The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-05-31
CHAPTER VII.
Prince Ferdinand and His Ambition,

.
/ ] returned to my hotel soberly
enough. | had told my little allegory
lightly. Now | asked myself il /
should not apply It seriously TO
myself Only this morning had
mapped out for myself a clear path
to be followed. And already was a
siren beckoning9 Already was | en-
chanted5
was intensely irritated that I
should have allowed myself to be in
terested by this Sophie de WARMER.
For the past hour I had been PLAYING
dangerously near the fire 1t had not
yet burned me; but could | honestly
say that it 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
And now another woman had come
radiant glittering. a subtle perfume
lulling the senses. Her wild beauty.
her charm, had been frankly displayed
10 enthrall me. She had promised a
definite adventure As to the reward
ii seemed to me too brazenly obvious.
flicked the ash angrily from my
cigarette. And 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
looked up, startled. A well-groomed
man in the early thirties lowered over
me, an American | saw at once. The
round. jocund face was vaguely ia
miliar.
Yes" exclaimed burly voice. 1T
is really old Haddon."
I grasped the hand he held toward |
me with emotion. Here was friend. |
an American. and / needed a friend |
badly just now
az college together. We had never
been intimate. but the big-hearted
Robinson Locke had been a character
among his classmates.
At first | hesitated 10 HIS cordial
greetings; ! was afraid he had not
heard my story. But presently he
plunged into the episode that had
made me n. 'orious 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 it
we're true He clapped my shoul.
Ter.
1T is true-at least In a measure"
Rot" he exclaimed with cheerful
lowering his person into
he yielding eXpanse of an armchair
~ my side TEL me about it,
Unless you insist. prefer not TO-"
said quietly reckoning a waiter 1T
vas just horrible accident. Frankly.
o have saved his life was impossible.
But might have died with him. /
Iidnt. There you have my disgrace
n a nutshell"
He looked somewhat glum at this
,old-blooded explanation and stirred
lneasily in his chair | watched him,
lot without gran amusement. He
,ulled at his cigar, searching my face
,eenly.
ROT" he cried again, and this time
With conviction. III you feel any dis
race, il is your own faul. Haddon
( YOU were the coward they say you
re. you wouldn't sit there smiling at
ne. You would rave and swear by all
he gods that you were innocent.
ont want to hear your story. But
rant you TO know that you have one
riend from home to stick up for you,
nd 20 believe in you"
was too moved TO speak. !
That's all right, then" he said with
run gentleness. 1T must be hell &c
G over here alone and everybody
licking YOU )
-Oh, that was TO be expected. OF
curse, But last night | had an ex. ,
erience that | wouldn't go through /,
gain IL could help Il !,
co BE coNTIS5 EDl