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Show i grtsaTHE MIDS OF 2J PARADISE JtommMr Robert W.Chambers -t1 ."vyVt iwrti .Q.IrwiM Mvor5 CoovnoMlV) byPFCollrASon GYN0PSI8. CIIAPTKIt I-Sciirlott, nn American eoldler tit fortune In the employ of tho Krcnch Imperial Potlco at tlio outbreak of tlio I ranco-l'riisslan war, Is ordcrod to arrest John Uuckhurst, a loader of thq Lommunleta, who la ftugpcctoil of liavlni; Htolen tlio Krcneh crown Jewels. Whllu searching for Uuckhurst Scarlott l ordered or-dered to arrest Cotinlcss do Vasnirt and Ucr btoup of socialists and escort them to tho llclRlan border. CIlUTEIt II-Scarlott finds Sylvia Elyon of tho Odoon disguised as a pens-ant, pens-ant, and carries her to La Trnppe, whero ',0.ontess and her friends aro asscm- UlIAirriElt Ill-All aro arrcstod. The countean saves Hcarlott from a fatal fall from the roof of tho house. JIo denounces Jluckhurat as tho loader of tho Ilcda and tho countess conducts him to whero Uuckhurst Uuck-hurst Is secreted. CHAPTEIt IV-Oermnn Uhlans descend on tho placo and Uuckhurst escapes during dur-ing tho moleo. Scarlett Is wounded. CHAPTEIt V Ho recovers conscloust MHa ,n,"10 countess' homo at Morsbronn, whoro ho Is cared for by tho countess. A florco battla Is foiisht In tho stroots between Kronch nnd 1'russlan soldiers. CIIAPTKIt Vl-Uuckhurst professes ro Bcntcnco nnd returns tho crown Jewels to. carlett. lie declares ho wlilftlvo himself up to the authorities. Scarlett doubts his slncorlty. Uuckhurst ureos tho countess to so to Paradise. cnAPTKtt Vll-Uuckhurst admits that ho receives pny from tha I'russlans for Information which ho docs not k'vo. Ho secures passports to tho French linos tot Scarlett, th countess and himself. It was lato In tho aftcrnooA "ticn tho last Prussian outpost lmlJud us. I had boon asleep for hours, but wae riTviikoned by tho clatter of horsos, and I oponcd my eyes to soo a dozen Uh-laiiB Uh-laiiB como cantering up nnd surround our carriage Ono of tho troopers tied a whlto handkerchief to his lanco-tlp, wheclod hlB wiry horso, and, followed by a trumpotor, trotted off ahead of us. Presontly, very far away on Uio gray-green hlllsido, I saw a bit of whlto movo. Ono inlnuto, two, threo, ton passed. Then, distant galloping sounded along tho road, nearor, near-er; near-er; three Iiorsomon suddenly wheolcd Into vlow ahead French dragoons, advancing ad-vancing at a solid gallop. Tho Uhlan with the flag spurred forward to moot them, saluted, wheeled hfn horso. snd came back. I jAnd now tho brief corcmony was over and our ruBty vehlclo moved oft down tho hill, whllo the Uhlans turned brldlo and clattered off, scattering showers of muddy gravel In tho rising Wind. I dozed towards sunset, waking whon tho Countess stepped back into tho carrlago and seated horeolf by lay atdtf. TUuu. oilef ll llUId. falkvi again. And It wub nearly dark when I was awakened by tho Btartllng whlstlo of a locomotive In tho dark aouthorn sky a luminous hazo Ufios- "Tlio lights of StraBboars," whlsi percd tho Countess, as I sat up, rubbing rub-bing my hot eyes. I looked for Uuckhurst; his placo woo empty. "Mr. Duckhurst loft ua at tho rail) road crossing," sho said. "Loft usl" "Yes! Ho boarded a train loaded, with wounded. ... Ho had busl, ncss to transact In Colraar beforo ho presented himself to the authorities In Paris. . . . And wo nro to go by way of Avrlcourt." So Duckhurst had already begun to oxecuto his programme Hut tho abrupt, ab-rupt, Infornal precision of tho man Jarred mo unpleasantly. In tho dark I felt cautiously for ray diamonds; thoy veto safo In my hlp pocket. Presently our carrlago stoppod boi foro a tromondous mass of masonry pierced by nn Iron, arched giho, through which doublo flies of farm! wagons woro rolling, escortod hy customs cus-toms guards and marines, and wo cni tored Strasbourg In tho midst of a crush of vehicles. Tho Countose and our Alsatian driver helped mo to thq platform. I looked around with dread,' at tho throng, being too weak to battlq for a foothold; but tho bravo Alsatian elbowed a path for mo, and tho Countess Count-ess warded off tho plunging human cattlo, nnd at length I found myself bosldo tho cars whoro UnosoIdlorB stood guard at every ton paces and. gondarmcB stalked about, shoving tho frantic people Into doublo flics. I caught tho sloovo of a captain of, gendarnorlo who was running to cntor a first-class compartment. "Eh what do you want, monslour?" ho snappod In surprise. "Try to mako room for this lady In your compartment," I said. "Willingly, monsieur. Hasten, mad-amo; mad-amo; tho train Is already movlngl" and ho toro open the compnrtraent door nnd swung tho Countess to tho car platform. I supposo sho thought I was to fol-low, fol-low, for whon tho olllcor alammed tho compartment door sho stopped to tho window nnd tried to open It. "Quick!" sho cried to tho guard, who had Just looked tho door; "holp tha olllcor In) Ho Is wounded enn't you soo ho is wounded?" Tho train was gliding nlong tho as, phnlt platform; I hobbled beuldo tho locked compartment, whoro sho stood at tho window. Tho cars woro rolling a llttlo faster than I could movo along. "A safo Journoy, madanio," I stain-mercd, stain-mercd, catching at tho hand .she hold 0 out and orusMng tho flriatmy.novcd fingers with my lips. "I shall never forgive tuls wanton Heir-sacrlflcc." sho said, unsteadily. Then tho car rolled Bllontly past mo, ewlfter, swifter, and her whlto faco faded from my sight. Tho station-master passed, a hag-gard hag-gard gentleman In rumflod. uniform and gilt cap; nnd na lio loft tho ofllco by tho outor door tho heavy explosion of n rampart cannon shook tho station. "Can you get mo to Paris ?'t I asked. "Quick, then," ho muttered; "this way lean on mo, 'monsieur! I am trying to send nnothor train out but Heaven alone, known I Quick, this way I" ' A car, doora nwlnglng wide, glided past mo; I caught tho rail and fell forward for-ward Into n compartment. CHAPTER VIII. -' A Man to Let. . Tho train which boro mo out of tho aro of tho Prussian flro nt Strasbourg passed In between tho fortifications of Paris tho next morning about cloven o'clock. Ten minutes later I ""was In a closed cab on my wny to tho head-Huarters head-Huarters of tho Imperial Military Police, Po-lice, temporarily houBod In tho Lux-ombourg Lux-ombourg palaco. I did not enter my door or oven glnnco nt It; I continued straight on, down tho corridor to a door, on tho grotiiid-glnBs panes of which' was print-, print-, cd In red lettering: i "IIEADQUAUTI3HS IMPERIAL , MILITARY POLICE SAFE DEPOSIT." i I entered, passed rapidly along-tho faco of tho steel cngo behind which somo officers eat on high stools, writing, writ-ing, nnd presented myself at tho gul-chot gul-chot marked, "Foreign Division." A very elegant olllcor strolled up to tho gulchet as I laid my bag of diamonds dia-monds on tho glass shelf, languidly unlocked tho stcol window-gate, and picked up tho bag or Jewels. Tho ofllcer was Mornnc, tho Emperor's Emper-or's alter ego, or amo dnmnoo, who had taken over tho entlro department tho very day I left Pnrls for tho frontier. "Name nivd numbor?" Inquired Mornnc, Mor-nnc, Indolently. I gavo both. "You dcslro to dcclaro?" I enumerated tho diamonds, and des-Ignnted des-Ignnted thorn as thoso latoly stolen from tho crucifix of Louis XI. Mornac handed mo a printed ccrtlfl-cato ccrtlfl-cato or deposit, opened a corapnrtmont in tho safo, and tossed In tho bag without scaling It. I limped off past tho glittering stool jaoiwJJytakXul-Hmttho-jSel-rwero safo, turned into tho corridor, nnd hnstoncd back to my own rooms. To tear off my togs, bathe, shave, and dress-Ifl a light suit of civilian t clothes tpok mo longer than usual, for I was a trlflo lame Pondering, I slowly retraced my I steps through tho bedroom nnd dress-. dress-. Ing-room, and out Into tho tiled hall-I hall-I way, whoro, nt tho end of tho dim cots rldor, tho door of Colonel Jarras bureau bu-reau Btood partly open. As I sat down I glanced around and saw my old comrado. Speed, sitting I Ih a dark corner, chowlng n cigarette and watching mo In alert ellcnco. "Yoit nro present to report?" suggested sug-gested Colonol Jnrras, heavily. I hecan my report, but wns Immediately Immedi-ately stopped by Jnrras with a peevish peev-ish gesture: ".Ml right, all right; kcop nil that for tho Chlof of Department Your report doesn't concern mo." "Doesn't concern you!" I repented; "aro you not chief of this bureau, Colonol Jarras?" "No," snapped Jarras; "and Atoro's no bureau now nt IcnBt no bureau for tho Foreign Division." Speed leaned forwnrd and said: "Scarlott. my friend, tho Foreign Division Di-vision of tho Imperial Military Pollco has been nbollshed." "Who tho dovll did that?" I askod eavagely. "Mornnc." MornacI Tho Emperor's shndowl Tlam truly enough It wnu all up with tho Foreign Division Hut tho shnmo or It! tho disgrace or ns faithful n body of pollco, tutrceiinrloa though thoy wore, ns over woiked for any causo, good or bad. As we sat there In Bllenco, n soldier came to summon Colonel Jurras, and ho went nwny, leaning on his Ivory-headed Ivory-headed cuno, bond bowed .ovej- tho string of modals on his breast, When ho had gone, Spood camo ovor and shut tho door, then whook hands "with mo. "He's gono to seo Mornac; It will bo our turn next. Look out for Moi nnc, or ho'll catch you tripling In your report" "Look hero," I said, angrily, "how can Mornao catch mo tripping? I'm not under his tudors," "You aro until you'ro discharged, You boo, thoy'vo token It Into tholr heads, sltico the cruclllx robbery, to suspect overybody nnd anybody short of tho l'mpuror. Monme camo smelling around horo tho day you loft. Ilo'a nt tho bottom or all this n nlco business busi-ness to cast Husplclou on our division because wo'ru foreigners. Gad, hq looks llko n pickpocket himself ho's got tho ohllipiB trick of tho eyes and, tho roatloHs linger movement" "Porhnps he Is," I said. Spcml looked nt me sharply. "Jt l wero In tho servico now I'd arrest Mornac If I dared." Then a soldier appeared to summon us both, nnd wo followed to tho torn-porary torn-porary bureau. At a careless nod from Mornac I muttered tho formal "I havo to report, sir" and began mumbling a perfunctory per-functory account of my movements slnco leaving Paris. I told tho truth as far" as I went which brought mo to my capture by Uhlans nnd tho natural escape of my prisoner, Uuckhurst. I merely added fint I had secured tho diamonds and had managed to reach Paris via Strasbourg. Stras-bourg. Ho listened very quietly whllo I told of my oncountor with Duckhurst In Morsbronn, or our Journoy to Saverne, to Strasbourg, and finally by own arrival ar-rival In Paris. "Where Is Duckhurst?" ho asked. "I do not know," I ropllcd, doggedly. "That Is to say that you had htm In your power within tho French linos yet did not securo him?" "Ynfl. Thoro was something mor Important to do thnn to nrrcst Duckhurst Duck-hurst I had every reason to bcllovs that nn Important conspiracy was bo-Ing- rlponcd soinewhero near Paradise. I had every reason to bellovo that the robbery or tho crown Jowcls might furnish fur-nish funds for the plotters. "Tho arrest of ouo ninn could nol break up tho conspiracy; I desired to trap tho leaders; and to that ond I deliberately llborated this man Duckhurst Duck-hurst as a stool-pigeon. If my Judgment Judg-ment has been at fault, I accopt tho blame" Mornnc examined his carefully kept finger-tips In detail. y "You say ho bribed you?" "I said ho attempted to do so," I roplled, sharply. "With tho diamonds?" "Yes." "You havo them?" "I deposited them ns usual." "tiring them." Angry ns I was, I snlutcd, wheeled, and hnstoncd off to tho safo deposit. Tho Jewel-bag was delivered whon I presented my printed slip; I picked It up nnd marched back, savagely biting bit-ing my mustacho and striving to control con-trol my Increasing oxasperatlon. Nover beroro had I endured Insolence Trom a superior officer. Mornnc was questioning Speed aa I entered, and ho lolled In his chair -with nn nbBent-mlndcd expression llko tho expression or a cat who pretends to forgot tho mouso between hor paws. Tho shock camo alm,t Immediately, Immediate-ly, for, without a word, ho suddenly MtWlij "I Refuse to Be Discharged!" omptled tho Jowol-bng on tho desk beforo him. Tho bag contalnod llttlo pobbles wrapped in tissue-paper. "Supposo you explain this farco?" .Mornac suggested, unmoved. "Supposo you explain It!" I stam, mered. Ho raised his dollcatoly arched eyebrows. eye-brows. "What do you mean?" "I mean that nn hour ago that bag contained tho diamonds from tho crucifix cru-cifix of Louis XL! I moan that I handed thorn over to you on my arrival arri-val at this bureau!" "Doubtless you tan provo what you say," ho observed. "It scorns to mo that It la high tlmo wo abolished tho Foreign Division, Imperial Military Po-' Hco." ' "I refuso to bo discharged!" I said, hoarsely. "It Is your word against rnlno; I demand nn Investigation!" "Certainly," ho replied, almost weaiv lly, and touched a bell. "Drlng that' niim-ao, hu uuuuu 10 mo soioior who nppenred In answer to tho silvery summons. sum-mons. Somebody cntored tho room bohlnd mo, passed mo; thoro was an odor of vlolots In tho air, a faint ruatlo of ellk. nnd I saw Mornac rlso and bow to his : gucBt nud conduct her to a chair. Ills guest was tho young Countess do Vassnrt Mornnc turnod directly on mo. "Madanio, do you know this oincer?" "Yes," nnld tho countess, smiling. "Did you soo him recolvo a email snek or diamonds In Morsbronn?" Tho countess gavo mo a quick glanco or surprise "Yes," sho said, wondor-Ingly. wondor-Ingly. "Thank you, inndnmo; that 1b suffl- ' clout," ho roplled; nud boforo I could understand what ho wns about ho had i conducted tho countess to tho next! ' room and had closed tho door bohlnd i blm. 4 "Qulckl" muttorcd Speed at my ol i bow; "let's back out or this trap, i There's no use; ho's ono or thorn, and i ho menus to ruin .you." "Dut ho's got those diamonds! Do f you think I enn stand that?" 2 "I think you'vo got to," muttorod Speed, snvngoly. "Do you want to rot 2 In Cayenne? ir you do, stay horo and 2 bawl ror n court-martial." 1 Ho solzed mo with a growl of f "Idiot! como on!" und fairly shoved J mo through tho colonnades of tho Instl- I tuto, along tho quay, down tho river- I wall, to a dock where preBontly a 1 Bwlft rlyor boat swung In ror pnsson-1 t gors. And wllonlho 'bateau nioticHo shot out again Into midstream, Speed and I stood ollently on deck, watching tho silver-gray facades or Paris fly past abovo us under tho bluo sky. Wo sot far forward, qulto alone, and 'separated from tho few passengers by tho pilothouso and Joined funnel. I waited; Speed chowed his cigar grimly. "Look hero, Scarlott," ho aald.'Do you know what has becomo of the crown Jewels of France?" "No," I said. "Well, I'll tell you. You know, of course, that tho government Is anxious. But you don't know what a pitiable fright tho authorities aro In. Tho crown Jowcls, tho bars of gold of tho reserve, tho great pictures from tho Louvre, tho antiques of valuo, Including Includ-ing tho Venus of Mllo, havo been packed in cases and loaded on trains undor heavy guard. "Twelvo of thcso trains havo already left Paris for tho par-port of Lorlont. Tho others are to follow, ono every twenty-fpur hours at midnight A swift cruiser tho For-do-Lanco is lying off Paradlso with steam up night and day, ready to receive tho treasures of the government at the first alarm and run for tho French possessions In Cochin-China. Cochin-China. "And now, perhaps, you may guoBs why Duckhurst Is so anxious to hang-around hang-around Paradise." Of courso I was startled. Speed's muttered Information gavo me tho koys to many doors. And behind each door wero millions and millions and millions of francs' worth of plundor. Our eyes mot In muto lntorrbgatlon; Speed smiled. "Do you remember an application for license from the manngor of a traveling American show a Yankee circus?" "Dyram's Imperial American cln cus?" I said. "That's it Thoy went through Normandy Nor-mandy last summer. Well, Dyram's agent Is golifg to moet us at Saint-Cloud. Saint-Cloud. Wo'ro engaged; I'm to do ballooning bal-looning you know I worked ono of the military balloons before Petersburg. Peters-burg. You are to do sensational rid-ins. rid-ins. You woro riding-master in tho tz zrzr. a h Spools" woro you notT B "I tamed throe lions for my rcn H nient at Constantinople," I said. H "Good lad! Thon you oan plajy with H Dyrant's Hona, too. Oh, -what tb H dovll!" ho cried, recklessly; "it's . Hk In a lifetime." " (Contlucd next week.) ,HL o iB |