Courier Democrat., 1903-08-13

1
gentlcmanlike appearance"
"What do YOU wish me to do today:'
asked Wallace.
"Kcep your promise and return to
this place by . o'clock tonight"
! II Will"
You need breakfast. Come with
F.! me-"
They descended into the not overin-
viting dining room of the inn OF Nj.
| jacques. and breakfast was ordered.
| "By the way" said Wallace careless
ly, '.f return and do not And you. for
whom shall ask::'
A quick, startled look came into the
eyes of the conspirator.
"Now, now." he said. you must not
be too inquisitive. One would think
YOU were of the bureau Of safety.
When YOU return, if am not in sight,
go simply to NJ. Jacques and ask for
! the person in whose room you slept
last night"
Every well.' said Wallace. He re-
grctted that he had said anything to
arouse suspicion.
While they were eating. another
sauntered in and whispered to Wal
| lace's companion. Buckford could hear
now and then portion of whispered
sentence.
"Arrived-this hotel-and the prin-
cess-ncognito"-
Excuse me. will see you again to-
night" said the man, rising abruptly
from his unfinished breakfast.
81 will be here" said Buck{ord.
The American took his time and
made a good meal. He then called for
u cigar, lighted it and sauntered care
lessly from the place.
AS the gaze of Buckford roved up
and down the somewhat squalid quar-
ter he seemed to feel new emotions.
new sensations Of life. that were vast
iy different from the careless and even
reckless boyishness of former days.
He seemed filled with sense of re.
sponsibility and duty. He felt that he
had in his keeping the safety and we'll
being of several people, all Of exalted
station and all perhaps of noble ma
ture He alone. with the exception Of
the conspirators. knew that an attempt
was to be made to destroy family.
The interest he felt, the impulse that
was so strong upon him to save this
princely family from the assassins,
drove from his mind all bitterness con-
cerning his own affairs. 1t was Buck
ford's nature to throw his whole being
| ;,,tn
he had no affairs now save the protec-
ton of the three persons whose photo
graphs he had seen in the c0nspira-
tors valiSc.
His poverty was forgotten. His many
disappointments and failures faded
into nothing. He was alert. strong
and ready for the fray. lie felt capa-
BILE of srasping the weapons Of craft
and graphing the mystery before him.
Curious eyes followed him from the
cafe. but he did not see them. He
would not have cared if he had seen
them. He walked With a light tread.
He felt himself a conqueror.
After this little eXhilaration had
passed the stern realities and necessi-
ties of the case forced themselves
upon him.
He did not know the name of one
of the persons whose champion he had
become. He had heard the name
Marie Alexia. it was true. He had also
heard the name Princess Margaret.
But he had also heard tie whispered
word ''incognito."
This little word brought disquieting
thoughts. 1t proved two things. One
was that the persons involved were Of
higher degree than he had supposed.
for only princes Of royal or ruling
| houses travelled incognito. Surely this
prince was of a powerful house or was
man Of exalted position and great
wealth and sought freedom from an
noyance and attacks by the use Of an
adopted name. The other thing proved
was that the matter Of protecting or
warning this prince was going to be no
light or easy matter.
One can 60 to Brown. Jones or Rob
inson and say: Beware. An enemy
is on your track" But when one
approaches the person Of a prince he is
as likely to be arrested as to have an
opportunity to give his warning. And
when the prince is incognito the diff
Guilty Of finding him is added
Buckford thought all these things
out as he walked along.
well. If expect to accomplish any
thing l must make beginning" he
said to himself. "The way to begin is
to begin. Now, what shall do first?''
He had pondered this question but
moment when another idea struck him.
ut is good scheme to know your
resources" he said. '1 will count my
money"
He withdrew into a secluded place
and counted the money in the purse
the conspirator had given him.
"Good!'' he said. "Money must come
easy to those fellows. There is enough
here to keep me a week. Now let's see.
1t these people are already in Paris,
their names must be on the hotel reg
lister at police headquarters. II they
are incognito, could never find them.
must go to the police"
This seemed not to please him, for a
rueful look came on his handsome face.
II don't like that oifhor no soid