The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-04-07

over In his unspeakable loneliness.
He would go TO her, There could be
no wrong In loving her, In being near
her. In standing by her In those hours
Of desperation.
A copy of London newspaper
stuffed away In the recesses or his
trunk, dated June %, had come to him
by post. 1t contained the telegraphic
details OF the brilliant wedding In
Thorberg. Every royal family In Eu-
rope was represented. The list Of no
BILE names seemed endless to him, the
flower of the worlds aristocracy.
How he hated themi
The next morning Selim aroused
him from his ftful sleep. bringing the
news that strange vessel had arrived
| Off Arafat Chase rushed out upon his
veranda, overlooking the little harbor.
A long, white, graceful craft was
| lying In the harbor. He stared long
and intently at the trim craft.
"Can | be dreaming?" be muttered.
passing his hand over his eyes. Don't
lie to me, Selim! Is 1t really there?"
Then he uttered loud cry Of Joy and
started off down the slope with the
speed of a race horse. shouting In the
frenzy of an uncomfortable glee.
1t was the Marquis Of BIS white
and blue yacht
Three weeks later Hollingsworth
Chase stepped from the deck Of the
yacht to the pier In Marseilles. The
next day he was In Paris, attended by
the bewildered and almost useless Sc
lin. An old and valued friend, a cam
paigner of the wartime days, met him
at the Care de Lyon In response to
telegram.
"I'll tell you the whole story Of ia
pat, Arch, but not until tomorrow"
Chase said to him as they drove to-
ward the Ritz. II arrived yesterday
on the Marquis of BIS yacht. the
Cricket. Do you know him2 OF course
you do. Everybody doer. The Cricket
was cruising down my way and picked
me up-Bowles and me. The captain
came bit out of his way to call at
Arafat, but he had orders Of some sort
from the marquis by cable, l fancy, to
stop off for me-"
He did not regard 1t as necessary to
tell his correspondent friend that the
| Cricket had sailed from Marseilles
with but one port In view-Aratat
He did not tell him that the Cricket
had come with message to him and
that he was answering 1t In person. as
| 1t was intended that he should-a mes
sage written six weeks before his ar
rival ir F-aRce..- Thea werc caapy
things that Chase did not explain to
Archibald James.
You're looking fine, Chase, old man.
Did you a lot of good out there. You
are as brown as that Arab In the taxi
meter back there. By Jove. old man,
that Persian girl Is ripping. You say
she's his wife1 She's"- Chase broke
In upon this,far from original estimate
Of the picturesque Neenah.
II say, Arch, there's something I
want to know before l go to the
marquis this evening. I'm due there
with my thanks. He lives In the
Boulevard st. Germain-I've got the
number all right. Is one likely to find
the house full of swells7 I'm a bit o.,
a savage just now, and I'm correspond
ingly timid."
His friend stared at him for q mo-
ment
II can save you the trouble OF going
10 the marquis" he said. HE and
the marchioness are In London at pres
emit Left Paris a month ago."
"What2 The house is closedY' In
deep anxiety.
II think not. Servants are all there.
l dare say. Their place adjoins the
Brabetz palace. The princess Is his
niece, you know"
you say the Brabetz palace Is next
1oor" demanded Chase, steadying his
voice with an effort
"Yes-the old Flaurebert mansion.
The princess was to have been the so
cial sensation Of Paris this year. She's
a wonderful beauty, you know"
WAS to have beenT
"She married that rotten BrabetA
last June. but of course you never
heard Of 1t out there In whats-ths-
name-of-the-place. You may have
heard Of his murder, however. His
mistress shot him In Brussels".-
"Great God, manr' gasped Chase.
clutching his arm in 4 grip Of iron.
1.-THE devil. Chaser cried the other.
amazed. whats the matterY'
Hes dead7 Murdered7 How
whan7 Toll mo ahout ftp' criad Chaae
his agitation so great that James
looked at him In wonder.
Cad. you seem to be interestedw
II am! Where is she-I mean the
princess and the other woman
"Cool off. old man. People are star
Ing at you. Brabetz was shot three
weeks ago at hotel in Brussels. He'd
been living there for two months,