The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-11-08

what do you wish me to do today?"
asked Wallace.
keep your promise and return to
this place by o'clock tonight"
IL will"
"You need breakfast. Come with
me-"
They descended into the not Overin-
viting dining room Of the inn of NJ.
Jacques, and breakfast was ordered.
"By the way" said Wallace careless
ly, III l return and do not find you, for
whom shall l ask?"
A quick, startled look came into the
eyes of the conspirator.
"Now, now" he said, you must not
be too inquisitive. One would think
you were of the bureau of safety.
When you return, If l am not In sight,
go simply to NJ. Jacques and ask for
the person In whose room you slept
last night"
VERY we'll" said Wallace. He re-
GREETED that he had said anything to
arouse suspicion.
While they were eating, another
sauntered in and whispered to Wal
lace's companion. Buckford could hear
now and then portion of a whispered
sentence.
"Arrived-this hotel-and the prin-
cess-lncognito"-
Excuse me. l will see you again to-
night" said the man, rising abruptly
from his unfinished breakfast.
al will be here" said Buckford
The American took his time and
made a good meal. He then called for
a cigar, lighted it and sauntered care
lessly from the place.
As the gaze of Buckford roved up
and down the somewhat squalid quar-
ter he seemed to feel new emotions,
new sensations of life, that were vast
ly different from the careless and even
reckless boyishness Of former days.
He seemed filled with sense of re.
sponsibility and duty. He felt that he
had in his keeping the safety and well
being OF several people, all of exalted
station and all perhaps OF noble ma
ture. He alone, with the exception of
the conspirators, knew that an attempt
was TO be made TO destroy family.
The interest he felt, the impulse that
was so strong upon him to save this
princely family from the assassins
drove from his mind all bitterness con-
corning his own affairs. 1t was Buck
ford's nature to throw his whole being
into an interesting project. Therefore
he had no affairs now save the protec-
ton Of the three persons whose photo
graphs he had seen in the cOnspira-
tors valise.
His poverty was forgotten. His many
disappointments and failures faded
into nothing. He was alert. strong
and ready for the fray. He felt capa.
BILE Of grasping the weapons Of craft
and graphing the mystery before him.
Curious eyes followed him from the
cafe, but he did not see them. He
would not have cared If he had seen
them. He walked with n light tread.
He felt himself a conqueror
After this little exhllaration had
passed the stern realities and necessi-
ties Of the case forced themselves
upon him.
He did not know the name Of one
Of the persons whose champion he had
become. He had heard the name
Marie AleXia, It was true. He had also
heard the name Princess Margaret.
But he had also heard the whispered
word "incognito."
This little word brought disquieting
thoughts. 1t proved two things. One
was that the persons involved were of
=, fo.l, Il t1.a, no hn1 err
for only princes Of royal or ruling
houses travelled incognito. Surely this
prince was of powerful house or was
a man of exalted position and great
wealth and sought freedom from an
noyance and attacks by the use Of an
adopted name. The other thing proved
was that the matter Of protecting or
warning this prince was going to be no
light or easy matter.
One can go to Brown, Jones or Rob-
inson and say: Beware! An enemy
Is on your track" But when one
approaches the person Of prince he is
as likely TO be arrested as to have an
opportunity to give his warning. And
when the prince is incognito the diff
Guilty Of finding him is added
Buckford ought all these things
out as he walked along.
"Well, If / expect to accomplish any
thing ! must make a beginning" he
said to himself "The way to begin Is
to begin. Now, what shall l do first?"
He had pondered this question but a
moment when another idea struck him.
at is a good scheme to know your
resources" he said. II will count my
money"
He withdrew into a secluded place
and counted the money In the purse
the conspirator had given him.
"GoodP' he said. Money must come
easy to those fellows. There is enough
here to keep me a week Now let's see.
If these people are already in Paris,
their names must be on the hotel reg
lister at police headquarters. If they
are incognlto, 1 could never find them.
i must go to the police"
This seemed not to please him, for q
nf,,I 60.