The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-01-18

Iu0L udpp0u6u u
-. me on that date.
WY / had returned from a
(X$a@ mission to a foreign court,
N which I had accomplished
% to the great satisfaction Of
his majesty, King Edward
VII, and wass awaiting a new
summons in my chambers in Half
Moon street, Piccadilly. For this
reason I did not venture to go
far from home, but contented N.Y.
self with a short walk every after
noon. On the date I have mentioned I
vas walking homeward about three
o'clock In the afternoon when I no.
ticed a crowd collected around a shop
window. Pushing my way to the front,
from curiosity, I perceived that they
were watching a mechanical figure,
decked out in Indian costume and tur.
ban, around whose neck hung a card
on which was printed an invitation to
all and sundry to play chess with the
automaton.
Having always prided myself on my
chess playing, and having acquired
something of a reputation at the game
when stationed with my regiment in
India, its home and where it best
1ourishes, I stepped within and sat
down at the board opposite the figure,
which was, of course, as I well knew,
merely an automaton manipulated
with wires by a player somewhere in
the basement of the building. Hardly
had three moves been exchanged be-
fore I perceived that I was matched
against a player of nc mean ability.
The game was a hard one, but, just as
I was confident that I had my adver-
sary at my mercy, by a totally unex-
pected move he corralled my queen
and took her with his bishop, placing
me in a position of hopeless inferiority.
Piqued at this unexpected ending, I
resigned the game and set up the
pieces afresh. The same thing hap
pened. Again the game went my way;
again my. queen was hemmed in and
taken by the bishop of the automaton.
And a third time the same thing &C.
Cured, nor could I discern in what
way I placed my piece in jeopardy.
I had been SO intent upon the game
that, when I arose to co. found cou-
pie of hours had elapsed. Evening was
approaching and Piccadilly lay under
a dense white fog. AS I passed out of
the door a colored attendant, with a
salaam, handed me a piece of card
board on which was written the un-
signed message:
81 will play you again!"
That suited me, but for the present
I must get home to see whether any
message had arrived for me from the
foreign Office. had CROPPED my way
through the fog as far IS what I
thought was the Green park, when a
momentary lifting disclosed to me the
name of a street totally unfamiliar set
into the wall of an old garden. I had
evidently taken some wrong turn and
wandered into what I conjectured was
the neighborhood of the Tottenham
Court road district, or some purlieu of
Bloomsbury. While I was debating
my next move I was startled to hear
a woman's voice whisper into my ear,
in a manner ~betokening extreme agi-
tation:
"Do you understand French, mon
sieur?"
At my affirmative answer she ap-
peared out Of the fog and clasped me
by the arm. She was of an Oriental
cast of features-Greek or Syrian, I
should have guessed-but her French
was precise and idiomatic. Her first
words revealed her status.
my mistress is sorely in need" she
whispered. "Will you help herr"
What am I to dol" I rejoined,
scrutinizing her carefully.
"She has been kidnapped. She is
kept in this house; she has been there
for days. Tonight she may escape
before the prince returns from st.
James palace If some one will help
her, show her where to go. All, mon
sieur will assist; he is a gentleman!
Our need is desperate"
My curiosity had almost overcome
my prudence when the woman fairly
dragged me through the gate of the
garden, across a tiled pavement, and
into the fog-bound recesses of an
ancient house. apparently unfinished,
up several flights of stairs. until we
stood before a door on the top story.
She knocked twice and waited; sud
denly the door was flung open from
within, disclosing a light so. dazzling
that my eyes, accustomed to the OBJ
security of the dim street, were for a
moment half blinded.
A woman stood before me, of the
same cast of features as the maid, but
of an hauteur as of M born to COM
mand, which quickly demonstrated to
me their relative positions. AS she
stood in the entrance of the brilliantly
lighted room, which was richly car
peted and furnished with wonderful
hangings of the silkiest texture, and
furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
she appeared to have been struggling
with that bane of civilized life-pack-
ing a portmanteau. Odd garments
and toilet articles lay scattered over
the floor.
h cocf a coorchinp p1anco at me