Show THE MISCHIEF MAKER By E. E Phillips Oppenheim Copyright 1012 by Little LItle Brown Drw Co f CHAPTER IX I p P Foolhardy Julien uen j The lun luncheon heon in the tho ho b beautiful restaurant res of tho the Rite Kits was a a ameal meal after heart ws Sho She was at th the du duchess duchess' bes' bes own home te here and received tile the proper amount o of attention Not only that for foreign for for- but many acq acquaintances mostly eign ign i n but a few En English Paused English l h paused at her ber table but to pay their respects To er e every everyone everyone one of ot these she careful carefully introduced i her ht daughter and ond Sir The situation sit du was 88 not without its It embarrass e b rass ments Lady Anne however dissipated them by an unaffected fit ft of laughter H Mother Mothe thinks sho is put putting every overy thin thing quite ri right ht by lending lendlR us the s. s sanctity of her presence sho declared We We have been seen at the tho Ritz Bitz Altar this who shall shaH eay say t that a 1 I Iran Riz ran TaD away from homo home to meet a a riding aay master in Paris or some som other d disreputable te Pas n person T r I ma max mav perhaps Dc be pitied as the victim ot of a hopeless in infatuation infatuation in ta pitie R for you yon Julien Julen but for the tho rest ulton if i we e only sit fit here lone enough h 1 whitewashed shall bo be Tho The duchess was a little uneasy I J r must say Bay Anne she protested that you seem to tt have havo developed a a arent treat rent deal of ot levity during the last fow Low days I Its It's not a subject to tt be alluded to so O lightly Ah Abi I now let me mc tell tel you ou who this is i. A wonderfully interesting petton person verson I can assure you She was as born in Pars Paris Paris' of American parents parent very wealthy indeed married maried when quito yo young to Prince Falkenberg and separated separated sepa rated nc from him within two years year They D say rA tb that t she lives a queer half bat Bohemian Bohem Bohem- ian n sort lort of life Ute now but she be is still eti a ireat great creat person wh when n she chooses M My dear ilear princess Madame Christopher who bad had entered en tereci tho room rOOD on her hr way to a luncheon lunch eon ton party varty paused for a moment IU and book shook h hands nd Then TJien she recognized Really ReaU eh she murmured I this I t hi i in in inmost II 1 most n H t un unexpected M M- dear du duchess vet vou have bave quito quite dc deserted Paris Puis Is I this nur d daughter u Anne I scarcely remember her And yet yet yet- yet yet-I. We met tet yesterday r terra Lady Anno Anne interrupted d promptly You ou know I want ant to be your our sc secretary Madame lda me Christopher if you Jon will wil let tet me nie Dl My Mv mother has entirely cast me uie off of so it I do doesn't matter matr The made a most piquant gesture Tt I was 35 marr really tn In n insufferable p position but she lie was determined to remain remain re reo main graceful U My v dear Madame Christopher f e said aid you YOU have baB no grown r n up chil chi dron dren of course so I I. I cannot ask up for forvour sympathy But T have han a daughter smpat here who bo i IP il qi giving n mo me a great deal of tro trouble hlo T 1 flatter fater myself that I have hac modern moden views of life but Anne well Anne Anne wel well r I wont won't discuss her ner Madame Christopher smiled Young people p are arc different nowadays nowa nowa- now days rl duchess sho she r remarked If I 11 r. r Lady dr A Anne really relY wants to como come into life Oi on her own why not notT not She Sho can n be beI I mv secretary if she choose coole chooseR I T shall hal pay Jay her just as much n as ns T should any anyone anyone one one else and I T shall shaH send her awa away if t the he is is not Dot satisfactory There are are aren a n treAt great Cret many young younS people nowadays d duchess e en she fhe continued In In vcr very much your our daughters daughter's position who do these things I J always think that it is if better hetter not Dot t to stand in their way Sir ir ir irI I J want to speak to you von before you u this leave tave thi r restaurant r have something some some- thing thin important to say sav The was wa a little taken aback n To ber lir it it seemed a so social ial cata cataclysm y m. m of that her dau daughter daugh h. h ter should propose to bo be any ones one's sec see le ry Yet this thi woman who was certainly cere of of her ller own order had bad accepted the thing thin a as entirely natural and natural and dismissed dismissed dis dis- missed mislet it even n. n with wih a few casual r rd- rd marks marh Julien who since Madame Christopher's arrival bad been standing stand lag ing in his pla place was somewhat per q Yon You are arc art here he asked aked With With the Servian ervian mi minister wife T r shall cx excuse use 1 early carb It I i i avital n. n vial vital necessity that we talk for a few minu minutes before you leave ca c b here rl Five Fhe minutes ago fCO I sent ent a a note to your toot rooms T I 1 shall be nt at Jt your service Jul Julien n replied d slowly I shall 1 expect you ou in the morning Madame Christopher said smiling at L Lady dy Anne Annc H Dont Don't be bo later than 10 o lock I r am ani always at homo after 4 duchess if YOU von arc are spending any time in hi in Paris Pans sh she added They watched her as she he passed passel to t the little ite croup who were awaiting her anna arrival She was waR certainly one ne of the themO mO most t elegant women in tb the room Lad Lady Anne Abne frown looked aft atM after her with wib a faint H I i wonder she murmured I if if I Ishall shall ball like Madame Idame Christopher I I had no idea Julien Julen the duchess remarked that that you ou were friendly with her bir i Julien Julen evaded evadel the question At At any any r rate he lie Queston said turning turin to Anne this 4 thIs will bo better beter Lo for you jou than making bows bow I I r suppose so so she sho ho assented U All the same I am m very verJ much m my own ow mistress mis mise Al tress in n t that t dusty duety little workshop If Madame Christopher int isn't that the I rae name he Bhe he chooses to be bo called caled by byi- byi beC becomes mes exacting I am not even sure that I 1 shant shan't r regret ret my bok making Tell el me exactly bow Ion long lone you OU have o known her Julien 1 I the duchess per per- per per-I slatEd Since Bince my ray arrival in Paris this time Julien answered Pars I I bad badwell had bad well a sort of introduction to her q Sho is received everywhere c the duchess c continued ed Hb because c a se I i know knowah ah she visit at t the house bouse of the tho bel j who Iho ho is one of the few y women in P Paris of the old faction who aye are are entirely exclusive At tho same aino time nl I r am told tol that she leads a cr very retired life now and is more seen in Bohemia than anywhere I am not at atal atall all al sure ure that it is a desirable association association tion ton for Anne Well 4 Well vou you ou can leave off troubling of a about ut that Anne Aime said ui eaid Remember ho however cr much we wo make believe beleve I baver have bave really r shaken the dust of respectability off o of omy my m feet Hamilton lamion Place knows meno mo me mono no longer r. r I am a dweller in tho the by ways Even E if I come back baek it will wi Leas be Le beas beas as ii a stranger People will wi be interested inter e ested t d in me perhaps as some gome one outside outside outside out out- side their l c lives ios That hat stanRo daugh daughter daught t ter r of the po poor r dear duchess you JOu know they will wi say who wh ra ran n a away 3 to Paris Some terrible affair No ono one knows the r tights rights of it Cant Can't YOU vou h hear hiar ai it all 1 f They will wUl bo be bl kind to me me of c course ull but I shant shan't belong Alas f Tb b The duch duchess ss was stUd studying her bill billand billand bi and wondering bow much DJ to tin the t tp walter waiter She he answered only ab absently My tv dear Anne you vou are enty talking quite f foolishly I wi wish h I knew she sho a few minute knew later Inter 4 what have you ou been wen reading or whom you vou ou have hae baye been meeting lately latey 4 Po bother about bout me Anne Ann 1 What you want to do now is is' to t tell ten Parkins Parkin t to pack pak up tip lp your t and Ill I'll Il come cOnc and and ec see eco you ou oa ot bytho b by the 4 o'clock train Juh Julien n must wait it outride de f for r m my future employer Vh What i I really think is 15 going goin o n t to happen i i if that ba ahoa bos 2 going to ask for lor my n char diar acter aeter Julien Julen be merciful to mc met mel Remember Remember Re member that o above all things thil s I have always been respectable ni Remind her that if I w were re too intelligent I should probably rob her of her ber secrets or money or something I am ani really realy a most machinelike person Nature meant me to t be secretary to a clever woman and my handwriting handwriting handwriting-don't dOn't dOnt nt forget forRet my handwriting Noth Nothing n so cleaT clear or 80 so rapid has hR ever been seen The duchess signed her bill bi slightly the tho waiter and and accepted bis his subdued thanks with a gracious smile smie H I I can B see e. e she said as they l left ft the tho room rOOD I that I shall shaH have havo to wash my hands of you N Nevertheless o I sha shall 1 not lose hope bope I J Sho shook hands solemnly with Julion Julion Ju Ju- lion Hon and ho performed a n lk like ceremony with Lad Lady Anne When shall I see soe you 1 be he asked asker the latter hatter You Yon had better bettor question Madame I Christopher concerning my evenings out she replied u It I Is 18 not a matter matterT I I T know much about I 1 am sure IOu you are arc quite Quie welcome to any of them I Julien Tulen found a scat in the broad pas pa I Several acquaintances ces pass passed cd to and fro ho whom so far as 38 possible he avoided a Madame Christopher came at last Jat She was the center of a n little party part who wore were on their wa way into the lounge When she sho neared Julien however how how- ever she be paused and made Dade her ber adieux I He lie rose roe and waited for her expectantly U Wo We W arc to talk here bo ho asked She Sho nodded H In In that corner She pointed to a a more retired spot He followed her there Order some sonic coffee I she directed He lie obeyed her herand and tho they were promptly prompt prompt- ly h served She waited chatting idly of ot their luncheon party of the coincidence of meeting with ith duchess until they were entirely freed from observation stol Then she hc leaned toward to ard him Sir Sir JuH Julien she said taid I I havo have read reat your our articles n. n the tho first and tho second You arc are a brave man He lie smiled Are you going to tt warn me once more against Herr ho he asked She shook her head If I you do not know knoW your your danger J she continued you would bo too great greata a n fool to be e worth Morth warning Remember Remember ber that camo came from Berlin as fast as express trains traiD and his racing car could brin bring him the moment he read th the first I r L ha have 0 alread already had bad n brief but somewhat unpleasant nt interview with wih him bim Julien JuJen remarked I HI con congratulate you she went ent on 4 o Unpleasant interviews ou with Herr Freudenberg generally and differently Now listen to me I have p ha a proposition to make There is one house in Paris where you OU will wi be safe safe min mine I offer you your its is' is work shelter sheler Come there and finish Julien made no reply He Ho sipp sipped d his coffee for a moment moment Then he turned slowly round Madame Christopher lu lp said aid once you told me mc that you disliked and distrusted all al men men Why then theD should I trust you yon l' l She winced a i little but her tone when whon she sho answered him was free freo of of- of lease fenee Why should you xou ou i indeed she re reo 1 plied led Yet YOU vou you should remember that the man nina a against ain t whose cherished schemes 5 your articles are aro dinc directed d is is the man whom I have hac moro more cause to hate than any other in iD the world Herr I ho he murmured H Prince Adolf Ru Rudolf olf von Falkenberg Falken ber berg sho she corrected him Do you ou know kno the story of my married life HI 1 have ha never heard it IL he told her ber I HI I w will spare spar you the details she continued continued My Mv l husband married me with wih the sole idea idea of using my house my friends frends my social position here for forthe the furtherance of his schemes Uner Un Un- Jer er my roof I discovered meetings of spies spies paid to sub suborn r the different differ differ- cut ent services services in this the country the navy the tho army the railway works Wen When I protested he ho laughed eat at me Ho Ito le made madeno no secret of his ambitions He Ho is the tho sworn and inveterate in enemy enem- of your country His feen feeling a against Franco France Fance is isa a slight ht thing in compari comparison on with his bis hatred of Fn England land F For or r the last laft ten years lie he has done nothing but scheme to humiliate her Wh When n I discovered to to what purpose sc my house was being bing put I bade him leave leavo it I bade bale him choose another hotel and when he lie saw that fI was in earnest he lie obeyed It I is isone isone i one of the conditions of our separation that ho he does not cross my threshold That is is why I say sa- Sir Julien Jullen Julen that you Jon have havo nothing to fear ear in accepting the shelter of m mj my roof Madame Christopher Julion lulien Julon said earnestly earnesty U I I am most grateful for your offer At the same tint time I honestly hon hone esty estly do not believe that I have ha e anything anything any any- I thi thing to fear anywhere herr Her euden ber berg has m made dc one attempt upon m me I and ha hR failed T J do not think be he is i I likely to risk riek everything c by any open assaults Jt In these those civilized days das of the police the telephone and tho the law la courts one is not riot so much at the mercy of ofa a 8 stron strong man nina as in the old days 1 I do donot donot donot not fear Herr Her Freudenber Madame adame Christopher shrugged ged her shoulders ders My friend she admitted I admire ad mire your courage but listen You say that one attempt has already been made to ail li nce you For o every letter Jetter you write there will wi be another er made At each f fr fresh sh one these creatures of Herr Horr Freudenberg's Freudenber Js will wi have learned mor more mor cunning In the end they are arc bou hound bound cl to suc succeed cd Why risk riek your life I offer my nw house as a sanctuary There is IS no need for you to pass outside it You could take the exercise you require re reo quire in m my garden which is bounded hounded by four of ot the highest walls was in n Paris You can sit in a ro room m apart from the rest of the house with wih three locked doors between you OU and the tho others You may write there freely and without fear smiled I I am afraid it is my irly stupidity I he paid taid aid I but but I J cannot possibly bring myself to believe e belc in the existence of any danger I 1 will wi promise 3 OU this thia if I may If I an any further attempt should i ibo bo be made upon me nie mc an any attempt which came camo camp in the least near being successful I will wm remember your offer ofer For the present my may mind is made up I shall remain where I am ani She shrugged led her bor shoulders Ingrate Not Not that by any m means be assured as as- b her heartily bearty U You You know that I Iam Iam Iam am grateful You know that if I refuse refuse re re- rc- rc fuse for the moment your Yur offer it is i not because I r mi mistrust you I simply feel that I should hould be |