The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-13
"The Dark STAR
Neeland Tells the Princess and Rue
He Feels the Amazing Box Is "Full
of the Very Yellow Devil
Bv ROBERT w. CHAMBERS

takes a chance and is quite sure
he'll not have another chance if he
loses. Do you understand what /
mean?"
Yes" said the princess unsmil-
ingly, her clear, pleasant eyes fixed
on him.
In her tranquil. indefinite express
sion there was something which
made him wonder how many such
chances this pretty woman had
taken in her life OF intellectual
pleasure and bodily ease.
And now he remembered that Use
Dumont apparently knew about her
about Ruhann8h, too. And Use
DUmont was the agent OF a for
eign government
Was the Princess Mistchenka,
patron and amateur of the arts, An
other such agent? II not, why had
he taken this journey for her with
this box of papers?
The passage of the boulevard was
slow; at every square traffic was
halted; all Paris crowded the streets
in the early afternoon sunshine,
and the taxicab in which they sat
made little speed until the Place
da la COncorde opened out and
the great Area tiny phantom
Of lavender and pearl-spanned
the vanishing point of a fairy per-
spective between parallel and end
less ramparts OF tender green.
There was a lot of war talk on
the Volhynia," said Neeland, but I
haven't heard any since I landed,
nor have I seen a paper. ] suppose
the Chancelleries have come to some
agreement"
No" said the Princess
you don't expect trouble. do you:
I mean a general European free-for-
all hght?"
II don't know. Jim"
Haven't you" he asked blandly,
amy means of acquiring inside in
formation"
She did not even pretend to evade
the good-humored malice of his
smile and question:
Yes. have sources OF private
information. I have learned moth
ing. so far"
He looked at Rue. but the smile
had faded from her face and she re-
turned his questioning gaze gravely.
There is great anxiety in Eu-
rope" she said in q low voice, and
arrive home we shall have a chance
to converse more freely" She made
the slightest gesture with her head.
toward the chauffeur silent re-
minder and a caution.
The Princess nodded slightly:
One never knows" she remarked.
We shall have much to say to one
another when we are safely home" .
But Neeland could not take IL
very seriously here in the sunshine,
with two pretty women facing him
here speeding up the Champs
EIysees between the endless green
Of chestnut trees and the exquisite
siIyery-gray facades of the wealthy
with motors flashing by on every
side and the cool, leaty alleys
tbronred with children and nurse
maids. and Monsieur Guignol squeak
ing and drumming in his red-cur-
tanned box.
How could a young man believe in
a sequel to the almost incredible
meIodrama in which he had inquired,
with such a sane and delightful
ksetting. here in the familiar company
fsofs two charming women he had
ASnown?
All Conditions Favorable.
Besides. all Paris and her police
were at his elbow; the oliEe-wood
box stood between his knees; a
smartIy respectable taxi and its
driver drove them with the quiet
eclat and precision of a private en-
ploye; the Arc de TTiomphe already
rose splendidly above them, and
everything that had once been IA
miliar and reassuring and delight
full Law under his grateful eyes on
every side.
,TO he CONTINUED TOMORROW