Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-31

4
streets. The sunlight as yet was faint
and the morning breeze chilly. AS they
passed down the long hill tired-looking
walters were closing up the night cafes.
Bedraggled jewellers crept along the
pavements with weary footsteps.
With every yard of their progression,
the meeting between the two extremes OF
life seemed to boone more apparent. The
children of the night-the nighttime
weary. unwholesome products OF dissipa-
ton. rubbed shoulders with the children
OF the morning-girls. hatless, IN simple
clothes, walking with brisk footsteps TO
their work: market women, brown-cheek-
ed and hearty, setting out their wares
upon the stalls; the youth OF Parls'
blithe and strenuous. walking hght-tooted
to the region of warehouses and facto-
ries. Julien and Hendricks looked out
upon the little scene with interest Both
had been sleepy when they had left the
cafe. but there was something stimulat-
ing in the sight of this thin but con-
slant stream of people. Hendricks sat up
and began to talk.
Julien" he declared. this Paris never
alters It's a queer little world and
rotten one. We are here just at the
ebbing OF the tide Don't you feel the
hategulness of 1.-THE thin-blooded scream
for pleasure which needs the lash of these
yellow wine all the time? My God! and
they call IL pleasurei Look where the
red blood flows. They're the people with
the taste OF life between their teeth. Can't
YOU see them at their pleasures-see them
sitting in beer-garden with girl and
band, then weeks money in their pocket,
and the knowledge that they've earned
Il? Perhaps sometimes they look up the
hill and wonder at the craze Of 1t all. Did
fcv1n#
automobiles, victorias, carriages of every
sort; pale-faced men who had lunched
too well dined too well. flogging their
tired systems In the craze for more eX-
element more pleasure: eating at an
unwholesome hour. smoking sickly cigar
cites, kissing roughd lips, listening to
the music Of that hard laughter? Look
at those girls. arm in arm, of to their
little milliner's shop. Hear them laugh7
You don't hear anything like that. Julien
on the top of the HILL
"Of course" Julien remarked. sitting
a yawn. IF you've come to Paris to be
moral
Not T." Hendricks broke in roughly.
Bless you, I'm one OF the worst
wild night in Paris calls me even now
from any part of the world. But Lord,
what fools we arei And Julien, we get
worse. It's the old people who keep
these places going"
''The older we get" Julien replied, 1.-The
harder we have to struggle for our
joys"
Hendricks wheeled suddenly in his
place.
Tell me how long you have known
Herr Freudenberg?" he insisted. How
many times have you been seen with
him? Is It the truth that you met him
tonight for the first timer"
Julien laughed.
MY dear David!" he protested
ITO tell you the truth, Julien" Ken
bricks interrupted, there's some hid
den trouble, some mysterious influence
at work which seems to be upsetting the
relations just now between France and
England. To be frank with you, know
that Carraby. at cabinet meeting yes
terday, suggested that you were at the
bottom Of it."
JuIien's eyes suddenly flashed fire.
"D-n that fellow!" he muttered
Does anybody believe it?'
Hendricks shrugged his shoulders.
Scarcely. And yet, Julien, it pays to
be careful You can't afford to be seen
in public places with the enemies Of
your country"
us Carl Freudenberg an enemy of
my country"
Hendricks leaned back in his seat and
laughed scornfully.
Julien" he exclaimed, there are
times when you are very simple! Do
you, indeed. mean that you would try
to deceive even me? You would pretend
that I, David Hendricks. of the Post
don't know that Herr Freudenberg and
the Prince Won Falkenberg, ruler of
Germany, are one and the same person?
Maker of toys. he calls himself! Maker
of fools palaces, If you like, builder of
prison houses. If you will. No man was
ever born with less OF a conscience,
more solely and wholly ambitious both
for his country and for himself. than
the man with whom you talked tonight
You knew him?"
Naturally" Julien answered. I'VE
met at Berlin"
The man is a great genius" Ken
bricks continued. mo one will deny
him that. They speak Of his weak
nesses They talk of his drinking
bouts, of his plunges into French dissi-
patton. The man hasn't a single dissi-
pated thought in his mind. He moves
through this world-this little Paris
world-with one idea only. He gets
behind the scenes. He comes here Sc
cretly, drops hints here and there as
a private person, let's himself be con-
sidered a Partisan Of Parisians. All the
time he listens and he drops his run
ming words of poison and he works.
What are his ambitions? Do you know,
ulien7
do your" julien asked.
TT seems TO me that 1 have some
idea" Hendricks answered. This is
your hotel. isn't it?"
Julien nodded.
Are you going to stay here?"
Hendricks shook his head.
Il stay at a little hotel in the Rue
Taitbout. I stay there because it is
full Of the weirdest set Of foreigners
you ever knew. This morning we break
fast together?"
Come and see me when you will"
Julien invited, cor 1 will come to. you;
not to breakfast, thought am en-
gagged"
TO Herr Freudenberg?" Hendricks
asked quickly.
TO the lady whom your little friend,
the manicurist, sent me to visit" Julien
replied Perhaps now you will tell me
that she is an ambassadress in dis
guise?'
I'll tell you nothing about her this
morning" Hendricks said. 'Tll tell you
nothing which you ought not to find
out for yourself"
DO you think 1 may breakfast with
her safely?r Julien inquired.
Heaven knows-I don't!" Hendricks
replied. NO man is safe with such
l vvou,an as Madame ChristoDhor But