The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-30
JENNIE BAXTER: JOURNALIST
K.-An Unlooked-For Encounter.
ICopyright, 1899, by the Author.l

restaurant was thronged with numerous
passengers. most Of whom seemed hardly
vet awake while many were unkempt and
disheveled as if they had had little sleep
during the night
Jennie found small table and sat down
beside it. ordering coffee and rolls from the
waiter who came TO serve her. Looking
round at the cosmopolitan company and lis
tening to the many languages whose clash
gave a babel air to the restaurant, Jennie
fell 10 musing on the strange experiences
she had encountered since leaving London.
II seemed 10 her she had been taking part
in some CHASTITY nightmare, and she shud-
dered as she thought of the lawlessness, un-
der cover of law, of this great and despotic
empire where even the ruler was under the
surveillance of his subordinates. and could
not get a letter out of his own dominion in
safety were he so minded. In her day dream
she became conscious. without noting its
application to herself. that man was
standing before her table; then voice
which made her heart stop said:
All lost princess"'
She placed her hand suddenly TO her
throat for the catch in her breath seemed
to be suffocating her, then looked up and
saw Lord Donal Stirling. in the ordinary
everyday dress of an English gentleman,
as well groomed as II he had come. not from
a train but from his own house. There was
a kindly smile on his lips and a sparkle in
his eyes but his face was of CHASTITY pallor
"Oh, Lord Donali' she cried, regarding
him with eyes OF wonder and fear. What
IS wrong with your
Nothing" the young man replied with
an attempt at a laugh. nothing now that
1 have found you. Princess. 1 have been
making night OF IL, that's all, and am
suffering the consequences in the morning.
May / sit DOWN."
He dropped into a chair on the other side
of the table and went on.
Like all dissipated men, am going to
breakfast on stimulants. Waiter" he said,
bring me a large glass of your best
brandy"
And waiter" interjected Jennie IN
French, bring two breakfasts. I suppose
it was not your breakfast you ordered just
now, Lord Donal?''
'T have ordered my breakfast" he said
''Still it pleads in my favor that / do not
carry brandy with me. as 1 ought to do,
and so must drink the vile stuff they call
their best here
You should eat as WE'LL she insisted.
taking charge of him if she had every
right TO do so.
"An shall be as you say. now that I
have found you, but don't be surprised if
have but little appetite
What is the natter" she asked breath
lessly. "You certainly look very ILL.,"
II have been drugged and robbed" he re-
piled. lowering his voice. Il imagine / came
TO close quarters with death itself. have
spent night in Hades and this morning 1
am barely able TO stagger. but the sight of
you, Princess All, well. / feel once more
that / belong to the land of the living!''
Please do not call me Princess" said
the girl. looking down at the tablecloth.
Then what am to call you, Princess?"
MY name is Jennie Baxter" she said in
a low voice.
Miss Jennie Baxter" he asked eagerly.
with emphasis on the first word.
Miss Jennie Baxter" she answered, still
not looking up at him.
He leaned back in his chair and said
Well this is not such bad world, after
all. To think Of meeting you here in Rus
STA. Have you been in St. Petersburg.
then?'
Yes. am newspaper woman" ex-
planned Jennie hurriedly. when you met
me before, / was there surreptitiously,
fraudulently. if you like. I was there toto
Il
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 gayety. You
should have written and acknowledged the
kindness you are good enough to say 1 rem
dered to you. You knew my address, and
etiquette demanded that you should make
your acknowledgements"
" m a
smile lowering round her lips. fearing my
letter might act as clew. l had no wish
TO interfere with the legitimate business of
Mr. Cadbury Taylor
Great heavensn' cried the young man.
How came you to know about that? But.
of course. the Princess Won Steinheimer
told you of IL. She wrote TO me charging
me with all sorts of wickedness for endeav-
oring to find you
mo. Lord Donal. did not learn II from
her. In fact. If you had opened the door of
the inner room at Mr.. Cadbury Taylors
little quicker, you would have come upon
me- for I was the assistant who tried 10
persuade him that you really met the Prin-
cess Won Steinheimer.''
Lord Doral for the first time laughed
heartily.
We'll, If that doesn't beat all. And I
suppose Cadbury Taylor hasn't the slightest
suspicion that you are the person he was
looking for?"
mo. not the slightest"
II say. that is the best joke have heard
in ten years" said Lord Dcnal and here,
breakfast arriving, Jennie gave him his di-
rections.
You are to drink a small portion of that
brandy she said. and then put the rest
ir your coffee. You must eat good break
fast. and that will help you to forget your
troubles-that is. if you have any real trou-
bles"
''Oh, nay troubles are real enoughi" said
the young man. when / met you before.
princess. was reasonably successful. We
even talked about ambassadors. didn't we.
in spite of the fact that ambassadors were
making themselves unnecessarily obtrusive
that night? No: / not joking 1t Is
true. ! was given a commission, or, rather,
knowing the danger there was in 1T.
begged that the commission might be given
me. 1t was merely to take a letter from
st. Petersburg to London. / have failed
and when that is said all Is said.
But surely said the girl. you could
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