Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-10-26
The Ace Of Hearts
IOrginal.l

tell this story by %concealing location
and names, for what / reveal is a gov-
eminent secret duplicating my sover-
eign.
I was born a noble in the princi-
pality Of Engendorf. l was in favor
at court, having been a page to the
hereditary prince from the time 1 was
ten years old. 1 grew up near q little
maid Of honor to the princess, the
Countess Heloise, and WI were lovers
from the moment we met. The crown
prince was about my age and an in
| veterate gambler. He would invite a
number of us to his apartments in his
fathers palace and keep us playing till
cock crow. In the group was the Duke
of Selzerin, a young man of far higher
rank than I, who had opened negotia.
lions for the hand of the Countess
Heloise. He was considered the best
catch in the principality, and the only
bar to his winning the countess was
her love for me. This he we'll knew,
and hated me accordingly.
One night after we had exhausted
the interest to be derived from Euro
from the crown prince to play the
American game of poker. l 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 tinan-
cial 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 p~ocket-the pocket
next to the prince. 1 did so, and took
out an ace Of hearts. The duke gave
me a glance as much as to say, 81 have
got you where I want you"
I was appalled,. 1 knew full well
that the prince had had more cards in
his possession than he vas entitled to
and had put one Of them in my pocket.
My enemy had seen him do it. I called
several of my best friends into another
room for consultation and told them
the facts. They We're unanimous in the
opinion that it would never do for 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 it, and the duke reluctantly prom
ised. How we'll he kept his promise is
evident from the fact that within a
week I was a cut man for cheating at
cards.
I summoned those of my friends who
had been present at the game and told
them that l had no u but to ac-
cuse the prince of having put the ace
Of hearts in my pocket. Every one Of
them demonstrated at such a course
and asked me how 1 would prove my
case. When l told them l would call
on them to do sc they reminded me
that all they could testify to was that
the care had been in my pocket.
l saw at once that l was in the dukes
power. Not only must 1 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. l retired to the small
estate had inherited from my father
and shut myself up.
I soon heard that my misfortune had
occasioned one Of the greatest scandals
that had eve occurred at the capital
That the prince should have been play.
ing with one who had cheated at cards
cially the religious element, and occa.
stoned the government a great deal OF
annoyance. But that which set PEG
pies tongues wagging with the greatest
earnestness was that lone of those
present except the duke, who was tC
marry the most popular woman in the
p%rincipality, would admit that I had
been guilty Of any misdemeanor.
One day while l was walking dis
consolately in my grounds l saw d
carriage stop in the road and some
one within reckoning to me. 1 went
to it and found Heloise. She asked MT
to get in with her. and when l had
done so she drew the curtains and the
coachman drove away. Then she con.
jured me by all that had passed be
tween us for so many years either tc
confess that the accusations against
me We're rue or explain them. l asked
her why she had not called for al ex
PLANTATION before, and she said that 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.
l gave her the story. except that | did
not accuse the prince. l had no reason
to do so. The facts were enough to
convince her that the nan she was
about to marry had ruined me to serve
his own purpose with&er. After | had
finished she sat for some time In 81
lence, then said:
81 I'M rs sure of the truth or yOul
statement as If L had seen all you say