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Show i Sas5kTHE MAIDS OF aKJil PARADISE SSBlP' Robert W.Chambers lJMfaSM am Author of "Cardigan'",n)c Cons pi raf ore" Bv'"CPs!v rW .Q.lrwiN Myera CopynaM !9o2 by PFCotlier ASon SYNOPSIS. CHAPTBIt I Scarlett., an Amerloan soldier of fortune In the employ of the French Imporlal PoUce at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war. Is ordered to orreit John Duckhurat, a leader of tho. Communlsta, who Is suspected of hnvlntf stolen the French crown Jewels. Wblla searching for Uuckhurat Scarlett Is ordered or-dered to arrest Countess d Vass&rt ana hor group of socialists and escort then to the Belgian border. CHAPTER II-Scarlett finds Bylvla Elven of tho Odeon disguised ns a peasant peas-ant amd carries her to La Trappc, where the oauitess and her friends aro assem- Iliad. CHAJPTEII Ill-All ara arrcstod. The counteaa saves Scarlett from a fatal fall from the roof of tho house. He denounces Uuckhurst as tho leader of the Iteds and tho countess conducts him to where Uuckhurst Uuck-hurst ls secreted. CIIAPTEIt IV-German Uhlans descend, on tho placo and Uuckhurat escapes during dur-ing tho mcloc Scarlett Is wounded. CHAPTER V Ho rocovora consctousi ness In tho countess' homo at Morsbronn. when) ho Is cared for by the countess. A Herco battle Is fought In the streets between French and Prussian soldiers. CHAPTER VI Uuckhurat proresBcs roi Sentence and returns the crown Jewels to carlott. Ho declares ho will glvo himself up to tho authorities. Scarlett doubts his sincerity. Uuckhurst urgea the countess to go to Paradise t CHAPTER VH-Buckhurst admits that he receives pay from the Prussians for Information which he docs not Rive. Ho socures passports to tho French lines for Scarlett, th countess and himself. CHAPTER VIH-Scarlett reports to the secret scrvlco In Paris and finds Mornac, shadow of tho emperor. In charge. Ho deposits tho crown jewels and later, when making a detailed report, finds that pcbblet have been substituted for tho real stones. Spoed, n comrade In the service, warns Scarlett that Mornao Is dangerous. H also Informs him thnt all the government treasuro Is being transported to the coast for shipment out of the country. Scarlett Scar-lett and Speed'cscapo to Join a circus. CHAPTER IX The clrcua arrives at Paradlso whero Scarlett secures a llcenso from tho mayor. CHAPTER X-An order Is received by Jio mayor calling the citizens to arms. ""Wm "you InTco moT she- cried, pas-slonatoly, pas-slonatoly, springing to her feet. Amazed at hor earnestness, I tried to explain that such an Idea was out of the question. Ghe listened anxiously anxious-ly nt first, then her oyca foil and she stood there In tho torch-light, head' hanging. "I ehould llko to see a circus," sho said. "Then I should know wbt to do, That I can awlns higher thnn any girl In Paradlso has been demonstrated often,',; shoropt on, earnestly. "I can wlm farther, I can dlvo deepor, I can run faster, with bare feet or with sabots, sa-bots, than anybody, man or woman, from tho Deacon to Our Lady's chapel." "So you can dlvo and swlmt" asked Speed, with a glanco at mo. "Llko tho salmon In tho Lalta, monsieur." mon-sieur." "Under waterr "Parbloul" Aftor n pauso I asked her age. "Fifteen, M'eiou Scarlett. Won't you take mo?" ohe asked, sweetly. "I'll tell you what I'll do, Jacqueline," Jacque-line," said I. "Vory early 1c the morning morn-ing I'll go down to your houso and boo your father. Then, ir he make3 no objection, ob-jection, I'll got ydu to put on a protty Bwimmlng suit, all made cut of silver scales, and you can show mo, the'ro to tho een,- how you can dlvo and swim and piny at mermaid. Does that plcoso you?" 8ho lookod earnestly at mo, then at Spoed. "Is It a promise?" she asked, In a qulvorlng volco. "Vcs, Jacqueline." "Then I thank you, M'sleu Scarlott. . . . and you, m'slour. And I will b waiting for you when you coma. . . Wo live In tho houso below tho Salnt-Julion light, ... My father Is pilot of tho porL. . . . Anybody will tell you." .... "I will not forgot," said I. Sho bndo us goodnight vory prettily, stepped back out of tho circle of torch-light, torch-light, rind vanished there ls no other word for it. CHAPTER XII. Jacqueline. Tho stars wero tlll Ehlnlng when I awoko In my blanket, lighted a candlo, and ttopped Into tho wooden tub of salt wator outside tho tent. I shaved by candle-light, dressed In my worn rldlng-liroeches and Jacket, then, candlo In hand, began groping about among the faded bits of flnory and tarnished propcrtleo until I found tho sllyor-scnled owlnimlng.tlghts once worn by tho girl of 'whom wo hnd heard so much. Tho stare had begun to fade when I "topped out through tho dow-sonked clover carrying In ono hand n satchel containing the awlmmlni! mill, in m, - - ub mil, lit will other a gun enso, In which, carefully oiled and doubly cased In flannel, reposed re-posed my only luxury-my brocch-lond-Ing shotgun. Tho Lizard was standing on hts door-sill door-sill when I enmo up; ho returned my greeting sullenly, his keen eyes of a sea.Mrd roving ovor mo from head to nil V m Tlt,,ed nnd BUllty yellow cat, oUdently Just awako, sat on tho door, stop besldo him nnd yawned at Inter-jnlB. Inter-jnlB. 1 ho pair looked as though thoy hod made a night of It. "You took my lottor last night?" I BBKCd, "Yea." 'WoMhoro an answer for mo?" So I took tho letter and read It a formal lino saying tho Countess da Vassart would expect mo at five that afternoon. "Look hero, Lizard," I said, "I In-v tend to bo friends with you, and Ii mean to mnko you look on mo as a friend. It's to my advantago and to yours." "To mlno?" ho Inquired, sncorlngly. "And this ls tho first thing I want," I continued; nnd without further preface pre-face I unfolded our .plans concerning Jacqueline "Entendu," ho said, drawling tho word, "Is that all?" "No, not nll; I want you to bo my messenger ln'ttmo of need. I want you to bo absolutely faithful to mo." "And what Is there In this, to my advantage, ad-vantage, m'sleu?" "This, for ono thing," I said, care-lesely, care-lesely, picking up my gun case. I Blowly drew outlho barrels of Damascus, Damas-cus, then tho rose-wood stock and fore-end, fore-end, assembling them lovingly; for It was tho finest weapon I had ever seen, and It was breaking my heart to glvo it away. Tho poacher's oyes began to glitter as I fitted the double bolts and locked breech nnd barrel with tho extension rib. Then I snapped on tho fore-end; and thoro lay the gun In my hands, a fowllng-pleco fit for nn emperor. "Give R7" muttered the poacher, huskily. "Tako It, my frlond tho Lizard," replied, smiling down the wrench In my heart. There was asllehco; then the poacher poach-er stopped rorward, and, looking me square In tho eye, flung out bis hand. I struck my open palm smartly against ,hls, In tho Dreton fashion; then wq clasped hands. "Strike!" ho cried; .1'tako my friendship friend-ship If you want It, on thle condition what I am Is my own concern, not yours. Don't interforo, m'sleu; It would bo useless. 1 should nover betray be-tray you, but. I might kill you. Don't Interfore. Dut If you care for the good will of a man llko me, take It; and when you desire a scrvlco from me. "Will You Take Me?" She Cried. toll mo, and I'll not fall you, by Salnte-Ellno Salnte-Ellno of Paradlsel" Ho turned on his heel, kicking off his sabots on tho doorslll. "Break bread with mo; I usk It," ho eald, gruff-ly, gruff-ly, and walked boforo'mo Into tho house. From tho ashes on tho hearth a ' splrnl or smoko curled. Tho yellow v.uv uim;u in anu snt down, contemplating contem-plating tho ashes. Slowly a saffron light filled tho room; Jucquellno nwoko In tho dim bed. Sho swathed herself In n blanket and sot up, looking at rno sleepily. "You cumo to boo -no swim," sho eald. "And I've brought you a fish's silver sil-ver skin to ewlm In," I replied, pointing point-ing at tho satchel. Gho cast a swift glanco nt hor fa-thor, fa-thor, who, with tho gun on. his knees, sat pa though hypnotized by tho beauty of Its workmanship. Her bright oyes fell on tho gun; eho understood In a flnuh. "Turn your back!" sho cried. I wheeled ubout nnd oat down on the settle beside the poacher. There came a light thud of small, baro feot on tho stone lloor, then silence. Tho poacher looked up. "She'd gone to tho ocean," ho said; sho has tho mania ror baths like you English." And ho roll to rubbing the gunstock with dirty thumb. Thw saffron light in the room wns turning pink when Jncnuolln rnan. - "" w"h Jacqueline reappeared reap-peared on tho threshold In her ragged eklrt and Btnlned velvet bodlco hair laced, with the broken points hanging, carrying un nrmrul or drirtwood. Without a word sho went to work B3 ow rtly that thn pink light hud scarcely deepened to crimson when ho poacher, laying tho gun tenderly In tho blnnkots or Jncquellnu's tumbled bed, cam strldjng back to the tnblo whero n fcoa-trout smoked on a crackell P attor, and a bowl or bread and milk Btood bororo each place. Wo nto silently. Ango Plbu, tho yollow cat, camo around with tall In-tinted. In-tinted. Thori wero fishbones enough to Kratlfy any cat, and Ango Pltou mado short work or thorn. The poacher rpe.0, wiped bJB.rn.pimj with tho back of his hand, and mado straight for his new gun. "You two." he said, with a wavo of his arm, "you settlo It among yourselves. your-selves. Ho touched his beret to me, flung tho fowllng-pleco ovor his shoulder, shoul-der, nnd wnlkod away. Jacquellno placed tho few dlshce In a pan or hot water, wiped her Angora, daintily, and picked up Ange Pltou. "8how mo tho swimming suit," sho said, shyly. I drew It out or the satchol and laid It across my knees. "Oh It has a. little tall behlnd-llko a fish!" eho crlod, enchanted. "I shall wfol'k6 tb BlIVOr KrllD0 f Qulm1 "Do you think you can swim In those-scales?" those-scales?" I asked. "Swim? I Jncquollne7 Attendoz un peu you shall ueo!" 8ho openod hemmm; tho cat sprang to tho doorstop und vunlBhod. Jacquellno looked at tho Bwimmlng Bult then at mo. "Will you go down to thf bench, M'sleu Scarlett?" atHn'Vf '""I "0t travor8ed hair tho n ,,.f r,ck nnd har(l 8nn' bororo something (low past- ollm, glittering shape which suddenly doubled up! Into the thundering eurf. After a long, lowjr while, rar out on tho wntor sho rose, floating Tossed bnck onco moro upon tho beach like an opalescont shell. Ja acro8,sS"atS0"1r,,n f0M"' ,-00ked out across the flanilng wntors. her drenched hair drlr)plng. "Look!" she cried, flinging hor arms nbovo hor bond, and dropped X RK a star, down, down into tho ohpllow ses Far hplnw I saw (Contluoll uoxt week ) |