The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-08-15
carried the precious key to Darragh's

carried the precious key to Darragh's
inimitable system upon his person.
Count Leon evidently believed in
humping things.
Jones became a little more active
now, as though he realized that mat
tiers were reaching an acute stage,
and required more attention than at
| any period in the past.
In all probability an encounter
might be brought about at any mo-
ment, and with desperate results.
A trio of men attracted his atten-
ton. standing at a retired spot.
Two of them might have passed
unnoticed, but that the third some
how caught his attention, and despite
the evident desire of the party to
keep his identity concealed. Jones
guessed it.
my God!" he muttered hastily, ut
Ia the president visiting Monaco in
cog, to see what manner Of witch it
is that lures so many from the gay
capital all through the winter"
Having overcome the uneasiness
produced by his discovery he began
to put two and two together.
The royalists undoubtedly knew
the French president meant to Sc
eretly take flying trip under cover
OF an assumed name to the Rivera
| perhaps the assault on the train had
been made with the bold idea of cap
turing this illustrious parsonage.
These valiant sons of France, how
they love a sudden, bold stroke that
wins admiration from friend and foe
alike-as Louis Napoleon seized the
reins of government and fought his
way to the throne, SO others aspire to
follow the example thus set.
There are many who declare all the
designs OF the times point that way,
yet the sincere friends of the repub-
lie are just as vehement in asserting
that it can never be.
Had those same partisans been
present at Monte Carlo on this night,
when for the second time the Amer
lean adventurer broke the bank that
had seemed to be as stable as the
rock Of Gibraltar itself, and could
they have witnessed the mysterious
and hurried consultations between
| little knots of men who were many
OF them well-known personages in
the recent life of France, they might
have shuddered to contemplte the dis
aster that seemed so imminent, and
have realized that a secret under
standing with the army generals
might be possible whereby under GER
tain conditions the military forces
would be wheeled into line like magic
and with the disappearance of the
president a mighty shout go up for
| the old empire and a new emperor!
Doubtless it was a singular freak
| of fortune that had arranged matters
| so that Merrick should play his little
game of hide and seek in the name
of love, surrounded by all the disturb
ing elements that went to make up a
revolutionary upheaval.
Circumstances govern the condi-
lions in all such cases, and poor NOR
tails must rest content to accept what
| ever the Fates bestow.
Jones had missed the valorous
count from the scene Of action.
This did not come about through
any delinquency on the part of Vile
bois, who, on the contrary, had never
known buster hour in the whole
| course of his checkered career.
If he could secure possession of
the secret document, which, he felt
sure, was somewhere about the per-
son of Mark Merrick, and at the
same time carry off the girl who rep
resented those South African dia-
mond mines in the sovereign state
of Dom Paul Kruger, he would be
killing two birds with one stone and
feathering his own individual nest,
whether the revolution came about or
not.
Merrick's search continued. Not
until the last spark of hope had gone
would the lover own himself de-
feated.
Such conspicuous pertinacity sure
ly deserved some reward, and Mark
was finally delighted to discover the
face for which he sought.
Strange to say, he did not hasten
forward, as he had contemplated.
For Constance was not alone.
The count was there, making him
self as agreeable as only a French
man knows how.
Merrick came to a full stop.
OF course, 1t could not be pleasant
to see an old-time. rival, who had
been the cause of his suffering and
their parting in the past, talking ap-
parently so confidentially to his
sweetheart; but Mark would have
shown his good sense by stepping for
ward and letting the count realize
his proprietorship in the precious lit
tie bundle of femininity by various
signs which he could not mistake.
Later on he was sorry he had not
done so. But he was only a man,
not demi-god, and had few little
weaknesses of his own.
He turned his attention upon the