Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-10-10

take or else we were blind. for at the
hour he declared he talked with
Frances chief executive in his own
Paris home, behold, You and I were
watching the president here at Monte
Carlo"
The soldier staggered as though he
had been actually struck--indeed, he
received blow that was of far great.
or moment than physical one would
have been, since tae foundation Of his
faith was knocked away.
He began to realize that perhaps
the secret police were more capable
Of making discoveries than he had
been willing 80 admit, an3 that the
same style of tactics could not be en-
ployed against these shrewd adver.
saries that he had used so success.
fully when coping with swarms Of
ferocious blacks.
One CLEAN of hope flickered still.
and caused a sickly smile to flash
over his dark face.
"Perhaps--the minister was mis-
taken in the day. He may have in
tended to say Monday, when we
know monsieur was still in Paris.
Yes. that is the explanation of the
problem"
The enchantress smiled, and when
he saw the expression Of her face he
knew she was about to knock away
even this feeble prop which he had
seized upon so eagerly as a means of
keeping up hope.
81 have just received a message"
From PARISH"
yes"
She placed a printed form in his
| eager hand and his hungry eyes pc.
| rused its brief message with an agil.
ity that speedily put him in posses.
| sion of the facts.
The wording was very precise and
to the point:
The president is in Paris to-day,
Wednesday, l have just conversed
with his excellency.'
No wonder, after reading this, that
the counts hand dropped as though
palsied to his side-no wonder his
amazed eyes turned on the quarter
where the man who played the role
of president stood chatting and
laughing with his aides-no wonder
his breath came thick and fast from
between his set teeth, For where
victory had seemed ready to perch
he now saw miserable defeat staring
him in the face with all it's terrible
penalties attached
| do you believe, now?" demanded
the modern Delilah, exulting in the
thought that it was her fnesse that
had accomplished this thing, and not
his proud master mind.
He bowed his head.
What else can l say? We have
been deceived. All the while they
those wolves of Paris, knew what we
intended doing. They have sent 6
dummy to represent the presiden,
travelling incog. 1t is so very simple
so easy-why, sometimes men actual
ly assist in deluding themselves, poor
fools"
Then the game is rung off, the
|
triumphant and vice probably pun
ished. as usual"
Her sneer went home. for it caused
him to glance once more toward the
young couple SO absorbed in one an
other they had no thought. no care
ness
This recalled him to the conscious
ness that there were other branche!
embraced in the longitude and lati
tide of the chart he had drawn fol
his guidance.
If fame in French empire were
denied him, how about fortune ant
love?
Half loaf would be better than NJ
bread.
B esides, there was revenge-tha
word always has a sympathetic rim,
to the ear of Frenchman.
Jones he hated like mad-Jone:
was hand in glove with Merrick-
ergo, if he could kidnap the latter ant
throw him into the hands of the saw
age BedOuin tribes he knew along tn,
Barbary coast, and at the same time
steal his sweetheart. would it not b,
glorious retaliation upon Monsieur
Jones for spelling the dream of al
empire?
Rallying from his dazed condition
he cheered himself with the though
that all was not lost while chance
for Little Miss Millions as a bride
remained; and with this as his spul
Count Leon played into the game.
The count had a lieutenant who was
capable Of giving good advice in {
matter of this sort.
OF course, this was the blonde
giant from the North, the Cossacl
who came from the Don.
In moment he had obeyed a sig
nal and was at Villebois' side, eager
to hear what was new, and ready tt
give his advice If sought.
Stromboloff had this long time beer
an AFFECT slave of the fair enchant
ress, and fumed in secret when HI
ea@- acr aGSd@1Mg Ire >z1te2Hn2s d
other men-still, he endured this fire
quent sight, knowing what the pool
fools would receive in due time, since
she had always been heartless.
Strangely enough he was even more
bitterly set against Merrick IL an any
of the others. for in his distorted
vision it seemed vile sacrilege thai
common man without any illustri
Gus pedigree or vast fortune, upor
| whom tho nrincesc daipned to smile