The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-12-20


your friend Nine. Delatouche, who has
been visiting you, is about to depart
Tor her home in another city, you will
accept her invitation to accompany her
for short stay"
"Eh? What Is that, monsieur?" she
faltered.
pardon me. there is no monsieur
-ere. l SAID come home with me, ma
dame"
ooh, but monsieur mean madame
Il cannotv'
But you must!'
There was no mistaking the meaning
in that voice. Without further remon
STRANGE Nine. du Barry slowly began
preparing for journey that might
lead her-she knew not where.
you see, madame, l am not certain
when our friends will return to this
house. 1 do not intend you shall have
the opportunity to betray me to Van
DIAL"
Curses! He had seen that smile.
But still Nine. du Barry, even as she
ruefully prepared to accompany him,
smiled again.
They left the house, Buckford accom-
plishing gait that was mincing
enough to satisfy anybody who loved
a mincing gait. He was fascinating
person to Nine. du Barry, who could
scarcely keep from bursting into laugh
ter at the sight Of him.
But then Nine. du Barry knew the
secret To one who did not know,
(, Buckford, or Nine. Delatouche, as he
called himself, was nothing more than
one of the stout, overdressed females
so common in the French or any other
capital.
Buckford's first act, so he planned,
would be to go direct to the hotel of
the Prince of Deneslia and, if that po-
tentate had not already left Paris, tell
him the entire story and ask his as
sistance. If the prince had departed,
nothing then remained but to go to
Trolle, the capital of Deneslia, as
quickly as possible and before the
plotters reached there, If such speed
could be encompassed.
Buckford was about to call a cab
when he made a movement that ap-
peared ridiculous in woman. He
slapped the place over the right hand
pocket in his trousers.
He had suddenly remembered that
he had no money. Even that given
him by Vandal was in the purse of M.
de Bullion at the Palais de Justice.
"What is it, mon-madame" asked
Nina 1I1 DO
desire to Shrek.
Madame" said Buckford, with some
little show of annoyance in his tones,
II have just discovered that 1 came
away this morning with no money.
Now, 1t Is we'll known that you have a
bank account. Be kind enough, there
fore, TO come with me to the bank and
draw certain amount shall name"
"Oh, the police have added robbery
to their other virtues, it seems"
mo; this is loan. 1 borrow the
money, madame, and repay with inter-
est 10 refuse me, madame, will rcean
to walk into the Palais de Justice in
stead of the bank"
Madame shuddered at the mention of
that place, which she fancied she had
SO cheaply escaped.
She groaned at the thought of losing
money, but the alternative was worse.
And the idea of police extortion was by
no means new to her.
On the way to the bank Buckford
was busy with his conscience, which
had for the first time got into the af-
fair.
How far am 1 justified in going
with this creature?" he was asking
himself. st is surely dishonest act
to take her money, yet If l live l can
repay her, with good interest. My own
life and the lives of three innocent per-
sons and the apprehension of four ras-
Gals all depend on my having money.
l must have it, and will. If am do
Ing wrong. the circumstances must
plead for me. And this woman Is
planning to betray Inc and is my enc
my"
He smiled and continues:
Il will fight my enemies with their
own weapons. ! suppose both Caspa-
rim and Vandal have added to ma
DANES wealth."
They reached the bank.
How much, monsieur? Will hun
dred francs be sufficientW
mo; l must have thousand"
"A thousand francs, monsieur"
Hush! There is gendarme at the
corner. If you do not obey me, l will
have him arrest you as the accomplice
of the murderers and robbers and spies
against the government"
Nine. du Barry shivered and drew
the money.
With the sinews of war in his pos
session Buckford felt stronger. He
now called cab and, remembering
what Monroe had told him about the
Prince of Deneslia, was driven to the
hOtel the prince had occupied in Paris.
He found the concierge in charge of
an empty place.
MADAME" said the concierge in re-
ply to Buckford's question, IN. lie
Count Rockmillive left here yesterday.
believe he is now on his way to Aus
tria or Germany. Can l aid madame
In any wayY
In an hour Buckford, with the still
smiling but now bewildered Nine. du
Barry. was at the terminal station of
the Strassburg railway, where Buck
ford. but half knowing whether he
was right or wrong, purchased two
tickets for Strassburg.
"Now, madame" he said as the train
started, 1--WE are off upon our adven-