Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-18
DAILY SHORT STORY
Her Highness..
IOriginall

Baden. Germany. Baden Baden at
that time was what Monte Carlo is
now, the gambling resort for all Eu-
rope The American, Benedict Wuf-
fes, was in fact a smart fellow. He
had unlimited means, with which he
set to work to break the bank al
Baden Baden, and it was not long be-
fore he found the secret of how TO do
so. His play soon attracted universal
attention, and his operations We're
watched intently by every one present
till he had accomplished his object.
Then Mr.. Wuffies suddenly sank into Il
condition Of ennui, awaiting some 9th
er point of attack for his tremendous
brain.
One morning he was sitting on a
bench in the grounds where the casino
stood, when u lady with her maid
came and sat on a neighbOring bench.
The women spoke in the French Ian
guage, and Mr.. Wutfies did not under
stand what they said, but there was
one word he had learned while gaping
at royalty in Paris. the prefix high
ness" or "altesse," in French. Wufties
noticed that the lady's maid constantly
addressed her as ''altesse." The first
time she did so Wuffies pricked up his
ears The second time he moved rest
lessly in his seat, and after that he got
up and walked before the lady in or
der to observe her face. He saw
very beautiful woman. Then he sat
down again. Presently her highness
arose and moved away, leaving her
handkerchief on the bench. Wuttles
seized it and followed her, appearing
suddenly at her side holding his hat
in one hand and in the other the hand
kerchief.
"Oh, monsieur" exclaimed the lady
and followed up the exclamation by
rafting off a lot of French.
Il don't understand, altesse. l don't
speak French. am an American"
"Oh, 1 see,' replied the lady in bro
ken English. II am much obliged for
my handkerchief, but L am troubled
that you should know my rank. l am
travelling incognito."
Well, to make a long story short, the
lady turned out to be the Princess Ma
RE Ernestina Amelia Wilhelmina of
Sake Weimar Holstein that is, she
was the princess to WuffieS and her
maid, though to all else at Baden she
was plain Fraulein Won Witzenburg.
She was stopping at a hotel, but soon
after Wuffies met her rented for
month small furnished villa. She had
heard of WufiIes' coup at the casino,
and, all Europeans being either gam
blers or interested in gamblers, she
Il tho
She invited WuffieS to her
villa, and Wuffles plumed himself in
the anticipation of a love affair, but
she soon showed him that, although
she permitted him to call on her, she
did not forget the difference in their
rank. An attendant of some sort was
always present at their meetings.
Her highness desired to know Wuf
feS' method of breaking the bank, and
he tried to explain 1T to her, but she
understand it, and, to tell the
truth, the success was largely due to
his unlimited means, which he knew
by instinct how to handle.
"YOu shall break the bank again"
said the princess. Il will be there to
see, and after it is all over you shall
come to sup with me, and We Will cele
brate the event"
WuttieS agreed, and the next evening |
he appeared at the gambling tables. |
while the princess sat behind watching |
him. He would bet on one card. losing, |
and continue to bet without change on
the same card, doubling the amount. |
till he won. This was all of his plan
that was apparent, the rest of it being |
based on certain mental calculations of |
Nevertheless he seemed |
confident that he would break the bank |
and did SO about . o'clock I'm the morn |
ing. He stuffed his winnings in his
pockets. The princess slipped her little
hand within his arm and led him to |
her carriage. In ten minutes they
were in her supper room before a table
loaded with delicacies. Two or three
acquaintances were also present for
sake.
Wuffles was in glory. Once he forgot
the difference in rank between himself
and his hostess and squeezed her hand,
but was sharply recalled to himself by
a hauteur that chilled him to the mar
row.
Pardon me, your highness," he said
Il forgot myself
The princess smiled kindly and in
token of her forgiveness offered him
her own unfinished glass of wine.
Wuffles drank it off in an ecstasy.
The next thing Wuffies knew it was
He was in bed, and a man
was standing over him with a paper in
his hand. 1t proved to be an unpaid
bill for rent for the villa, made out in
his name.
but where is He must not give
lp the princess and hesitated.
ooh, they've gone. The woman took
he house in your name. She said she
vas your wife, but 1 knew better than
hat. She's been here before"
Wuffies stared at the man a few mo-
nents. Then it rushed upon him that
le had been done" But he was good
,rit, and his pride kept him up.
'.All right" he said. "I'n pay"
He knew well enough that his win