The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1902-01-10

somer woman than Nine. du Barry her
self and with his fairer skin looked
scarcely so masculine as she did.
"And now, madame" he said. ''since
your friend Nine. Delatouche. who has
been visiting you, is about to depart
for her home In another city. you will
for a short stay"
"Eh? What is that, monsieur" she
faltered.
Pardon me. there is no monsieur
here. l said come home with me, ma
dame"
ooh. but monsieur mean madame
Il cannotv
But you must!'
There was no installing the meaning
in that voice. Without further remon-
STRANGE Nine. du Barry slowly began
preparing for a journey that might
lead her-she knew not where.
you see, madame, | am not certain
when our friends will return TO this
house. l do not intend you shall have
the opportunity to betray me to Van
dal."
Cursesl 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 a gait that was mincing
enough to satisfy anybody who loved
mincing gait. He was a fascinating
person to Nine. du Barry, who could
scarcely keep from bursting into laugh
ter at the sight of him.
But then Mime. 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 movement that ap-
peared ridiculous In a 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 NJ.
de Bullion at the Palais de Justice.
"What is ii, mon-madame" asked
Nine. du Barry, suppressing a strong
desire to shrek.
Madame" said Buckford, with some
little show Of annoyance in his tones,
81 have just discovered that l came
away this morning with no money.
Now, it is well known that you have a
bank account Be kind enough. there
fore, to come with me to the bank and
draw a certain amount / shall name"
"Oh, the police have added robbery
to their other virtues, 1t seems"
mo; this is a loan. / borrow the
money, madame, and repay with inter-
est. To refuse me- madame, Will rean
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 10 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 l justified in going
with this creature?' he was asking
himself. 1T Is surely a dishonest act
to take her money, yet If l live can
repay her, with good interest. My own
life and the lives of three innocent per-
sons and the apprehension Of four ras-
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