Gunnison news-champion., 1909-04-23
CHATTER XII.

1 &hhAh - - Aut
HHE ae&sils a NJ veturn hssns
can have b1t httle ipserest.
I west sesaighf 60 the Tyvu,
and sUsent . quiet fortnig ight.
o0sv - my hack. for . severe chill
DEVELOPED Itself. aud ! was also the
victim of a nervous reaction, which
made me weak as 4 baby. As soon rs
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 project Of the police
Of strelsau
] ] et 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
cd myself in Paris and called on my
friend George Featherly. My inter
view with him was chiefly remarkable
for the number of unwilling but nee
essary falsehoods that I told, and raj
lied him numerically when he told
/ me that he had made up his mind that
| had gone in the track Of Mime. de
Mauban to ktrelsau. The lady, it ap-
peared. was back in Paris, but WAS
! living In great seclusiou-a fact for
which gossip found no difficulty In nc
/ counting. Did nOt oil the world know
Of the treachery and death OF Duke
! Michael? Nevertheless George bade
Bertram Bertrand he of good cheer
for" said lse fiippantly. IA live poet
In better than "a dead duke" Then he
turned on me and asked:
What have you been doing to your
mustache?'
To tell the truth" I answered. as
suming 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 ! wasn't 80 far out :?
II not the fair Antoinette, there was a
charmer"
/ There Is always II charmer." said l
sententiously.
But George would not be satisfied till
he had wOrmed out Of me Che 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
Feturn for this narrative George re-
gaDed me with great deal II what he
called '1nside information" known
oaly to diplcmatists) as to the true
cssrse Of events in Ruritania. the plots
and counterplOts. In his opinion. he
tesd me. with a significant nod, there
was more to be said for Black Michael
than the public supposed. and he hint
I'd at well founded suspicion that the
nysteric1s prisoner Of Zenda, concern
ing whom a good many paragraphs had
appeared. WAS not a man at all, hut
(here I had some ado not to smile, a
woman disguised as a man, and that
strife between the king and his broth
- for this imaginary lady's favor was
At the bottom Of their quarrel
Perhaps II was Nine de Mauban
berself." I suggested.
mo" 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 well known that the Prin-
CESS Flavia is now extremely cold to
the king after having been most A.
fectionate.'
At this point I changed the subject
and escaped from Georges inspired"
delusions. But il 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
hef. I received in return q very af-
eecting letter. In which she assured me
ehat the kings generosity and kind
Dess, 10 hess than her regard for ne,
bs1nA her conscience to absolute se-
cfocy. She expressed the intention Il
settling h tie country and withdraw
Es hesseif entirely from society.
Whether she carried out her DESIGNS
I have Dever heard, bst a. I have not
Oet bef - heard news q hef ID to
- t1De 4 Il Preaab,e mat she Al.
nese y - Ae1bt dat she was Aeepay
aeeacAsa - De DuAe e etreasau, and
6sf con00ct 1t De tine e ~ death
Devse1 ut - kDSw1sA0e e tAe naaS
tsal eAafoeser Wss eosaoA - fsse her
NoE1 esr - sst e Aer hsart.
~ - 0sfe batfle Delt - AeAt-
. 6ooe1s eAat Wv0s1, knew, - severe
- - bs1oA - 81 u ~ csoQsses
1aosae. W. I ~ bock ftv0 - ~
~ ysAsse Aevinl ee1e say seuGy e