The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-05

IOoh ~ IL O11l AA11l1, ulOd1lcu t1lC
beautiful woman, burying her face be-
tween her hands.
''You took it from him % echoed in
puzzled way. Then, remem bering
myself quickly, I added: Don't tell
me unless you choose"
II will tell you, Noel,'' she said. II
won't spare myself. You shall know
stolen from you, there is nothing for
me but death. that at least I may es-
cape seeing the reproach in his eyes.
Did Lord Reckworth tell you that I
am engaged to be married.
eyes, I replied. "He told me that,
but nothing else.'
''You hav heard Of the de Ribau-
fort family?"
eyes. I once met a young Comte de
Ribaumont. He was a splendidly
handsome fellow. I think his name
was Maxine.
1T is Maxine de Ribaumont whom I
am-whom I was to marry. He is an
under-secretary in the French foreign
office. Now, do you begin to under
stand 2"
II hope my face did not betray the
loathsome thought which suddenly
sprang into my mind.
'I-I-no, I'm sure I do not begin
to understand I stammered.
"You do. see that you do. Oh,
don't spare me. Nothing can be too
bad for me now that I have failed.
He trusted me-poor Maxine! He
would have trusted me with his soul.
1t is his special duty to look after i'm
portant state documents which are
kept in safes in his office. know
of a certain one which was there. Not
that he told me. Butt knew
Great heavens!" I broke out in
spite of myself, you don't mean me
to believe that you betrayed a man
= ,e,+c 1~ye <fA 1i-,cr
from him what he would give his life
to defend?"
Juliette de Nevers flinched as if I
had struck her. Don't speak of it
| like that; it was not that" she pro-
tested. Il love him. I would die
for him. Noel, will tell you all the
truth. Then you will work for me
you will save me. l know you we'll
enough to be sure of that. You shall
understand all that I have done-au
| that is at stake.
'wen?'' I said, trying not to let my
lvoice be cold.
! ITO make you see how it was, I
must go back a long way. For years
I have helped the English governm emf
against France and Russia. In my
position as an actress, young woman
leading a public life, with no one to
question her actions, her comings and
goings, her eccentricities, it has been
easier for me than it would for most
women to Keep the secret. And be-
lieve me, Noel, it was not all for money
lat least, not money for myself. I
could earn all needed by my acting
for Ire been successful, you know
we'll. But I have helped my own
|poor country-Poland. Every penny
I could spare until-very lately-has
gone to her-the land Of my heart
the land where I was born, and my
father and his father before him.. !
owed a debt of hatred to Russia,
which I promised my father as he lay
dying that I would pay. And France
is the friend Of Russia. My mother
was English; and such loyalty as ]
could spare from Poland I had a right
to give to England. You see, it was
natural that should serve her. My
father did in his day what T have done
since-the same kind of work, which
was handed on to me when I was but
sixteen. That is ten years. ago now
for am twenty-six; and on more thar
one occasion England has had cause
to thank me for putting secrets of the
most vital Importance into her hands
You are shocked that can tell you
this with so little compunction?'
IF I were I suppose the feeling
!, would be more than half conven
tional," I said.
: "Once gloried in it," Juliette wen
O1llll--l h1l0W WHAT love was
and for a Erenchman. I played {
little at love more than once. Yo1
and I, for instance, had pleasan
enough Irritation, had we not? But
, never loved a man until I met Max
ime de Ribaumont. From the momen
he told me that. he loved me also,
made up my mind that I would n,
, longer be the tool Of diplomatists.
: would be only what Maxine be
Il f,,,rA c,S, 10 ar
.. woman, just a woman and nothin,
, else. It was hateful to think tina
: there was something which I mus
always conceal from him, when
longed SO to feel that the soul h
! loved was clear, white page for hin
to write his name upon. I vowed t
myself that would break with tn
, past, and even wrote to Lord Reck
! worth in answer to a letter he sen
, suggesting new work, saying that
was engaged to be married, and h
must expect no further assistanc
) from me. Heavens! to think that wa
only a week ago-and how happy
t was then!"
"A week ago. You have only bee,
[ engaged to the Compile de Raibau
!. mont a week." I broke into he
Y pause.
) mot many days more, tho I'v
i known for some time that Maxim
cared for me. He would not hav
. spoken then if he had not lost hi
: head a little, for his circumstance
y are not what he meant them to b
i before asking me to marry him. Blu
Ell what Is a man worth who doesn'
i. lose his head with the woman h
n loves? I adored him for it. W
e planned not to make the engagemen
r public until short time before "
r could marry, but did not min
i letting Lord Rockworth know. Onl
one person In Paris suspected
|, Count Ipanoff of the Russian EN-
t bassy, has guessed that Maxine wa
r more to me than friend. He Gale
I on the day when Maxine lost hi
: head, and was let in by mistake, en-
Y tering. at an inopportune momen
it Something he saw or overheard.
y was certain by the look on his face
: and even then present1ment
Y trouble to come fell upon me, for
a have been prosecuted by Cour
0 1panoff's attentions.
II would rather have had any on
n else in the world suspect somethin
IS OF our secret; still, tried TO reassur
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