Show THE MAIDS OF t PARADISE L br robert WC W chambers hambers author Autho of cardigan cadigan le conspirators g ids at a tar arms etc I 1 ily ca iba by P ob t W ahm rby birwin myers CopY 1902 SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I scarlett an american soldier 0 of fortune in the employ of 0 the french frenc h imperial police at the outbreak of tho the franco prussian war Is ordered to arrest john luckhurst buckhurst Bucl Buck hurst a leader of tho the communists who Is suspected of having allne stolen the tench french l crown jewels while searching for or luckhurst buckhurst Buck Duck hurst burst scarlett la is ordered to arrest countess de le a and nd hor her group croup of socialists and escort th them em to me bedigian dogaer CHAPTER II 11 scarlett rind arwa elven of 0 the odeon disguised as a peasant and carries her to lal la trappe where the countess and her friends are assembled CHAPTER hi all are arrested the countess saves sc ariett irom from a fatal tall fall from the root roof off C the house no ho denounces luckhurst buckhurst Buck hurat hurst as the leader of the reds and the countess conducts him to where buck hurst Is secreted CHAPTER IV german uhland descend on tho the place and buckhurst luckhurst Buck hurst escapes during the melee scarlett Is wounded CHAPTER V lie he recovers consciousness in the countess homo home at Mors bronn where he ha Is cared for or by tile tha countess A alerce battle Is fought in the streets between french and prussian soldiers CHAPTER VI buckhurst luckhurst Buck hurst professes re Pen tence and ret returns u ans the crown jewels to scarlett elt lie he dec declares baxes ho he will give himself up to the authorities scarlett doubts his sincerity Buk BuLk hurat urges the countess to go to paradise CHAPTER VII luckhurst buckhurst Buck hurst admits that he ae receives pay from the prussians for information which dedoes he loes not give he secures passports to t the e french lines for Sc scarlett ariett the countess and himself it was wai late in the afternoon when the last prussian ian outpost hailed balled us I 1 had been asleep for hours but was wae awakened by the clatter ot of horses and I 1 opened my eyes to see a dozen uh lans come cantering bantering cant ering up and surround our carriage one of the troopers tied a white handkerchief to his lance tip wheeled his wiry horse and followed by a trumpeter trotted off ahead of us presently very far away on the gray green hillside hill hui side I 1 saw a bit of white move one minute two three ten tea passed then distant galloping sounded along the road nearer nearer three horsemen suddenly wheeled nto into view ahead french dragoons advancing at a solid gallop the uhlan with tho the flag spurred forward to meet them hem saluted wheeled his horse and came back and now the brief ceremony was over and our rusty vehicle moved ott off down the hill while the uhland turned bridle and clattered oft off scatter scattering lK showers of muddy gravel la in the rising wind ind 1 I dozed towards sunset benset waking when the countess stepped back into the carriage and seated herself by my side then after a little I 1 slept again and it was nearly dark when I 1 was awakened by the startling whistle of a locomotive in the dark southern sky a luminous haze hung the lights of strasbourg whispered the countess as I 1 eat up rubbing my hot eyes I 1 looked for buckhurst luckhurst Buck hurst his place was empty nir mr buckhurst luckhurst Buck hurst left us at the railroad crossing she said lett left us yes he boarded a train loaded with wounded he had business to transact in colmar before he presented himself to the authorities in paris and we are to go by way of Av ricourt 11 so Buck luckhurst buckhurst hurst had already begun to execute his pro gramme but the abrupt 1 internal infernal precision of tho the man jarred me unpleasantly in the dark I 1 felt cautiously tor for my diamonds they were sate safe lot in my hip pocket presently our carriage stopped before fo re a tremendous mass of masonry pierced by an iron arched gate through which double flies files of farm fann wagons were rolling escorted by customs guards and marines and we entered strasbourg in the midst of a crush of vehicles the countess Count eee and our alsatian driver helped me to the platform I 1 looked around with dread at the throng being too weak to battle tor for a foothold but the brave alsatian elbowed a path tor for me and the countess warded off the plunging human cattle and at length I 1 found myself beside the cars where line soldiers stood guard at every ten paces and gendarmes gen darmes stalked about shoving the frantic people into double flies files I 1 caught the sleeve of a captain of gendarmerie gendar merie who was running to enter s first class compartment th eh what do you want monsieur he be snapped in surprise try to make room for this lady in your compartment I 1 said eald willingly monsieur hasten madame the train is already find and he be tore open the compartment door and swung the countess to the car platform I 1 suppose she thought bought I 1 was to follow tor for when the officer slammed the compartment door she stepped to the window and tried to open it quick she cried to the guard who had lust just locked the door help that officer in ho he Is wounded cant you see BOB he Is wounded the train was gliding along the as aa ehalt platform I 1 hobbled beside the locked compartment where she ehe stood at tho the window the cars care were rolling a little taster faster than I 1 could move along A safe lourney journey madams madame I 1 stain catching at the hand she held out and brushing the shabby glov gloved ad lingers fingers with my lips 1 I shan shall never forgive this wanton self sacrifice rho ebe said unstop unsteadily then the carrollee car rolled silently iny pait me swifter swifter and her white face faded from my eight bight the stationmaster station master passed a haggard gentleman in rumpled uniform and gilt cap and as he left the office by the outer door the heavy explosion of a rampart cannon shook the station can you get me to paris I 1 asked quick then he be muttered this way lean on me monsie url I 1 am trying to send another train out but heaven alone knows quick this wayll A car doors owIn swinging ging wide glided past me I 1 caught the rail and tell fell forward into a compartment CHAPTER vill VIII A man to let the train which bore me out of the are arc of the prussian fire at strasbourg passed in between the fortifications of paris the next morning about eleven ten minutes later I 1 was in a closed cab on my way to the headquarters of the imperial military tary police temporarily housed in the luxembourg palace I 1 did not enter my door or even glance at it I 1 continued straight on down the corridor to a door on tho th gro ground und glass panes of which was print ed in red lettering headquarters IMPERIAL MILITARY POLICE SAVE SAFE DEPOSIT I 1 entered passed rapidly along the face of the steel cage behind which some officers eat cat on high stools writ ing and presented myself at the guichet marked foreign division 11 A very elegant officer strolled up to the guichet as I 1 laid m my y bag of diamonds on the glass shelf languidly v unlocked the steel window gate and picked up the bag of jewels the officer was war Af mornac the emperors alter ego or ame dagnee who had taken over the entire department the very day I 1 left paris for the frontier name and number inquired mornac indolently I 1 gave both you desire to declare I 1 enumerated the diamonds and designated them as those lately stolen from the cru crucifix colfix of louis XI comac C handed mo me a printed certificate of deposit opened a compartment in the safe and tossed in the bag without sealing it I 1 limped off past the alil glittering bering steel cage thankful that the jewels mere sate safe turned into the corridor and hastened back to my own rooms to tear off my togs bathe shave and dress dreas in alight suit of civilian clothes took me longer than usual tor for I 1 was a trifle lame pondering I 1 slowly retraced my steps through the bedroom and dress ing room and out into the tiled hallway where at the end of the dim corridor the door of colonel jarras bureau stood partly open As I 1 sat down I 1 glanced around and saw my old comrade speed sitting in a dark corner comer chewing a cigarette and watching me in alert silence lence el you are present to report suggested colonel jarras heavily I 1 began my report but was immediately stopped by jarras with a peevish gesture XI all right all right keep all that for the chief of department your report concern me concern youl I 1 repeated are you not chief of of this bureau colonel jarras t no snapped jarras and theres no bureau now at least no bureau tor for the foreign division speed leaned forward and sald said scarlett my friend the foreign division D of the imperial Afflit military ary police has been abolished wio who the devil did that I 1 asked savagely Bl mornac 11 mornac the emperors Emper ore shadow I 1 then truly enough it was all up with the foreign division but the shame of it the disgrace of as faithful a body of police mercenaries though they were as ever worked tor for any cause good or bad As we sat there in silence a soldier came caine to summon colonel jarras and ho he went away leaning on his ivory headed cane head bowed over the string of medals on his breast when he had gone speed came over and shut the door then shook hands with roe me hes gono gone to see mornac it will be our turn next look out for mornac or hell catch you tripping in your report look here I 1 said angrily how can mornac catch me tripping im not under hla his orders you are until youre discharged you see taken it into their heads since the crucifix robbery to suspect everybody and anybody short of the emperor mornac came smelling around here the day you left hes at the bottom of all this a nice business to cast suspicion on our division because were foreigners gad he bo looks like a pickpocket himself hes got the oblique trick of the eyes and the restless finger movement perhaps he Is I 1 said speed looked at me sharply it if I 1 were in ial the service now id arrest moreao it I 1 dared then a soldier appeared to UL men us ua both and we followed to th thel temporary bureau at a careless mod from Morna oJ J muttered the formal 1 I have to report sit and began mumbling a perfunctory account of my movements since leaving parts paris I 1 t told old th tho e t truth ru th a as s fa tar r a as z I 1 went t which h bro brought u gh t in me e to m my y c capture b by y uhland and the natural escape of my prisoner Buck burst I 1 merely added that I 1 had secured the diamonds and had managed to reach paris via strasbourg he listened very quietly w while hile I 1 told of my encounter with buckhurst luckhurst Buck hurst in More bronn of our journey to saverne to strasbourg and finally by own arrival in paris where Is Duck luckhurst hurst he asked 1 I do not know kaow I 1 replied doU doggedly edly that to Is to say that you had him in your power within the french lines yet did not secure him yes there was something more important to do than to arrest buck hurst burst I 1 had every reason to believe that an important conspiracy was being ripened somewhere near paradise I 1 had bad every reason to believe that the robbery of the crown jewels might fur bieh funds for the plotters the arrest of one man could not break up the conspiracy I 1 desi desired red to trap the leaders and to that end I 1 deliberately liberated this man buck hurst burst as a stool pigeon it if my judgment has been at fault I 1 accept the blame mornac examined his carefully kept fingertips finger tips in detail you tou say he bribed you 1 I said eald he attempted to do so 1 I replied sharply with tho the diamonds yes you have them 1 I deposited then them as usual bring them angry as I 1 was I 1 saluted wheeled and hastened oft to the sate safe deposit the jewel bag was delivered when I 1 presented my printed slip blip I 1 picked it up and marched back savagely bit ipg ray my mustache and striving to control my increasing exasperation never before had I 1 endured insolence from a superior officer mornac was questioning speed as I 1 entered and he lolled in his chair wit with h an absentminded absent minded expression it like ke the expression of a cat who pretends to forget the mouse between her paws the shock came almost immediately te for without a word he budde suddenly aly I 1 1 1 1 bijj 1 1 14 4 aa 1 I refute refuse to be Discharge dill emptied the lewel jewel bag on oil tho the d desh before him the bag contained little pebbles pe abbles wrapped in tissue paper suppose you explain this farce mornae mornac suggested unmoved suppose you explain idill lit I 1 stammered he raised his delicately arched eyebrows eyebrow s what do you mean 1 I mean that an hour ago that ba bag 9 contained the diamonds from the crucifix of loula louis XI I 1 mean that I 1 handed them over to you on my arrival at this bureau doubtless you can prove what you say he observed it seems to me that it la is high time we abolished the foreign division imperial military P police 1 I refuse to be discharged discharge dt I 1 I 1 said hoarsely it Is 18 your word against i mine I 1 demand an investigation certainly he replied almost wear uy and touched a bell bring that hat ciless witness he added to the soldier who appeared in answer to the silvery summons somebody entered this the room behind me passed me there was wag an odor ol of violets lathe in the air a taint faint rustle of ellk aad I 1 saw mornac rise ilse and bow to his ruest and conduct her to a chair his guest was the young countess do de mornac turned directly on me madame do you know this officer yes said the countess smiling did you see him receive a email I 1 sack ot of diamonds in Mors bronn the countess gave me a quick glance of surprise yes she said wonderingly thank you madame that Is sufficient he replied and before I 1 could understand what he was about he had conducted tho the countess to the next room and had closed the door behind him quick muttered speed at my elbow lets back out of this trap theres no use hes one ot of them and he means to ruin you but hes got those diamonds do you think I 1 can stand that 1 I think youve got to muttered speed savagely 90 do you want to rot in cayenne it if you do stay here and bawl tor for a court martial 11 he seized me with a growl of idiot come on and fairly shoved me through the colonnades ot of the institute along the quay down the riv river er wall to a dock where presently a swift river boat swung in for passengers and when the bateau mouche shot out agajan luto into midstream mid stream speed and I 1 stood allent ly on deck watching batchin 9 the silver gray facades of paris fly past above us under the blue sky eky we sat far forward quite alone and jonm front from the few passenger s k py by the pilothouse and joined I 1 waited speed chewed his cigar grimly look here scarlett Sc ariett he be said eald do you know what has baa become ot of the crown jewels ot of P prance rance no I 1 said well veil ill teu tell you you know ot of course that the government la anxious but you dont know what A pitiable fright the authorities are in the rho crown jewels the bars of gold ot of the reserve the great pictures from the louvre the antiques of value including the venus of milo have been packed in cases and loaded on trains under heavy guard twelve ot of these trains have already 1 belt paris ris tor for the par port of bf Lor lorient lent aeh the others are to follow one every twenty tour four hours at midnight A swift cruiser the fer de da lance Is lying off paradise with steam up night and day ready to receive the treasures of the government at the first alarm and run for or the french possessions in cochin china and now perhaps you may guess why buckhurst luckhurst Buck hurst Is so anxious |