Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-26

12EsS and spent quiet fortnight, mostly on my back, for a severe chill developed itself, and I was also the victim of a nervous reaction, which made me weak as a baby. As soon as I had reached my quarters I sent an apparently careless postcard to my brother, announcing my good health and prospective return. That would serve to satisfy the inquiries as to my whereabouts, which were probably still vexing the prefect of the police of Strelsau.
 let my mustache and imperial grow again, and, as hair comes quickly on my face, they were respectable, though not luxuriant, by the time that land ed myself in Paris and called on my friend George Featherly. My inter- view with him was chiefly remarkable for the number of unwilling but nec- essary falsehoods that told, and ral- lied him unmercifully when he told me that he had made up his mind that l had gone in the track of Mime. de Mauban to Strelsau. The lady, it ap- peared, was back in Paris, but was living in great seclusion-a fact for which gossip found no difficulty in ac- counting. Did not all the world know of the treachery and death of Duke Michael? Nevertheless George bade Bertram Bertrand be of good cheer, ''for," said he fippantly, "a live poet Is better than a dead duke" Then he turned on me and asked:
 What have you been doing to your mustache?'
 ITO tell the truth" answered, as- Buming sly air, "a man now and then has reasons for wishing to alter his appearance. But it's coming on very well again"
 What? Then I wasn't SO far out? If not the fair Antoinette, there was charmer.'
 "There is always charmer," said l sententiously.
 But George would not be satisfied till he had wormed out of me (he took much pride in his ingenuity an abso- lutely imaginary love affair, attended with the proper soupcon of scandal. which had kept me all this time in the peaceful regions of the Tyrol. In return for this narrative George re- galed me with great deal of what he called inside information" (known only to diplomatists) as to the true course of events in Ruritania, the plots and counterplots. In his opinion, he told me, with a significant nod, there was more to be said for Black Michael than the public supposed, and he hint ed at we'll founded suspicion that the mysterious prisoner of Zenda. concern ing whom good many paragraphs had appeared was not a man at all, but (here had some ado not to smile) woman disguised as man, and that strife between the king and his broth CT for this imaginary lady's favor was at the bottom of their quarrel.
 Perhaps it was Mime. de Mauban herself" I suggested.
 "Now said George decisively. An toinette de Mauban was jealous of her and betrayed the duke to the king for that reason. And, to confirm what I say, it's we'll known that the Prin- ress Flavia is now extremely cold to the king after having been most af- fectionate."
 At this point I changed the subject and escaped from Georges inspired" nelusions. But if diplomatists never know anything more than they had succeeded in finding out in this in stance they appear to me to be some what expensive luxuries.
 While in Paris I wrote to Antoinette. though I did not venture to call upon her. I received in return a very af- fecting letter, in which she assured me that the kings generosity and kind ness, no less than her regard for me, bound her conscience to absolute se- crecy. She expressed the intention of settling in the country and withdraw ing herself entirely from society. Whether she carried out her designs have never heard. but as I have not met her or heard news of her np to this time it is probable that she did. There is no doubt that she was deeply attached to the Duke of Strelsau. and her conduct at the time of his death proved that no knowledge of the mans real character was enough 10 root her regard for him out of her heart.
 I had one more battle left to fight battle that would. I knew. be severe and was bound to end in my complete defeat. Was I not back from the Ty- rol without having made any study of lis inhabitants. institutions. scenery. fauna. fora or other features; Had I not wasted my time in my usual friv- olous. good for nothing way? That was the aspect of the matter which. was obliged to admit. would present it. self to my sister-in- law. and against a verdict based on such evidence I had really no defense to offer II may be supposed. then. that I presented my self in Park lane in . shamefaced. kheepish fashion. On the whole. my reception was not so alarming as I had feared. Ii turned out that I had done not what Rose wished. but-the next best thing-what she had prophe- sled. She had declared that I should make no notes. record no observations. gather no materials My brother. on the other hand. had been weak enough tO maintain that q really serious re- solve had at length animated me
 When I returned empty haDde,I- Rose weS 90 osrcurliei Tn IrIumphinz over