The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-05-17

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1t lUqS Prince Ernst Of Wortunlbor0
! lunch. | have an engagement with
the American military attache at ., so
you will have TO take care of yourself
till dinner
Let me tell you what happened in
the military club that night. | was
waiting for Colonel j. of the Queens
Light, who was to give me the plan
of the fall maneuvers in Africa. Penn
! broke was in the billiard room show
! ing what he knew about caroms and
brandy smashes 10 trio of tanned
Indian campaigners. | was in the
reading room perusing the evening pa
pers. All at once | became aware Of
man standing before me. He re-
NAMED in that position so long that
| glanced over the top of my paper.
1t was Prince Ernst of Wortum-
borg. He bowed.
MAY | claim your attention for
momentY he asked.
Had been in any other place than
the ch b | should have ignored him. !
possessed the liveliest hatred for the
man. IF you will be brief"
LAS brief as possible" dropping into
the nearest chair. 1T has become nee
essary TO ask you few questions. The
matter concerns me-"
whatever concerns you is nothing
to me-" | replied coldly.
He smiled. Are you quite sure?'
| had turned the sword on myself, so
ii seemed. But | said: al answered
some OF your questions once. l be-
lieve | was explicit"
"As to that | can say you were
startlingly explicit 1t is a delicate
matter to profess ones regard for a
woman before total strangers. 1t is
not impossible that she would have
done the same thing in your place.
Her regard for YOU
| interrupted him with a menacing
gesture. Il am extremely irritable" |
said. Il should regret to lose control
Of myself in a place like this"
ITO be surew he said. This is Eng
land, where they knock one another
down"
1--WE do not murder on this side of
the channel" | retorted.
THAT is unkind. Your friend was a
very good shot," with a significant
glance at his useless arm. But for
my arm and his nerves, which were
not of the best order, had not lived to
speak TO you tonight"
so much the worse for the world,
said l. Your questionsW
"Ah. who was that remarkably beau
tiful woman under your distinguished
care Thursday EVENING"
Il see that our conversation is to be
of the shortest duration Who she was
is none OF your business" rudely.
unfolded my paper and began reading
perhaps, after ALL" not the least
perturbed by my insolence, sit were
best to state on paper what | have 10
say. | can readily appreciate that the
encounter is dsagreeable. To meet
one who has made a thing impossible
to you sets the nerves on edge" He
caught UP his opera hat his cane and
gloves. He raised the lapel of his coat
and shifted at the orchid in the button
hole.
Some occult force babe me say,
"Why do you wish to know who she
was?'
He sat down again. 81 shall be
pleased to explain. That mistook her
for another who I supposed was on
the other side of the channel was q
natural mistake, as you will agree. Is
it not strange that I should mistake
another to be the woman who is SO
soon TO be my wife? Is there not
something behind this remarkable, un-
usual likeness? Since when are two
surprisingly beautiful women, born in
different lands, of different parents,
the exact likeness of each otherW
Now. as this was thing which had
Immediately put aside the personal af-
fair That could wait. l threw my
paper on to the table.
do you know, sir" said 1. that
thought echoes my owny'
Let us for the moment put our
selves into the background" said the
prince. what do you know about her
serene highness the Princess Hide
garde. her historyY'
Every little. Proceed"
But tell me what you know"
81 know that her father was driven
to gamblers grave and that .hcr
mother died of n broken heart and
that the man who caused all this
wishes to break the heart Of the
daughter too"
Scandal. all scandal" said the
prince. "Who ever heard Of broken