Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1913-12-19

- AAASoSA~Ae
as to Rosny's whereabouts.
He had paid his rent and
departed five or six days before;
more than that he did not know.
After a maddening search through
Paris for nearly week Paul saw q
paragraph in a newspaper which threw
a food of light on his perplexity.
1T is rumored," said the writer,
that the Princess Clothilde will short
ly be married to His Highness Arch
duke Stepan. The match. which
is much liked by the Emperor Franz
Joseph, was, it will be remembered,
postponed some time ago on account
of her highness' prediction for what
may be called, without lese majestic,
foreign travel. 1t is said by the scan
dalously inclined, in fact, that her
highness has been the heroine of
more than one runaway escapade, in
.volving America, the Tripolitaine-
where, it is stated, she was present
at the Italian army maneuvers-and
India"
!! Pauls heart leaped when he read
this paragraph, obscurely tucked
away in a column of society gossip.
How little that meant to the writer
or the casual reader! To him it was
everything. For it was at her petit
ton that he had left America to place
his fortune and his services at the
leagues disposal He loved her, and
knew that his love was returned,
though world of tradition kept them
asunder. He must find her.
She came to him with a suddenness
that was startling. For that same
afternoon, lingering as he had be-
come accustomed to do, in the vicinity
of the abandoned league offices, in the
hope that Rosny would return, he
was suddenly aware of woman, heav-
lily yelled, who stood beside him and
whispered his name. Paul started
and fell to trembling. He could not
form the words that rushed to his
lips.
1T is still closed!" she said with q
gasp And l have travelled here at
such risk and all in vain.. I must
see Rosny, for events of the utmost
Importance are transporting at home.
The league is divided all are afraid;
the kaiser himself is afraid, and Spain
is too far away for help to come from
that quarter. You must help me, mon
sieur,' she said turning suddenly
upon him. Where can we speak?"
Paul led the way to a little cafe
not fifty feet distant.
Il must tell you something about
myself" she said. II am, as you
know, one of his majesty, the Aus
trian emperor's, many nieces. was
brought up in the sitting atmosphere
Of che most ceremonial court in Eu-
rope. l was betrothed to the Arch.
duke Stepan. l had never even seen
HIM; I hated him; I ran away and en-
t2red Prague University, where l
came under the influence of Dvornak,
the real founder and inspirer of the
League. l went to America to So
licit your aid-and the rest is known
to you. Won Holzrath is the emper-
or's trusted adviser. He found me
in Tripoli, where the interests Of the
league had called me. He carried me
back to Vienna, whence l escaped
three days ago at imminent peril, to
summon the League to fight for the
sacred principle of monarchy. II Aus
tria becomes republican,"
Paul leaned forward and took her
hand in his.
Il love you, Clothilde," he said.
And you love me. That much I
have from your own lips, and prin-
cess of the house of Hapsburg does
not deny her word. Leave these af-
fairs to older and more intriguing
minds; come back to America with
me tonight
She gasped and Looked at him in
something like admiration for his au-
dacity. Her face softened. Then she
answered frankly.
MY feelings Paul Lane, count with
me for nothing at all. Whether
love or hate you, whether my word
was truly spoken or nothing more
than pity for you when you lay dying
in the hot sands of Tripoli-all that is
nothing to me now. l will never &C
back upon our cause nor seek fol
selfish happiness by such an act
of self-abnegation. There Is great
work to be done; will you help me
Monsieur Lane, in a spirit Of com
plete self-forgetfulness, for the sake
of the League? Either pledge your
self. to this or leave me and never sec
me again"
Paul knew then that he had met his
master; a cooler, yet more ardent
spirit than his own. He bowed his
head in token of agreement, and the
next moment a startling change came
over her face and she began speaking
eagerly and intently.
THE emperor has not seen me since
my return from Tripoli," she said
They told me-those who guarded
me-that he was resolved never to see
me til, my marriage had taken place
with Tue Archduke StepEp. But
was not deceived. My uncle is IN hi