Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-03
E. PHILLIPS OPPENTIEIM


cnange OF countenance, but with secret
pleasure. He turned to Marguerite.
Dear Marguerite" he whispered, for
an hour or 50 I must leave you. You
will permit that my man take you to
here?'
May not walt for you here in the
automobile?" she asked. timidly.
kindly.
Dear little one he murmured. mot
this morning. IndeedS have important
affairs on hand. AS soon as / am free l
will telephone. Sleep well, little girl
He stepped out on to the pavement. The
postern door in front Of them was opened.
in response to NJ. Jesen's vigorous knock
Ing. from some invisible place by 2 string.
rickety stairs. They reached at last q
stone landing. M. Jesen threw open a
door and led the way into an untidy-look-
ing salon.
begged, "that am not better housed. If
it were not for little Susanne here he
added. patting her upon the shoulder. I
doubt whether I should keep roof above
my head at ALL
1T is not like this Herr Freudenberg
declared, that genius should be treated
indeed" Mile. Susanne interviewed, ut
Is what tell him always Monsieur, they
pay him but beggarly 300 francs q
rnonth-he, who writes all the editorials;
not fair. I tell dear Paul that 1t is
wicked. and, as he says. the money. IL it
were not for me. he would squander it
in q minute. I have even to go with him
to the Office. for there are many who
know when Paul draws his little check"
Herr Freudenberg set down his hat
upon the table. He looked around at all
the evidences Of unclean and sordid life
Then he looked at the man. It was
queer housing. this. for genius! His face
remained expressionless. OF the disgust
he felt he showed no sign. In the build
Ing Of houses one must use many tools!
IN. Jesen." he said. "and mademoiselle
- speak to you both, for l recognize
that between you there is, indeed. a union
OF sympathy and souls. Mademoiselle.
then, ! address myself to you. On GER
tain terms have offered to purchase for
NJ. Paul here two-thirds share Of the
newspaper upon which he works, that
two-thirds share which he and I both
know is in the market at this moment. I
am willing at midday tomorrow. or rather
today. to place within his hands the sum
with him to the office. and the affair
could be arranged at half-past IL. From
then he practically owns LIE Jour. Its
politics are his to control. I make him
this offer. mademoiselle. and it is a
greater one than it sounds. for the money
which place in his hands to make this
purchase-5OO.O 600 francs is his complete
~ and absolutely. You move at once
into apartments betting your new posi-
Cling and ill-paid journalist. He is the
proprietor of an important journal,
through whose columns he shall help to
guide the policy Of your nation"
M. Jesen sat down: His fingers We're
stared at Herr Freudenberg. Her color
was coming and going.
Monsieur. l do not understand!' she
cried. Are you a prince in disguise?
'Mademoiselle.'' Herr Freudenberg re-
piled, your question is the question of
an intelligent woman Why do / do this?
Not for nothing. assure you. It is my
make them SO that those with whom 1
deal shall never regret the day they met
Herr Freudenberg. / offer you this splen-
did future, you and M. Jesen there, on
one condition. and it is a small one, for
already the truth has found its way q lit
tie into his brain. LIE Jour has supported
always. wholly and entirely. the entente
between Great Britain and your country
have tried to point out to Paul Jesen
here what all far-seeing people must
soon appreciate = that the entente is
doomed"
The girl glanced at Jesen. Jesen was
looking away out OF the dusty window.
"Mademoiselle." Herr Freudenberg con-
tnued, Il will not weary you at this
hour in the morning with politics. have
talked long with M. Jesen and l think
that have shown him something Of the
truth: You came to the rescue Of Great
Britain when she lay friendless and
powerless. You saved her prestige. you
saved her, without doubt, from invasion
What have you gained? Nothing What
can you ever gain? Nothing! Her army
OF toy soldiers would be Of less use to
you than q single corps from across the
Elbe. Her feet-you have no possessions
to guard. It Is for herself only that she
| maintains it. I ask you to think quietly
for yourself and ask yourself on whose
side is the balance Of advantage. You
can reply to that question in one way,
and one way only. France has been car
ried away on a wave Of enthusiasm
wave of sentiment-call 1t what you will
But France is far-seeing people. The
/ that his should be the hand and LIE Jour
the vehicle which shall bring the French
people to q proper understanding Of the
political situation"
persisted.
Herr Freudenberg barely hesitated.
"Mademoiselle." he said. I'VE speak Of
great things. we three. in this little
aHea Of Of seaf thr whq have often
learned in life one lesson at least, and
| that Is when one may trust. It is not my
desire that mdny people should know who
I am. It suits my purpose better to
move in Paris as a private citizen. but to
you two let me tell the truth. l am
Prince Falkenberg."
There was a silence. The man looked
at him. sober enough now, In Amusement
The girls hands were clasped together.
She was watching the man-her man. She
crept to his side, her arm was around his
| neck
Dear Paul." she whispered, think!
Think how sweet life might be- There is
| SO much truth in all this. I know little
| Of politics, but think Of the hard times
| we have lived through. Think how glori-
GUS to have you ride in your automobile
| to the Office Of your newspaper, to see
| you pass into the editors sanctum in
| stead Of waiting outside, to have me call
for you, perhaps, and take you out to
lunch-no never at Drevers any more
| at the Cafe de Paris, or Henry's. or Pail
| lard's, or out in the Bots! And the ex-
cursions, dear Paul. Think OF them! The
country-how we both love the country!
You remember when we first went out
| together to the little town on the river.
where no one ever seemed to have come
from Paris before? How sleepy and quiet
the long afternoon, when we lay in the
grass and heard the birds sing and the
murmur OF the river. and we had only q
| few francs for our dinner, and we had to
| leave the train and walk that last four
/ miles because you had drunk one more
book. Dear Paul. think what life might
| be IL one were really rich!'
| The mans eyes flashed.
ut is true" he muttered. "All my life
| have been struggler."
| You have done your genius an i'll
L ~