Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-12-20
.Copyusht. 1913, ny ". q. CraumanD

tIJt tIG NOT u"i1y moment, but.
clappiug on his hat and struggling
into his ovcrcoat. ne hurried down tho
4 stairs Of Gabriols and took taxi
/ cab 10 the corner of the Boulevard
/ Kichopiu. Arrived there. he dismissed
The vehicle and proceeded afoot 10.
/ ward the cafe. reaching it just as a
/ clock pealed the hour of twelve in
announcement TO twenty other clocks.
which soIcmnly took up the sound
The Cafe Celestinl was brilliant
/ with lights and gay with diners. Men
/ in evening dress and women I'm mag,
ni1cent gowns. set of with flashing
/ jewels. moved restlessly among those
seated. or. seated themselves. slipped
, their liquors and chartered incessant-
/ ly, while over the buzz of Conversa-
ton rang out the lively strains OF
music. Paul. standing at the en-
/ trance, let his eyes wander over the
throng He scanned each face. but
he did not detect that OF Clothilde.
He noticed. however, that. though
apparently engrossed in their own af-
fairs. each couple looked furtively
toward one central focus, on which all
eyes were more or less directed,
while he could hear low EXPLANATIONS
OF astonlshment among those nearest
| him. Following these chances, Paul
suddenly found himself staring at
lad OF about seventeen or eighteen
years who. seated beside q loudly
dressed woman. evidently an actress,
was indulging in hilarious laughter
due quite as much to wine as to
| amusement. Paul looked harder and
| then gasped In establishment This
was Prince Edward, There was no
mistaking that trim coat, OF English
cut, those patent leather shoes, top
ped with the white spats. and the
very cane with a dogs head. all Of
which had been familiarized to tho
| Parisians through newspaper draw
fnGs and cartoons. And the woman
was-Gabrielle de Soucy, the noto-
rious actress whose indiscretions had
! formed the staple of Paris gossip ever
since she entangled the ex-king Of
Portugal in her clutches and released
him several thousand pounds the
poorer.
But 1t is indiscreeti" he heard a
woman near him murmur to his com
panion. TO princes much is forgiv-
en-but to parade himself thus, here,"
oh" murmured the man, rolling
up his eyebrows in affected horror.
IF his royal mother knew-that Puri-
tan lady Of England! Mon Dieu,
Doubtless she thinks he is asleep in
his bed at this hour"
The marquis, his guardian. must be
stark, raving mad to allow this" ex.
claimed the woman again.
Paurs eye caught that OF the
prince. He detected a distinct mes.
sage in IL. He moved toward the
young fellow. puzzled. wondering;
something in that glance made him
dimly aware that he had seen him In
the flesh, knew him.
1t was the Princess Clothilde. mas
querading in the princes clothes!
The shock OF the discovery stupe-
fled Paul. Quite quietly he sat down
into the chair which the princess in.
dictated to him. He saw the looks OF
the diuers fixed on him; he felt
amazed, helpless. out OF his depth.
But the pseudo-prince was talking
more hilariously than ever. and the
actress, apparently believing Paul to
be one of the princes friends. had al
ready transfixed him with her Ian
gushing glances.
mo, no." hiccoughed the prince,
catching the glance. mo. he is not
for you, my dear Gabrielle This is
particular friend of mine, with
whom I have an important engage
ment. You will pardon me If | leave
you for one moment"
20, certainly" murmured Gabrielle,
not in the most friendly tone. Evil
IDENTIFY she suspected Paul OF being
an agent OF the marquis, he thought.
Then, slipping out OF the chair,
Clothilde plucked Paul by the arm
and motioned to him to follow into a
dimly lighted corner. a little apart
from the crowd. She sat down at a
small table and Paul took his seat at
her side.
"Clothilde. what folly is this?" he
began harshly. ITO masquerade in
public while"
Hush, PAUL" she answered. and
suddenly he perceived that there was
a depth of passionate emotion under
the feigned merriment. Paul, when
| told you that | was resolved to leave
the league. told you also that | must
first work out my destiny, until had
crushed the league or till ii had
crushed me. Won Holzrath knows that
I am no longer an enthusiast in his
cause. He offered me the choice be-
tween furthering his schemes and
ruin. l pretended to obey him; Sc
cretly | sent a message to Lord Tres
ham, making an appointment for you
to meet me here, for had heard you
were in Paris. Now listen, Paul:
They mean no harm to the prince.
They want to set France and Eng
/ land by the ears-and what easier
than to make England think that the
young prince, who is model OF
decorum. has fallen into evil WAYS
and that the Marquis de Breteuil has
been unfaithful to his trust? They
know that King George and Queen
Mara nrrived incnontto Ia Da-;o +h;o