Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-07
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DAILY SHORT STORY
THE ACE OF HEARTS.
TOriginaE1

tell this story by concealing location
and names, for what l reveal is a gov
eminent secret duplicating my sover-
eign.
was born noble In the princi-
pality OF Engendorf. l WAS in favor
at court, having been a page to the
hereditary prince from the time l 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
prince was about my age and an in
yeterate gambler. He would invite
number of US to his apartments in his
fathers palace and keep US playing till
cock crow. In the group WIS the Duke
of Selzerin, u young man of far higher
rank than /, who had opened negOtia-
lions for the hand OF the Countess
Heloise. He was considered the best
ratch IN the principally. 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 game 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 tinan-
EnN a nj hn aiUnCr 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. l did so, and took
out an ace of hearts. The duke gave
me glance as much as TO say, Il have
got you where | want you
l was appalled,. I knew full we'll
that the prince had had more cards i'll
his possession than he was entitled to
and had put one of them in my pocket.
Ny enemy had seen him do it, / called
several Of my best friends into another
room for consultation and told them
the facts They were 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 II, and the duke reluctantly prom
lsed. How well he kept his promise is
evident from the fact that within
week I was q cut man for cheating at
cards
i summoned those OF my friends who
had been present at the game and told
them that had no recourse but to ac-
cuse the prince of having put the ace
Of hearts In my pocket. Every one of
them demonstrated at such Il course
and asked me how 1 would prove my
case. When l told them l would call
on them TO do 50 they reminded me
that all they could testify to was that
the card had been in my pocket.
saw at once that l was in the dukes
power. Not only must l live the life of
diSRraced man, but must lose my
love. Indeed the engagement between
him and the countess was announced
that very day. / retired to the small
estate | 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 capital.
That the prince should have been play
ing with one who had cheated at cards
borrif1ed the more conservative, espe-
cially the religious element, and occa-
stoned the government q great deal of
annoyance. But that which set PEG
pies tongues wagging with the greatest
was that none of those
present except the duke, who was to
marry the most popular woman in the
would admit that l had
been guilty of any misdemeanor
One day while l was walking dis
in my grounds / saw
carriage stop I'm the road and some
one within beckoning TO me went
to IT and found Heloise. She asked me
10 get in with her, and when | 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 to |
confess that the accusations against !
me were true or explain them. / asked !
her why she had not called for an ex-
PLANTATION before, and she said that she |
had been watched by her father. who |
had accepted the duke for her. 10 the |
end that she should not communicate |
with me. Then she again begged me |
TO solve the mystery.
gave her the story, except that did |
not accuse the prince. had no reason |
A h.. Fa.
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 81 /
ieDcc, then said:
Il am as sure of the truth Of your l
statement as II had seen all you say /
transpire. But you must live the rest /
Of your life I'm disgrace. The prince I