Abbeville progress., 1913-12-13
copyright. 1913. 1y

E3 II stood before him in the Ii
i1t1 sfJ hrary OF his mansion on
k--2 SEl Park lane. London. Il
o-----1'- learned some time ago
that you had ceased to be
associated with the League Sit down
and tell me precisely why
Paul Lane answered with some We
hemcUCe:
Il was. as you probably know, in
duced TO place my services and my for
tune at the Leagues disposal by Her
Highness Princess Clothilde,' he be
gan. Il say service and fortune al
hough | believe that only the latter
was required by the minds at the
back of the organization. At first |
was unaware of this. | threw myself
with enthusiasm into the cause
That enthusiasm of you Americans
will yet be the cause of your country
downfall answered Lord Claude. "But
please pardon the interruption. You
found things different from what You
had been led to expect"
Yes had been told that the
League was an international assocIa-
tion for promoting the principles OF
monarchy | found it to be an anarch-
istic body. controlled by men OF
whose identity | was never informed.
| worked in the dark. and they spent
my mOney-some three millions OF dol
Iars-also in the dark Finally, when
the princess proposed that | should or
ganize a conspiracy against my own
country, which would have led to the
absorption of all the Pacific coast
states by hostile power, severed my
connection And So"
You have come to me to offer TO
place your services and your knowl-
edge of affairs at the disposal of the
counter-organizati said Lord
Claude. Il think you have acted wise
ly, Mr. Lane. The League is nothing
but criminal society, led by some of
the younger and least influential of
Europe's rulers. Under the cloak of
devotion to monarchy-and no one be-
lieves more in that principle than l,
for ! am secretary of what is called.
believe, the Black Cabinet of Rulers
as | was saying, Mr.. Lane, under this
pretense the League has united all the
criminal and anarchistic elments in
Europe against the established order
of society. | welcome you and trust
that we shall deal with you more frank
ly than your late friends did"
Lord Claude dismissed Paul Lane
cordially soon after, promising to call
upon him as soon as the need for his
services developed.
Paul went back to his quarters in
Piccs sdilly afiame with enthusiasm. The
frankness of Lord Tresham had pro
duced a very different effect from thai
created in his mind by the evasion.
of his late allies. Since his fallin2
out with the Princess Clothilde hi,
life had seemed wholly empty and IN
profitable. He had thought at frs
of returning to America to resume
charge of the huge corporation built
up by his father. But the experiences
that he had undergone while in the
service of the League had made the
life of an American business king
seem tame and stale. and the memory
of the princess burned always in his
heart, so that, though he had re
nounced her, he could not bring him
self to leave the sphere of her activ
tiles. Even though in deadly enmity
he always looked forward to meeting
her again.
The summons from Lord Claude
came more speedily than either mai
had anticipated. When, few morn
ings after. Paul went to the secretary
house by invitation. he found him pac
ing the floor of his study in what In
any other man would have been mark
ed agitation. In LORD Claude. how
ever. this mood evihced itself only b!
a sharper manner of speech than hi
habitual drawl and certain nervous
movements of the hands.
Il am glad you have come so prompt
ly, Mr.. Lane" said Lord Claude. 6
want you to- go upon a mission of th
utmost delicacy. | have not forgotten
how you outwitted me in the matter o
the kaiser's visit to Paris, when yol
were with our enemies. and If any mai
can clear up this situation, know yo1
can"
He handed Paul a cigarette, Lit il
and resumed.
Trouble is brewing in Holland
very serious trouble. Her Majest
Queen Wilhelmina, as you doubles
are aware. when she ascended tn
throne at the age of eighteen, becam
fasc 7ated by the ideals of the League
and fer n time assisted in its councils
Later. when her eyes had been opene
to the true nature of this body, sh
withdrew from all participation in it
schemes. thereby incurring the dead
ly hostility Of the society. You ar
aware. of course, that her majesty vi:
its Berlin on the fifth. in order to di:
cuss with the kaieer the proposed fort
fication of Flushing. a measure whic
he has inspired, and which gives caus
for considerable anxiety to England.
Certain patriots of Holland, consiC
ering that the queen. in visiting Be-
lin, has betrayed her country, are plar
ming conference.-the. aided, {
curse by the ubiquitous League. Whs
this is we do not know. We know onl
one fact-that 1t is to center aroun
the Princess Juliana, her majesty