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SYNOPSIS.
The story Is told by Nicholas Trist. His
chief. Senator John Calhoun, offered the
portfolio of secretary of state In Tyler's
cabinet, Is told by Dr. Ward that his tlmo
Is short. Calhoun declares that he Is not
ready to die, and If he accepts Tyler's of¬
fer it means that Texas and Oregon must
be added to the Union. He plans to learn
the Intentions of England with regard to
Mexico through Baroness Von Rltz, se¬
cret spy and nputed mistress of the Eng¬ Is
lish ambassador Pakenham. Nicholas
•ent to bring the baroness to Calhoun’s
•apartments, and while searching for the
baroness' house a carriage dashes up and
Nicholas Is invited to enter. The o«cu-
pant Is the baroness, who says she Is be¬
ing pursued. The pursuers are shaken
off. Nicholas 1 h Invited into the house
'and delivers Calhoun's message. He notes
that the baroness the has remaining lost a slipper. slipper
Nicholas Is given will tell Calhoun
rh a pledge that she
everything. He gives her as security an
Indian trinket he intended for Ills sweet¬
heart, Elizabeth Churchill. Elizabeth’s fa¬
ther consents to Nicholas’s proposal for
her hand. Nicholas is ordered to leave at
once for Montreal on state business, and
decides to he married that night. Cal
houn becomes secretary of state. Tyler
warns Pakenham that interference by
England In the affairs of this continent
will not b<> tolerated. The west de~
iriands that (he Joint occupancy of Ore¬
gon with Great Britain cease, and has
raised the cry of "Fifty-four. tells Nicholas Forty she or
Eight.” will The baroness to prevent his marriage.
do her best
She returns the trinket and he promises
to return her slipper. Nicholas enlists
the services of Congressman Dandrldge,
» rejected suitor of Elizabeth’s. (A assist
In the arrangements for the wedding and
entrusts him with the return of the slip¬
per to the baroness. The congressman
gets drunk and sends the slipper to Eliza¬
beth. The wedding Is declared off, and
Nicholas Is ordered from the house by
Elizabeth’s father. Nicholas Is ordered
to gain Recess to a meeting of the Hud-
eon Bay directors In Montreal and learn
England's Intentions regarding Oregon.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Other Woman.
The world Is the book of women.—
Rosseau,
I needed not to be advised that pres¬
ently there would be a meeting ot
some of the leading men of the Hud¬
son Bay Company at the little gray
Btone, dormer-windowed building on
Notre Dame street. For myself. It
was out of the question to gain admit¬
tance.
In those days all Montreal was Iron-
shuttered after nightfall, resembling
a series of Jails; and to-night It.
seemed doubly screened and guarded.
None the less, late In the evening, I
allowed seeming accident to lead me
In a certain direction. Passing as oft¬
en as 1 might up and down Notre
Dame street without attracting at¬
tention, I saw more than one figure
In the semi-darkness enter the low
chateau door. Occasionally a tiny
gleam showed at the edge of a shut¬
ter or at the top of some little win¬
dow not full screened. As to what
went on within I could only guess.
I passed the chateau, up and down,
at different times from nine o’clock
until midnight. The streets of Mon¬
treal at that time made brave pre¬
tense of lighting by virtue of the new
gas works; at certain Intervals flick¬
ering and wholly incompetent lights
served to make the gloom more vis¬
ible. None the less, as 1 passed for
the last time, 1 plainly saw a shaft of
light fall upon the half darkness from
a little aide door, There emerged
upon the street the figure of a woman.
I do not know what led me to cast a
second glance, for certainly iny busi¬
ness was not with ladies, any more
than I would have supposed ladles
had business there; but, victim of
some Impulse or curiosity, I walked a
step or two In the same direction as
that taken by (he cloaked figure.
Careless ns 1 endeavored to make
my movements, the veiled lady seemed
to take suspicion or fright. She quick¬
ened her steps. Accident favored me.
Even as she fled, she caught her skirt
on some object which lay hidden in
the shadows and fell almost at full
length. This 1 conceived to be oppor¬
tunity warranting my approach. I
raised ray hat and assured her that
her flight was needless.
She made no direct reply to me, but
as she rose gave utterance to an ex¬
pression of annoyance. "Mon Dieu!”
I heard her say.
1 stood for a moment trying to re¬
call where I had heard this same
voice I She turned her face In such
a way that the light illuminated It.
Then indeed surprise smote me.
“Madam Baroness," said 1 laughing,
”li ir wholly impossible for you to be
here, yet you are here! Never again
will 1 say there is no such thing as
Vchance. no such thing as fate, no such
(wiing as a miracle!"
|She looked at me one brief mo-
na^nt: "Ah, then then, her courage Idiot," returned. she said,
my
■since It Is to be our fortune always
meet of dark nights and in impos-
Hble ways, give me your arm."
■ ^Beaty. l laughed. “We may as well make
If you run again, I shall only
HUo«' you.”
^Btorhen ■EttjMadam, I am I again again am your yours!" prisoner?”
wAt least, you improve!” said she.
—come.”
I not call a caleehe?—the
nlgl Is dark."
no!" hurriedly.
V began a midnight course that
took |s quite across the old French
quar r of Montreal. At last she
tarn i into a small, dark street of
Bjcdln one-story residences, Iron shut-
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BYIMERfON MlS\fI$\FIPPI BUBBLE
AUTHOR. OF THE G.KJEX1NER-
ILLUSTRATIONS' i?y BOBBf-MERRILl. MAGNUif COMPANY
COPYRIGHT 1909 fyr
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I Walked a Step or Two In the Same Direction as That Taken by the
Cloaked Figure.
tered, dark and cheerless. Here she
paused in front of a narrow Iron gate.
“Madam,” 1 said, “ you represent to
me one of the problems of my life.
Why does your taste run to such quar¬
ters as these? This might be that
same back street in Washington!”
She chuckled to herself, at length
laughed aloud. “But wait! If you
entered my abode once,” she said,
"why not again? 'Come.”
Her hand was at the heavy knocker
as she spoke. In a moment the door
slowly opened, Just as it had done
that night before In Washington. My
companion passed before me swiftly.
As she entered I saw standing at the
opening the same brown and wrinkled
old dame who had served that night
before in Washington!
For an instant the light dazzled my
eyes, but determined now to see this
adventure through, I stepped within.
Then, indeed, I found it difficult to
stifle the exclamation of surprise
which came to my lips. Believe it or
not, as you like, we were again in
Washington!
1 say that I was confronted by the
Identical arrangement, the Identical
objects of furnishing, which had
marked the luxurious boudoir of
Helena von Rltz in Washington! The
tables were the same, the chairs, the
mirrors, the consoles. On the mantel
stood the same girandoles with glit¬
tering crystals. The pictures upon
the walls, so far as I could remember
their themes, did not deviate in any
particular of detail or arrangement.
The oval-backed chairs were dupli¬
cates of those 1 had seen that other
night at midnight. Beyond these
same amber satin curtains stood the
tall bed with its canopy, as I could
see; and here at the right was the
same low Napoleon bed with its rolled
ends. The figures of the carpets were
the same, their deep-piled richness,
soft under foot, the same. The flow¬
ered cups of the sconces were identi¬
cal with those 1 had seen before.
"You are good enough to admire
my modest place," said a laughing
voice at my shoulder.
I turned to her then, pulling myself
together as best I could. Yes, she
too was .the same, although in this
case, costumed somewhat differently.
The wide hall gown of satin was gone,
Rnd in its place was a le3s pretentious
robing of some darker 1 silk. No pale
blue fires shone at her white throat,
and her hands were ringless. But
the light, firm poise of her figure could
not be changed; the mockery of her
glance remained the same, half laugh¬
ing and half wistful.
In some way which I did not pause
to analyze, I felt perfectly sure that
this strange woman could, If she
cared to do so, tell me some of the
things I ought to know. She might be
here on some errand identical with
my own. Calhoun had sent for her
once before. Whose agent was she
now? I found chairs for us both.
An instant later, summoned in what
way. I do not know, the old serving-
woman again reappeared. “Wine,
Threlka," said the baroness; "service
for two—you may use this little table,
.'A*
si m
> I ISIp ft
X *:
"Always one gains by offering some i
equivalent, value for value—especially i
with women, monsieur.”
She went on as though to herself, j
"Come, now, I fancy him! He is j
handsome, he is discreet, he has cour¬
age, he is not usual, he is not curi- |
ous; but ah, mon Dieu, what a fool!” j j
“Admit me to be a fool, madam,
since it is true; but tell me in my 1 j
folly what equivalent I can offer one
who has everything in the world— I
wealth, taste, culture, education, wit,
learning, beauty?”
“Go on! Excellent!”
"Who has everything as against
my nothing! What value, madam?”
"Why, gentle idiot, to get an an¬
swer ask a question, always."
i have asked it.”
“But you cannot guess that I might
ask one? so, then, one answer for
another, we might do—what you
Americans caii some business-eh?
Will you answer my question?”
“Ask it, then.”
“Were you married—that other I
night r
So, then, she was woman after all,
and curious! 1 pulled myself into con¬
trol and looked her fair in the face.
“Madam,” I said, “look at my face
and read your own answer.”
She looked, searching me, while
every nerve of me tingled; but at last
she shook her head. “No,” she
sighed. "I cannot yet say.”
I raised my kerchief over my head.
“A truce, then, madam! Let us leave
the one question against the other for
a time.”
“Excellent! I shall get my answer
first, in that case, and for nothing.”
“How so?"
“I shall only watch you. As we are
here now, I were a fool, worse than
you, if I could not tell whether or not
you are married. None the less, I
commend you, I admire you, because
you do not tell me. If you are not,
you are disappointed. If you are, you
are
monsieur,” she added, turning to me,
“1 am most happy to make even some
slight return for the very gracious
entertainment offered me that morn¬
ing by Mr. Calhoun at his residence.
Such a droll man! Oh, la! la!"
"Are you his friend, madam?” I
asked bluntly.
“Why should 1 not be?”
I could frame neither offensive nor
defensive art with her. She mocked
me.
In a few moments the weazened old
woman was back with cold fowl, wine,
napery, silver.
"Will monsieur carve?" At her nod
the old woman filled my glass, after
my hostess had tasted of her own.
We had seated ourselves at the table
as she spoke.
"I did not expect you would come to
Montreal."
“Then you know—but of course, 1
told you.”
"Have you then no question?" she
went on at last. Her glass stood half
full; her wrists rested gently on the
table edge, as she leaned back, look¬
ing at me with that on her face which
he had needed to be wiser than my¬
self, who could have read.
I then?"
“Yes, now you may go on."
“I thank you. First, of course, for
what reason do you carry the secrets
of my government into the strongho*!
of another government? Are you the
friend of America, or are you a spy
upon America? Are you my friend, or
are we to be enemies to-night?”
She flung back her head and
laughed delightedly. “That is a good
beginning,” she commented.
"You must, at a guess, have come
up by way of the lakes, and by bat-
teau from La Prairie?" 1 ventured.
She nodded again. “Of course. 1
have been here six days."
"Indeed?—you have badly beaten
me In our little race.”
She flashed on me a sudden glance.
"Why do you not ask me outright why
I am here?”
"Well, then. I do! I do ask you
that. I ask you how you got access
to that meeting to-night—for 1 doubt
not you were there?”
She gazed at me deliberately again,
parting her red lips, again smiling at
me. "What would you have given to
have been there yourself?”
“All the treasures those vaults ever
held.”
“So much? What will you give me,
then, to tell you what. I know?”
"More than all that treasure,
madam. A place—”
"Ah! a 'place in the heart of a peo¬
ple!’ 1 prefer a locality more re-
strieted."
"In my own heart, then; yes, of
course!”
She helped herself daintily to a por¬
tion of the white meat of the fowl.
“Yes," she went on. as though speak¬
ing to herself, “on the whole, I rather
like him. Yet what a fool! Ah, such
a droll idiot!"
“How so, madam?” I expostulated.
“I thought 1 was doing very well.”
“Yet you cannot guess how to per¬
suade me?"
"No; how could that be?”
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”1 am in any case dflighted that I i
can interest madam.”
"Ah, but you do! I have not been j
interested, for so long! Ah, the great
heavens, how fat was Mr. Pakenham, !
how thin was Mr. Calhoun! But you
—come, monsieur, the night is long.
Tell me of yourself. I have never be-
fore known a savage.”
“Value for value only, madam!
Will you tell me in turn of yourself?”
I saw her dark eyes study me once
more. At last she spoke again. “At
least," she said, "it would be rather
vulgar if I did not explain some of
the things which become your right to
know when I ask you to come into
this home, as into my other home in
Washington.”
“In Heaven's name, how many of
these homes have you, then? Are
they all alike?”
"Five only now,” she replied, in the
most matter-of-fact manner in the
world, "and, of course, all quite alike."
you see them all. They serve, they
suffice. This little scheme it has
pleased me to reproduce in some of
the capitals of the world. It is at
least as well chosen as the taste of
the prince of Orleans, son of Louis
Philippe, could advise.”
This with no change of expression.
I drew a long breath.
She went on as though I had i
spoken. "My friend,” she said, “do j |
not despise me too early. There is
abundant time. Before you judge, let !
the testimony be heard.’* !
"I am not your judge, madam, but |
it will be long before 1 shall think a
harsh thought of you. Tell me what j
a woman may. Do not tell me what a \
secret agent may not. I ask no prom- j
ises and make none. You are very !
beautiful. You have wealth. I call j
you, madam.' You are married?”
“I was marriedat 15.”
"At 15! And your husband died?”. |
“He disappeared.”
“Your own country was Austria?”
“Call me anything but Austrian! I
left my country because 1 saw there
only oppression and lack of hope. No,
I am Hungarian.”
“I should guess then perhaps you
went to Paris?’*’
"Of course," she Said, “of course!
of course! In time reasons existed
why I should not return to my home.
I had some little fortune, some
singular experience, some ambitions
of my own. W 7 hat I did, I did. At
least, I saw the best and worst of
Europe.”
“I have heard vaguely of some such
things, madam,” I said. “I know that
in Europe they have still the fight
which we sought to settle when we
left that country for this one.”
She nodded. “So then, at last," she
went on, “still young, having learned
something and having now’ those
means of carrying on my studies
which I required, I came to this last
of the countries, America, where, if
anywhere, hope for mankind remains.
Washington has-impressed me more
than any capital of the world'”
“How long have you been in Wash¬
ington 9 ’ I asked,
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