The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-07-19
Tie Ace of Hearts


fell this story pS c9nSeAlinB loSaI4oH.
.Td names, for. what reveal Is gov
e+nment secret duplicating my soyer-
was born noble in the princi-
naIIty of Engendorf. was in favor
A. court. having been page to the
tsreditary prince from the time I was
ten Years old. / grew up near little
maid OF honor to the princess, the
Countess Heloise. and we were lovers
from the moment we met. The crown
nrince was about my age and an in
veterate gambler BE would invite a
number OF us 10 his apartments in his
fathers palace and keep us playing till
cock crow. In the group was the Duke
of selzerin, young manof far higher
rank than I, who had opened negotia-
lions for the hand OF the Countess
HeIoise. BE was considered the best
catch in the principality. and the only
har to his winning the countess was
her love for me. This he well knew,
and hated me accordingly.
One night after we had exhausted
the interest to be derived from Euro
mean games we received an invitatiJ IN
from the crown prince to play the
American game of poker. was seat
o,1 ON one side of the prince and the
Duke OF Selzerin on the other. The
prince had been losing heavily for some
weeks and was on the verge OF hnan-
ciaI difficulty. During the evening I
felt his hand against my outside peck
ct. Suddenly the duke threw down
his cards and said he would play no
longer with a cheat. To prove his
charge he called upon me to produce
what was In my pocket-the pocket
next to the prince. did 50, and took
out an ace OF hearts. The duke gave
me a glance as much as to say, Il have
got you where want you
was appalled,. I knew full well
that the prince had had more cards In
his possession than he was entitled to
and had put one of them in my pocket.
nv enemy had seen him do It called
several of my best friends into another
room for consultation and told them
the facts. They were unanimoussint the
opinion that It would never do Tor me
to accuse the prince and that the only
safety was to hush the matter mp. They
returned to the prince and the duke
ana earnestly recommended this course.
to "a. and the duke reluctantly prom
ised. How well he kept his promise IS
evident from the fact that within
week was a cut man for cheating at
cards.
summoned those of my friends who
had been present at the game and told
them that had no recourse but to nc
cuse the prince of having put the ace
of hearts in my pocket. Every one of
them demonstrated ut such course
and asked me how 1 would prove my
case. When 1 told them would call
on them to do so they reminded me
that all they could testify to was that
the card had been in my pocket
saw ut once that was In the dukes
power. Not only must live the life of
n disgraced man. but must lose my
love. Indeed. the engagement between
him and the countess was announced
that very day. 1 retired to the small
estate l had Inherited from my father
and shut myself up.
soon heard that my misfortune had
occasioned one OF the greatest Scandals
that had ever occurred at the enpitnl.
That the prince should have been play
ing with one who had cheated at cards
Mortified the more conservative, espe-
cia1Iy the religious element and occa-.
stoned the government great deal OF
annoyance. But that which set peo-
pies tongues wagginE with the greatest
earnestness was that none OF those
present except the duke, who was to
marry the most popular woman in the
principality, would admit that had
been guilty OF any misdemeanor.
one day while was walking dis
consolately In my grounds 1 saw
carriage stop in the road and some
one within Reckoning to me. Went
to It and found Heloise. She asked me
to get in with her, and when had
done SO she drew the curtains and the
coachman drove away. Then she con-
jured me by nll that had passed be
tween us for so many years either to
confess that the accusations against
me were true or explain them. asked
her wIIy she had not caIled for an ex- |
PLANTATION before, and she said TINT she |
had been watched by her father, who
had accepted the duke for her, to the |
end that she should not communicate
with me. Then she again begged me
to solve the mystery.
gave hc; the sto;y, except tA1t / did
not accuse the prince. had no reason
to do 80. Tie facts were enough to
convince her that the man she was
about to marry had ruined me to serve
his own purpose with her. After had
finished she sat for some time in ST.
Ience, then said:
~ nm as sure of the truth OF your
statement MS II had seen all you say