The independent-reporter., 1909-10-28
CHAPTER xI.
CHASE PERFORMS A MRAcr.

OhAIt LII M.
CHASE PERFORMS A MIRACLE.
EVlOLLINGSwoRTH CHASE now
A felt that he was on neutral
It'll ground with the Princess Ge
@ nevra. His strange connection
with the Skaggs will case 10 easily ex.
planned. After leaving Thorberg be
went directly to Paris; thence, after
ten days. to London, where he hoped
to get on as staff correspondent for
one Of the big dailies. One day at the
Savage club he listened to q recital of
the amazing conditions which attend
ed the execution Of Skaggs' will. He
had shot wild game In South Africa
with Sir John Brodney, chief coun-
selor for the islanders, and when Sir
John suddenly proposed that he go out
to Japat as the firms representative
he leaped at the chance.
In truth Rasula was more than glad
to have the services Of an American.
He had heard Wyckholme talk Of the
manner In which civil causes were
tried In the United States, and he felt
that one Yankee ON the scene was
worth ten Englishmen at home.
The good looking Mr. Chase, writh-
Ing under the dread Of exposure as an
International jackass, welcomed the
opportunity to get as far away from
civilization as possible. he knew that
the Prince Karl story would not lie
dormant, but he could not Danish the
fair face of ttR Princess Genevra from
his thoughts during the long voyage,
nor would 1t be stretching the point to
say that his day dreams were Of her
Us he sat and smoked In his bungalow
porch.
Before Chase left London Sir John
Brodney bluntly cautioned him against
the dangers that lurked in Lady Dep
pingham's eyes.
"She won't leave you peg to stand
on, Chase, If you seek an encounter" !"
he said. "She's pretty and she's clev-
or, and she's made fools Of better men
than you, my boy. don't say she's a
bad lot, because she's too smart for
that. Remember, my boy, you are go
ing out there to offset, not to beset
Lady Deppingham."
Chase was not in love with the
proud Princess Genevra. He denied
that to himself hundred times q day
as he sat in his bungalow and smoked
the situation over.
He had proved to himself quite be-
yond doubt that he was not in love,
x,ha, lilro a holt fro,,, n oIaor cEy che
stepped out Of the oblivion into which
he had cast her to smile upon him
without warning. 1t was most unfair.
Her smile had been one of the most
difficult obstacles to overcome in the
effort to return q fair and final ver-
dict.
Could anything be more miraculous
than that she should come to the un-
heard of island of Japat, unless, pos
sibly, that he should be there when she
came? She was there for him to look
upon and love and lose, just as he had
dreamed all these months. 1t matter
ed little that she was now the wife of
Prince Karl Of Brabetz. To him she
was still the Princess Genevra Of
Rapp-Thorberg.
In his leather pocketbook lay the
ever present reminder that she could
be no more than dream to him. 1t
was the clipping from Paris. newspa-
per announcing that the Princess Ge-
nevra was to wed Prince Karl during
the Christmas holidays.
TT hn hrio a Ua
come and go with the certain knowl-
edge In his heart that they had given
her to Brabetz as the most glorious
present that man had ever received.
Now she was come to the island,
and, so far as he had been able to see,
there was no sign Of the Prince Bra.
betz In attendance. Her uncle by mar
riage, an English nobleman of high de-
gree, in gathering his friends for the
long cruise evidently had left the
prince out of his party, for what rea'
son Chase could not imagine. To say
that the omission was gratifying to
the tall American would be too simple
a statement. There Is no telling to
what heights his thoughts might have
carried him on that sultry afternoon II
they had not been harshly checked by
the arrival of a messenger from the
chateau. His blood leaped with an
ticipation.
Could 1t be possible7 But, no. she
would not be writing to him. What
ridiculous thought! His hopes fell
fat as the note was put into his eager
hand. 1t was from Britt.
Still he broke the seal with consid-
cradle eagerness. As he perused the
somewhat lengthy message his dis
appointment gave way to no uncer-
tain form of excitement. With its con-
clusion he was on his feet, his eyes
cleaning with enthusiasm.
"By Georger' he exclaimed. what
luckl Things are coming my way with
N yapuoopco T,Jl 10 n this vprV night