The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-08-26
The Ace 81 Heard
foriRinaiI

tell this story by eoncealing location
and names. for what reveal is gov
eminent secret duplicating my soveF'
eIgn.
naIity of Engendorf I was in favor
at court, having been a page to the
hereditary prince from the time was
ten years old. grew up near littl"
maid Of honor to the princess, the
Countess Heloise, and we were lovers
from the moment we met. The crowd
prince was about my age and an In
veterate gambler He would invite ?
number OF MS to his apartments In his
fathers paIace and keep us playing TIL
cock crow. In the group was the Duke
Of Selzerin, a young man of far higher
rank than L, Tho had opened negoin-
lions for the hand OF the Countess
HeIoise. He was considered the best
catch In the principnlity, and the only
bar 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
pean games we received an invitation
from the crown prince to play the
American gume of poker. 1 was seat
ed 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 fnan
ciaI difHculty. During the evening
felt his hand against my outside peck
ct Suddenly the duke threw dowh
his cards and said he would play nc
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 so, and took
out an ace of hearts The duke gave
me a glance as much as to say, Il have
got you where 1 want you"
was appalled,. l knew full well
that the prince had had more cards III
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 ol-Tny best friends into another
room for consultation and told them
the facts. They were unanimous In the
opinion that It would never do Tor me
to accuse the prince and that the only
safety was to hush the matter up. They
returned to the prince and the duke
and earnestly recommended this course
The prince was glad enough to accede
TO 1t, and the duke reluctantly prom
l9e0. HOW well ne kept us PAOAAAtSC -
evident from the fact that within
week WAS a cut man for cheating al
cards.
summoned those OF my friends who
had been present at the game and told
them that 1 had no recourse but to ac
cuse the prince OF having put the ace
of hearts in my pocket. Every one OF
them demonstrated Mt such a course
and asked me how 1 would prove ms
case. When 1 told them l would cal
on them to do so they reminded me
that all they could testify to was thai
the card had been In my pocket.
saw at once that was in the dukes
power Not only must live the life Of
a 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 1 had inherited from my father
and shut myself up.
soon heard that my misfortune ha0
occasfoned one of the greatest scandals
that had ever occurred Mt the capital
That the prince should have been play.
ing with one who had cheated at cards
horrtfied the more conservative. espe
cIally the religious element, and occa
stoned the government great deal OF
annoyance But that which set PEG
pies tongues wagging with the Creates
earnestness was that none of those
present except the duke. who was I"
marry the most popular woman in the
principally, would admit that hao
been guilty of any misdemeanor.
One day while 1 was walking dis
consolately in my grounds I saw
carriage stop in the road and some
one within beckoning to me. went
to it and found HeIoIse. She asked me
to get in with her, and when I had
done so she drew the curtains and the
coacbLhan drove away. Then she con
tured me by all that had passed be
2 tween us for so many years either to
confess that the accusations against
me were true or explain them. 1 asked
her why she had not called for an ex-
PLANTATION before. and she said that shc
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 her the story, except that dis
not accuse the prince. l had no reason
to do so. The facts were enough t.,
convince her that the man she VIZ
about to marry had ruined me to serve
his own purpose with her. After had
finished she sat for some time in 81
lence, then saId:
"I am rs sure Of the truth of you.
statement as II l had seen NIL you say
transpire, But YOU must live the rest