The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-20


that the American be found before he had
time to warn the Prince OF Deneslla OF
the plot against him.
At the house they found telegram
from Nine. du Barry at Strassburg. IL
was addressed TO Vandal:
II am In Strassburg without money.
Have been the victim OF police agent"
what mystery IL this" demanded
Casparin. Have the police regainod
possession OF the American? lie may
be dead after all. Come. things may not
be so bad. VIC must go TO Strassburg."
"To Strassburg? Why not send money
to madame 10 return?"
Such would be the thing " we were
certain the man was dead. But We are
i'm doubt. II he Is alive as indeed seems
probable. he is either In the hands OF the
police or I'm Strassburg with madame. In
the first instance. we must take our
selves out OF Paris a. once. and. In the
second, we must get 10 Strassburg as
soon as possible. You see we kill two
birds with one stone. We must go TO
StIassburg.
The four were soon I'm n train bound
for Strassburg. Vandal had the telegram
from madame IL bore the name OF no
hotel II had been sent from the railway
station.
Having reached Strassburg they went
no farther than the station TO begin their
search.
They found madame asleep on ono OF
the benches with two infuriated en-
ployes angriy ordering her to sit up or
they would call the police.
She opened her eyes, saw Vandal and
leaped TO her feet with a cry like that OF
a tgress.
"ohl Ahl You have come. thenl" she
said. Have you brought knives and pis-
tolls TO kill beast? Well that Is what
you must do. I have sat here since last
evening / am nearly dead with loss OF
sleep and my awful hunger. For the love
or good God, get me something 10 eat.
Nandal obcdiently took her TO the cafe,
and she attacked her meal with the ca
gerness of the famishing.
And now" said Casparin, while you
are eating. madame. please tell us what
happened to you, and why am agent Of
police brought you here
"Bahl Those police! l was asleep in
my room. woke 10 find a young man
there. lie ordered me TO be quiet. lie
said he was an agent of police I'm search
OF prisoner. He declared he had
searched my house and was assured the
prisoner was gone. j knew he had not
found that little room up stairs where the
the prisoner was. Well, he then had
other fish TO fry. He was after some
spies against the government. You were
one. Nandal; you. your highness, were
another. He commanded me TO obey and
threatened 10 take me to the Palais de
Justice. You all know whether that
would be agreeable. l obeyed. He made
me dress him as "A woman. Oh, laughed
when | disguised him j gave him that
fine silk gown you gave me, Vandal-that
one with the flowers on IT. Well you will
know that madame when you meet her.
She has on that gown. Then he went to
the bank. drew a thousand francs, and
he took IL all. We came TO Strassburg,
and here / am. Where the agent OF po-
lice is l do not know. When we arrived
here he told me TO remain here while he
went TO engage a carriage That was
the last / saw OF him or my Thousand
francs"
Reber and Robello gazed wonderingly.
Vandal looked at Casparin for the solu-
tion of this great mystery.
My friend. you have been badly sold"
said the prince. THE supposed agent OF
police was no other than our prisoner. He
climbed from his room TO yours. He as
sumed the role OF police 10 frighten you
into obedience. lie had no money, of
course, just coming from the Palais de
Justice. You kindly accommodated him
with a thousand francs.
HE brought you here and left you
without money in order to prevent your
telling us until he had had time TO es-
cape"
This matter is more serious than II
seems. IL proves that this American. in
stead of being, as we supposed. youth
who was easy 10 dupe, is shrewd and far
seeing. He will be an enemy worthy OF
our steel"
but undoubtedly he is now on the way
to America" said Reber.
Nonsense. One scarcely goes from
Paris to America by way OF Strassburg.
He had but thousand francs. 1t would
not carry him there after his expense OF
bringing himself and madame here. lie
has gone TO DeLeslia. That. my friends,
is where we must find him soon or our
game will be knocked into rubbish.
But what then of me?" asked Nine.
du Barry. Am TO starve or be dragged
to Deneslia with you?"
''I think you had better so home. 1
will furnish you the money" said Cas-
parin.
Pleased at this, Nine. du Barry took
the money and the next train 10 Paris
Now. my friends. we must hurry" said
Casparin. THAT dog has a good start,
and will reach Deneslia before we do.
But perhaps he will not be able TO warn
my brother. Now I will tell you my
plan. You all know the way to Trolle.
I must leave you here. / shall go at once
TO Dcneslia, putting n bold face on the
matter, as IL / had been merely Ia Ber-
lin on a pleasure trip. i shall be sur
prised 10 see the prince at home so soon.
You on the other hand. array yourselves
In good clothing and go at once to my
castle on the edge OF the Green forest
and announce yourselves as my guests,
invited from Paris. / am well known in all
parts OF Dehesla and cannot be seen
plotting with Interiors. AS my guests
you can go and come at will and In dis-
guise carry our plans to execution"
Good" said Vandal Your castle on
the Green forest, you told me. lies due
north from Ontro. the border town"
Eyes. Any one can tell you"
SO Casparn left his hired assasslns
and went on TO Deneslia. They, in obeoi-
ence 10 his commands. followed him
there, but little less rapidly.
They were we'll supplied with clothing
purchased at the large cities on the way.
There was as yet no completed rail-
road within the limits OF Deneslla. Under
the rule OF the prince such improvements
were rapidly being added 10 the pubic
wealth.
At that time Ontro, situated just WITHIN
tho border. was the terminus OF new
lire from German centers.
Ontro, like small border towns I'm al
most any country. was more or less law
less Travellers rarely visited It. There
were other gateways TO Deneslla- Those