The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-11-23

| Jennte set about the construction of q
ball dress.
| SIT will not cost you 81 900, and it
may come to more than $500. Place
81, 900 to my credit. and shall return
| what is left. l must go at once to Paris
and carry out my plans from that city. ;"
"Then you have thought out a
scheme? What is it?"
81 have not only thought it out. but
most of the arrangements are already
made. / cannot say more about it. You
will have to trust entirely to me-
.'There is good deal of money at
stake Miss Baxter, and our reputation
as newspaper as we'll think I should
know what you propose to do"
Certainly. I propose to obtain for
you an accurate description of the ball
written by one who was present /"
The editor gave utterance to sort Of
interjection that always served him in
place of a laugh.
''In other words. you want neither
interference nor advice.
s'Exactly. Mr.. Hardwick You
know from experience that little good
comes of talking too much of a secret
project not yet completed.
The editor drummed with his fingers
on the table for few moments thought
fully.
every we'll, then; it shall be as you
say. should have been very glad to
share the responsibility of failure with
you, but if you prefer to take the whole
risk yourself there is nothing more to
be said. The thousand pounds shall be
placed to your credit at once. What
next2'
ION the night of the ball should
like you to have three or four expert
shorthand writer's here. l don't know
how many will be necessary. You un-
derstand more about that than do.
But it is my intention to dictate the
report right along as fast as can talk
until it is finished, and | don't wished
to be stopped or interrupted; SO want
the best stenographers you have They
are to relieve one another just as if
they were taking down parliamentary
speech. The men had better be in
LCddlhCSS at budll UC mere
as soon after that as possible If you
will kindly run over their typewriter
manuscript before it goes to the com
positors, | will glance at the proofs
when have finished debating
"Then you hope to attend the ball
yourself3''
perhaps"
'tYou have just returned from the
Tyrol, and fear you don quite ap
preciate the difficulties that are in the
way. This is no ordinary society func-
tion, and if you think even Ell 900 will
gain admittance to an unlimited guest
you will find yourself mistaken
$50 / understood from your letter.
Again the editorial interjection did
duty for laugh
''You are very sanguine. Miss Bax-
ter. ! wish felt as confident How
ever, we will hope for the best and.
we cannot command success we will
least endeavor to deserve it, Z"
Jennie. with the 81 900 at her dis
posal. went to Paris, took rooms at the
most aristocratic hotel. engaged maid
and set about the construction of ball
dress that would be dream of beauty
Luckily, she knew exactly the gown
making resources of Paris, and the
craftsmen to whom she gave her orders
were not the less anxious to please her
when they knew that the question of
cost was not to be considered From
Paris she telegraphed in the name Of
the Princess Won Steinheimer to Cla,
ridges hotel for an apartment on the
night of the ball and asked that suit
able equipage be provided to convey
her to and from that festival
Arriving at Claridge's she was
aware that her first danger was that
some one who knew the Princess Won
Steinheimer would call upon her. but
on the valid plea of fatigue from her
journey she proclaimed that under no
circumstances could she see any visitor.
and thus shipwreck was avoided at the
outset. 1t was unlikely that the Princess
Won Steinheimer was personally known
to many who would attend the ball-in
fact. the princess had given to Jennie
as her main reason for refusing the in
vitation the excuse that she knew no
one in London. She had been invited
merely because of the social position OF
the prince in Vienna and was unknown
by sight even to her hostess. the Duchess
of Chiselhurst.
1t is said that woman. magnificent
ly robed is superior to all earthly trib-
ulations. Such was the case with Jen-
ME as she left her carriage. walked
along the strip of carpet which lay
across the pavement under a canopy
and entered the great hall of the Duke
of Chiselhurst's town house. one of the
huge palaces of western London Moth
ing so resplendent had she ever wit
messed or even imagined as the scene
which met her eye when she found her
self about to ascend the broad stairway.