Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-15
bellion

"Of course" said the German. "If
be were not the death OF the old en-
peror would have brought him to life
again.
"The same applies to the boy he
carried away with Internationally
dead. OF we should hear Of him. Karl
disappeared soon after his son Francis
was born. IL was said
~ pretty tale It is" commented the
German. that the child wasn't ex-
actly Karl's own. He took 1t quite
hard-went away 70 hide his shame In
exile. taking his son. Frederick Au
gustus. with him"
"He was surely mad remarked
Cbouvenet slipping a cordial He Is
much better dead and out OF the way
for the good Of Austria. Francis. as I
say. Is a good fellow. We have hunted
together. and know him we'll"
They fell 20 talking about the lost
sons OF royal houses-and goodly nun
Der there have been. even In these
later ccnturies--and then OF the latest
marriages between American women
and titled foreigners. Chauvenet was
now leading the conversation. 1t might
even have seemed TO a critical listener
that he was guiding it with a certain
intention.
He laughed as though at the remem-
brance OF something amusing and held
the little company while he bent over
a candle 10 light n cigar.
with all due respect 20 our Ameri-
can host. | must say that a title In
America goes further than anywhere
else I'm the whole. / was at Bar Har-
Dor three years ago when the Baron
Won Kissel devastated that region. He
made sad havoc among the ladies that
summer The rest Of Us simply had no
place 10 stand. You remember. gentle
men"-and Chauvenet looked slowly
around the listening circie-'that the
unexpected arrival OF the excellent
ambassador OF Austria Hungary caus-
Ell the baron TO leave Bar Harbor be-
tween dark and daylight The story
was that be got or I'm a sailboat, and
the next we heard OF him he was mas
querading under some title In San
Francisco. where be proved 20 be a
dangerous forger. You all remember
that the papers were full Of his per
formances for awhile. but he was a
lucky rascal and always disappeared at
the proper psychological moment. He
had. as you may say. the cosmopolitan
accent and was the most plausible fell
tow alive.
IFS my experience that we never
meet a person once only-there's al
ways a second meeting somewhere
and ] was not at all surprised when
ran upon my old friend the baron In
Germany last fall"
AT his old tricks. suppose" OBJ
served some one.
''No. That was the strangest part OF
t. He's struck a deeper game. though
I'm blessed II can make il out He's
dropped the title altogether and now
calls himself Mister-Fve forgotten for
the moment the rest OF II. but II is an
English name. He's made a stake
somehow and travels about in decent
comfort He passes now as an Ameri-
can-his English is excellent-and be
hints at large American interests"
'He probably has forged securities
90 SELL" commented the German. II
know those fellows. The business is
best done quietly"
II dare say" returned Chauvenet
'Of course you greeted him as q long
lost friend" remarked Claiborne lead
ingly.
mo: | wanted 20 make sure OF him.
and, strangely enough, he assisted me
In a very curious way"
All felt that they were now 10 hear
the denOuement OF the story. and sew
eral men bent forward In their ABSORB
ton. with their elbows on the table.
Chauvenet smiled and resumed, with u
little shrug OF his shoulders.
We'll, ! must go back moment TO
say that the man knew at Bar Har-
Dor had real crest The ladies' TO
whom he wrote notes treasured them.
dare say, because OF the pretty In
signium. He had it engraved on his
cigarette case. bird OF some kind tip
toeing on a helmet. and beneath there
was a motto. Eide Non Armis.'"
THE devil" exclaimed the young
German. why, that's very like
Very like the device OF the Austrian
Schomburgs. Well, l remembered the
cigarette case, and one night at a con-
cert-in Berlin, you KNOW CHANGED
70 sit with some friends at a table
quite near where he sat alone. l had
my eye on him, trying TO assure my.
self OF his identity. when in closing
his cigarette case it fell almost at my
feet. and 1 bumped heads with a waiter
as I picked il up-I wanted to make
sure-and handed It TO him. the imita-
ton baron"
That was your chance TO startle
him a trlfie. ! should say" remarked
the German.
HE was the man beyond doubt
There was no mistaking the cigarette
case. What / said was" continued
Chauvenet, "'Allow me. barony"
well spokenT' exclaimed the Span.
fish officer.
Not so wen, either" laughed Chau.
venet. HE had the best OF It He's a
clever man. am obliged to admit lie
said And Chauvenet's mirth stifled
him for a moment
Yes; what was itT' demanded the