Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-10-17
CHAPTER VII.
Prince Ferdinand and His Ambition.

VftnSS FcTuifIdHu anu TITS tn1pltlOVb.
I returned to my hotel soberly
enough. / had told my little allegory
lightly. Now | asked myself II |
should not apply It seriously to
myself. Only this morning I had
mapped out for myself a clear path
to be followed. And already was a
siren reckoning? Already was I en-
chanted?
I was intensely irritated that
should have allowed myself to be In.
terested by this Sophie de WARMER.
For the past hour | had been playing
dangerously nea the fire. 1t had not
yet burned me; but could I honestly
say that 1t had not warmed, intoxi.
Gated, allured? Very well, | must be
careful not to compromise myself in
the future.
Two women had met me at the part.
ing OF the ways.
One OF them had set me a task,
holding herself proudly aloof, promis.
ing nothing. II this task we're actu.
ally accomplished, the reward was to
be the deed itself.
hho nv" oAAoNhti "oAlhh "a jill
radiant, glittering, a subtle perfume
mlling the senses. Her wild beauty,
her charm. had been frankly displayed
to enthrall me. She had promised a
definite adventure. As to the reward
II seemed TO me TOO brazenly obvious.
! fficked the ash angrily from my
cigarette. Aad was | really tempted?
Hardly, ! resolved savagely. And yet
! was not fool enough to be blind TO
the fact that the situation was not
without its danger.
My shoulder was tapped. I was
seated in the vestibule of my hotel.
l looked up, startled. A well.groomed
man in the early thirties lowered over
me, ar American | saw at once. The
round, jocund face was vaguely ia
miliar.
Yes" exclaimed a burly voice, ~
is really old Haddon,"
] grasped the hand he held toward
me with emotion. Here was a friend,
an American. and | needed a friend
badly just now.
had not e e Locke since we were
at college together. We had never
been intimate, but the ~big.hearted
Robinson Locke had been q character
among his classmates.
At first I hesltated to his cordial
greetings; ! was afraid he had not
heard my story. But presently he
plunged int the episode that had
made me notorious for a day. Then
/ knew he had come to stand by me.
1T is a brutal lie, of course" he
stormed Indignantly, but even II 1t
were true" He clapped my shout.
der.
1T is true-at least in a measure"
Rot" he exclaimed with cheerful
skepticism, lowering his Lerson into
the yielding expanse OF an armchair
by my side. Tell me about It."
Unless you insist, I prefer not to-"
I said quietly. reckoning a waiter. 1T
was Just a horrible accident. Frankly,
to have saved his life was impossible.
But | might have died with him. I
didn't. There you have my disgrace
In a nutshell"
He looked somewhat glum at this
cold. blooded explanation and stirred
~uneasily in his chair. | watched him,
not without grim anus sment. He
pulled at his cigar, searching my face
keenly.
Rot" he cried again, and this time
with conviction. III you feel any dis.
grace, 1t Is your W fault, Haddon.
If you were the coward they say you
are, you wouldn't sit there smiling at
me. You would rave and swear by all
the gods that you were innocent. I
don't want to hear your story. But l
want you to know that you have one
friend from home to stick up for you
and to believe In you"
] was too moved to speak.
That's all right, then" he said with
gruff ~gentleness. 1T must be hell to
be owe here alone and everybody
kicking you"
"Oh, that was to be expected, o
course! But last night | had an en-
perience that ! wouldn't go through
again II | could help It,"
CTO BE CONTINUED1