The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-11-16

to go away in spite of your dismissal,
for the prince this morning offered me
ten times the amount of money you are
paying. Z
/ sDid he2''
'Be assured he did. If you don't be-
lieve me, ask him. told him he was a
fool; but, alas, we live in cynical age,
and few men believe all they hear, SO I
fear my expression Of opinion made lit
| tie impression on him."
II shall not keep you longer from his
highness, said the princess. with freez-
1 ing dignity.
''Thank You SO much. I am just dy-
ing to meet him, for / know he has
something most interesting to tell me-
Don't you think yourself, princess, that
a man acts rather like fool when he is
deeply in lover"
To this there was no reply, and the
| princess left the room Miss Jennie
jumped to her feet and almost ran to
the library. She found the prince walk
ing up and down the long room with a
telegraph message in his hand.
''You are most wonderful young
woman, he said; tread that.
/ 81 have been told so by more observ-
ing men than you, Prince Won Steinhei-
mer, . said the girl, taking the tele-
gram. It was from the manager of the
bank in Vienna, and it ran: Especial
messenger leaves with package by the
Meran express tonight
"Just as l thought, said Miss Jen-
ME. 1.-THE diamonds never left the bank
l suppose those idiots of servants which
the princess has round her didn't know
what they took away from Vienna and
what they left Then, when the dia-
monds were missing. they completely
| lost their heads-not that any one in
the castle has much wits to spare.
never saw such an incompetent lot.
The prince laughed.
"You think, perhaps, have not wits
enough to see that my wife cares for
me- Is that it2 Is that why you gave
me my own letters?"
'Oh. you are well matedl The prin-
cess now does me the honor of being
jealous of me. Think of that As if it
were possible that should take any in
terest in you, for have seen real men
in my time
| The prince regarded her with his most
severe expression.
| ~'Are you not fattering yourself
Scxlewhat, young lady2'
sOh, dear, mol Itake it as the reverse
of tiattering to be supposed that have
any liking for such ninny as you are
| Flattering indeed And she has haughti-
ly dismissed me, if you please =
1.-THE princess has2 What have you
been saying to her p
| ooh, / made the most innocent re-
mark, and it was the truth, too, which
shows that honesty is not always the
best policy. l merely told her that you
had offered me ten times the amount of
money she is paying me. You needn' t
jump as if somebody had shot off a gun
at your ear. You know you did make
such an offer
"You confounded little mischief
makerl" cried the prince in anger
''Did you tell her what it was for 20
''No. She did not ask =
! 81 will thank you to apply the clev-
erness you seem to possess to the undo
ing of the harm you have SO light
heartedly caused. /"
''How can {? am ordered to leave
tonight, when did so wish to stay and
see the diamond denouement. !"
"You are not going tonight / shall
speak to the princess about it if that
should be necessary. Your mention Of
the diamonds reminds me that my re-
| spected father-in-law. Mr.. Briggs, in
forms me that celebrated detective
whom it seems he has engaged-Cad-
bury Taylor, think the name is-will
be here tomorrow to explain the dia-
mond mystery, SO you see you have a
competitor.
"Oh, is Cadbury coming? That is
too jolly for anything. l simply must
stay and hear his explanation. for he is
a very famous detective. and the con-
clusions he has arrived at must be most
interesting.
In the morning the diamonds arrived
per special messenger, who first took a
formal receipt for them and then most
obsequiously took his departure. By the
same train came Mr.. Cadbury Taylor,
as modest as ever, but giving some in
dication in his bearing of the impor-
tance of the discovery his wonderful sys.
tenn had aided him in making. He
blandly evaded the curiosity of Mr..
Briggs and said it would perhaps be
better to reveal the secret in the pres
ence of the prince and princess.
'Just what 1 suspected, muttered
Mr.. Briggs, who had long been con-
WINGED that the prince had stolen the
stones.
The important gathering took place
in the library, the prince, with the dia-
monds in his coat pocket. seated at the
head of the long table. while the prin-
cess sat at the foot, as far from her hus-
band rs she could conveniently get
without attracting notice. Miss Baxter
stood near window reading an i'm
portant letter from London which had
reached her that morning. The tall,
thin detective and the portly Mr.. Briggs
came in together. the London man bow
ing gravely to the prince and princess.
Mr.. Briggs took seat at the side of the
table. but the detective remained stand
ing, looking questioningly at Miss Bax-
ter, but evidently not recognizing her
as the lady who had come in upon him
and his friend when they had entered
the train.
81 beg the pardon of your highness.
but-what have to say had better be
said with as few hearers as possible. I
| -. I,o oh .n1