River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-11-20

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could give no information
eszszEszuEN 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 a week Paul saw a
paragraph in newspaper which threw
flood of light on his perplexity.
1T is rumored," said the writer
that the Princess Clothilde will short
Iy be married to His High1ess 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
yolying America, the Tripolitaine-
where, it is stated, she was present
at the italian army maneuvers-and
India"
Paurs heart leaped when he read
this paragraph, obscurely tucked
away in 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
tion 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 a 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
hope that Rosny would return, he
was suddenly aware of a 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
gasp And l have travelled here at
such risk and all in vain. | 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. 81 am, as you
know, one Of his majesty, the Aus
trian emperOr's, many nieces. | was
brought up in the sitting atmosphere
Of the most ceremonial court in Eu-
rope. / was betrothed to the Arch
duke Stepan | had never even seen
him; | hated him; | ran away and en-
tered Prague University, where l
came under the influence of Dvornak,
the real founder and inspirer of the
League | went to America to So
licit your aid-and the rest is known
to you. Won Holzrath is the emper-
ors trusted adviser. He found me
in Tripoh, where the interests of the
league had called me. He carried me
back to Vienna, whence | escaped
three days ago at imminent peril, to
summon the League to fight for the
sacred principle of monarchy. If Aus
tria becomes republican,
Paul leaned forward and took her
hand in his
4 love you, Clothilde, he said.
And you love me That much |
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 go
bdCh upOH OuI CduSS MI SSGh AO1
selfish happiness by such an act
of self-abpegation 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 see
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 till my marriage had taken place
with the Archduke Stepan. But l
was not deceived. My uncle is in his
dotage now; he is almost an automa-
ton-just a weak old man doing
away the last hours of his life by
his fireside and dreaming of ancient
have long since been translated into
history He lives at Hofberg, at his
hunting lodge, perpetually; he has to
all intents and purposes abdicated,
and all that you read of his activities
is fiction. Nevertheless, he is the