a babel air % the res
,.r-rt. Jennie FELL 20 musing on the
strange experiences she had encountered
... having London. II seemed 20 her
s-r had been taking part r. some CHASTITY
-..H.-ars. and she shuddeTei as she
---. % the lawlossnes.. under cover of
-- q this great and dcspotic empire,
.r.-. even the ruler wa. under the sur
,....r-- ~ hts sunordinates. and could
o.. .-t "a letter out 81 his own dominion Ia
,f.-r we're De so minded. II her day
.r.. src became conscious, without not
--- ..e -rrueati3n 10 herself that a man
- sanding before her table, then
,r... which made her heart stop. said:
.tr. Ir-r Princess"
-r. placed her hand suddenly 20 her
frr-r e.- 'he catch IN her breath seemed
..r. .-r0raung her. then looked up and
-.H I'm. Ioual Stirling. in the ordinary
everyday dress OF an English gentleman,
as Vs.. lul0mcd as II he had come, not
.-. train. but from his own house.
-r--. Wal. p kindly smile on hts lips and
s-.-tIe ir MS eyes, but his face was Of
ar..Ig ualIOT.
a.. Lord Donalr" she cried, regarding
aim e.l eyes Of wonder and fear. What
-z wrong with you7'
Nothing The Young man replied. with
erarr.mgl Al g. laugh, nothing, now that
r-r. found you, Princess. 1 nave been
making q night Of il, that's all. and an
r.a-r.r1 th- consequences in the morn
ms Nav / sit DOWN.
Ha dropped into a chair on the other
s.Ef a- On. table and went on.
.TIka an lissipated men, l am going 10
breakfast on stimulants. Waiter" he
said. bring me a large glass Of your best
brandy
"AaG waiter" interjected Jennie in
T--Err. bring TWO breakfasts suppose
E, MAS not your breakfast that you or
lr-I just now, Lord Donal?'
u have ordered my breakfast" he said.
"g,H 10 pleads in my favor that do not
carry brandy with me. as ] ought to do,
and SD must drink the vile stuff they call
their best here
'T0g should eat as well" she insisted,
taking charge Of him, as If she had every
right 20 do 50.
al shall be as you say, now that /
have found YOU. but don't be surprised IL
have but little appetite"
"What Is the matter?" she asked breath
I.ss.r. You certainly look very H."
81 have been druEged and robbed" he
r-rVrI. lowering his voice. Il imagine 1
came TO close quarters with death itself.
] have spent d night IN hSdes and this
morning an barely able 10 stagger, but
The sight OF you. Princess-Ah. we'll, /
feel once more that belong TO the land
Of the living"
please do not call me Princess" said
The girl looking down at the tablecl0th.
Then what am to call you, PTincess?'
"Ny name is Jennie Baxter" she said
On d l1w voice.
Miss Jennie Baxter" he asked eagerly,
with emphasis on the first word.
Mis- Jennie Baxter" she answered,
stiil not looking up al him.
EIe leaned back In his chair and said:
Well, this is not such a bad world, al
L. al. To think Of meeting you here in
Russia! Have you been in 81. Peters
burg, them"
Yes. l am a newspaper woman" eX-
planned Jennie hurriedly. when you met
m- before / was there surreptitiously,
lraudulen1y, II you like. / was there to
20 write a report Of Il for my paper. l
can never thank you enough. Lord Donal,
for your kindness TO me that evening"
your thanks are belated." said the
young man, with a visible attempt at
4
acknowledged the kindness you are good
enough TO say I rendered 10 you. You
knew my address, and etiquette demand
a. lat you should make your ackaowi-
tImenrs"
Oh was reluctant 70 write" said Jennie,
smile lowering round her lips, fearing
my letter might act as clew- ] had no
wish 10 interfere with the legitimate bust
ness # Mr. Cadbury Taylor
"I-t-t heayensT' cried the young man
"HoU came YOU 20 know about that? But
O.. course the Princess Won Steinheimer
,0ll you of IT, She wrote TO me charging
~. with an sorts Of wickednesses for en-
G.ayar.ng 90 ind you"
$50. Lord D0nal. / did not learn II
from her. In fact if you had OpeEcd the
door NJ the inner room at Mr. Cadbury
..I o. H4lt4t i.A-4thEAs YOU NpAiN 40 Z
come upon me. for I was the assistant
WAC tried 90 persuade him that you really
me- the Princess Won Steinheimer.'
Lord Dln4l Tor the first time laughed
h.s<Iy.
'#aI. II that doesn't beat all. And l
sal.aa. Cal5ury Taylor hasn't the slight
est suspicion that you are the person he
was Looking for"
q say that Is the best joke 7 have
heard IN Yen years" said Lord Donal,
aud here breakfast arriving, Jennie gave
..m Dis directions.
.Lal are 20 drink a small portion OF
thar brandy" she said, "and then put the
r.e. u Your coffee. You must eat good
breakfast. and that will help you TO for
&C. your tr1ubles-that is, II you nave any
Zeal troubles"
.Ur. my troubles are real enough
s.i- tha Young man. When ] met you
before. Princess. ! was reasonably sue
c.s-s.. We even talked about Ambassa-
-.lH..r- didu't we, Ia spite OF the fact
f..r AMBASSADORS were making them
..y.. necessarily obtrus.ye that night:
E.E g.a see before you ruined man
$50, J .m not joking. II l. true. l was
given p commission. or, rather, knowing
'.r DANGER here was In II. ! begged that
'.- rn-m'csiou might be given me. II
--s merely 70 take a letter from ST
Petersburg 20 London. ! have failed, and
"-. shat IS said, all Is said
a' surely" said the girl. you could
a.. ' expected 20 ward or such lawless
Robbery as YOU have been the victim off,
That z Just what / expected and what
el ] could ward OF. In my pro-
Boz which, after all, has a great SINH
..''E 10 yours, except that | think We
..E. "a. DO more lying in ours, there
~ be- uo such word a. fail. The very
..a- excuses are listened 20 with toler-
Eae perhaps. and a shrug Of the shout
a f' but failure. no matter from what
a'' Us zen doom. ! have failed. I
.-.. lut make any excuses. / will 50 20
.-...H and say merely: The Russian
police Law, robbed me Oh, ] know per-
...'.y who Cd the trick, and how il was
Thea ! shall send in my resigna-
..a faey VII accept IL, with polite
NTls ~ regret, and will say 10 each
'...s- Poor fellow, He had a brillian,
career before HIM, but ne got drunk or