The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-09

shness OF former days. lie seemed filled
with a sense OF responsibility and duty.
He felt that he had in his keeping the
safety and well being OF several people,
al or exalted station and al perhaps or
noble nature. lie alone, with the eNcep-
uon OF the conspirators. knew that an at
tempt was 10 be made TO destroy a iam-
The interest he felt. the impulse that
was so strong upon him TO save TINS
princely family from the assassins, drove
from his mind all bitterness concerning
his own affairs. IL was BucktOrds $ ma
ture 10 throw his whole being into an IN
teresting project. Therefore he had no
affairs now save the protection OF the
three persona whose photogrnp phs he had
seen I'm the conspirator's valise.
His poverty was forgotten. His many
disappointments and failures faded INTO
nothing He was alert, strong and ready
for the fray lie felt capable OF grasp
ing the weapons Of craft and graphing
the mystery before him.
Curious eyes followed him from the care,
but he did not see them. He would not
have cared IL he had seen them. lie
walked with a light tread. He felt him-
After this little exhilaration had passed
tho stern realities and necessities OF the
case forced themselves upon him
lie did not know the nam name 'ot ha one ,ol on
come lie had heard IN. name Maria
Alexia. IL was true. He had also heard
the name Princess Margaret But ne
mis- little word brought disquieting
thoughts II proved two things. one
was that the persons involved were or
higher degree than he had supposed Tor
only princes OF royal or ruling houses
travelled incognito. surely inns prince
was OF a powerful house or was a man
OF exalted position and great wealth ana
sought freedom from annoyance ana at
tacks by the use OF an adopted name
The other thing proved waS wornipg hng' his his
prince was going TO be no hght or easy
matter.
inson and say: Beware! An enemy IS. on
your track" But when one approaches
the person OF n prince he is as likely 10
be arrested as TO have an opportunity 70
is incognito the difficulty OF finding him
is added
as he walked along.
"Wen. IL | expect to accomplish any
thing must make a beginning" he said
TO himself "The way 20 begin Is to be-
gin. Now. what shall I do first?''
He had pondered this question but
moment when another idea struck him.
ut Is a good scheme to know your re-
sources" he said Il will count my
money"
lie withdrew into secluded place and
counted the money in the purse the con-
spirator had given him.
Good" he said. Money must come
easy to those fellows. There is enough
here TO keep me n week. Now let's see.
II these people are already In Paris,
their names must be on the hotel regis
ter at police headquarters. II they are
incognito, ] could never find them. 4
must go to the police"
This seemed not 10 please him, for n
rueful look came on his handsome face
II don't like that. either he said
"I'll never see that lovely princess"
Then again:
But what the mischief has a lovely
princess to do with you, Buckford Wal
let them take measures 10 protect the
prince and his family. and then you go
about your business of finding n way
TO earn your living"
''It would be folly for him to study the
registers or the hotels. Even IL the prince
had come in his own name Buckford did
not know what that name was. and there
were a good many princes of one stripe
or another in Paris.
The more he studied the more II seemed
certain that his only course was to go
10 the police.
And so he went there. He called a cab.
and ordered the driver TO take him 10
the prefecture dc police.
He was ushered with considerabl cere-
mony into the presence OF the prefect
The prefect OF the department Of the
Seine sees n good many people I'm the
course Of a dady and hears good many
strange stories few OF them being true
He cultivates a brusquc demeanor which
has the effect OF cutting off bores and
bringing out the salient points Of story
quickly.
(ro be continued Tomorrow