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Show i SLw THE MAIDS OF lajt. PARADISE , fSHllsF Robert W.Chambers jkJBfJBMl $jL Author of "Cardigan',5nic Conspiraiof3H 8YNOP8IS. CHAPTER I-ScArlett, an American soldier or fortune in the employ of tho French Imperial Police at the outbreak of thu Kmnco-Pruialan war. Is ordered to arrc-it John Uuckhurst, a loader of thq Communlsu. who la suspected of hairing1 tolun the French crown Jewel. While voarchlng for Uuckhurst Scarlett la ordered or-dered to arrest Countess do Vaaaart and her ETOup of socialists and escort then to the Belgian border. CHAPTKH 11-ticarlett finds flylrla Elven of tho Odeon dlsgulsod aa a peasant peas-ant aid carries her to La Truppo, where the omntess and her friends are assent-hlad. assent-hlad. UllAl-rtSll Ill-All are arrested. The counteaa saves Scarlett from a fatal fall from the roof of tho house. He denounces Uuckhurst as the leader of the Ileds and tho countess conducts him to whore Uuckhurst Uuck-hurst Is secreted. CHAPTER IV-Cenimn Uhlans descend on the place and Uuckhurst escapes during dur-ing tho melee. Scurlott ts wounded. CHAPTER V Ho recovers consclousi ness In tho countess' home nt Morsbronn, whoro ho Is cared for by tho countess. A nerco battle Is foujfht In the street between French and Prussian soldiers. CHAPTER Vl-Uuckhurst professes re. Sentence and returns tho crown Jewels to carlett. He declares he will give hlmHolf up to tho authorities. Scarlett doubts his Klncerlty. Uuckhurst urges the countess to go to Paradlso. CHAPTEU VH-Uuckhurst admits that he receives pay from tho Prussians for Information which he does not give. Hu secures passoorts to tho French lines for Scarlett, thi countess and himself. CHAPTER VHIT8cnrlott reports to the' secret service in Pnrht and nnds Mornao. shadow of the emperor. In charge. Ho scposlts the crown jewols and later, when making a detailed report, finds that pebble have been substituted for the real stones, speed, a comrade In the service, warns Scarlett that Mornao is dangerous. Hu also Informs him Unit all tho government trcasuro Is being transported to the coast for shipment out of the country. Scarlett Scar-lett and Speed cscapo to Join a circus. i PART SECOND. CHAPTER IX. Tho Road to Paradise. On tho 3rd of November Dyram's American circus, traveling slowly over-land over-land toward tho Spanish frontier, drow up for an hour's rest at Qulmporlo. V, however, as usual, prepared to rldq" forwnrd to select a proper placo for our oncatnpmoftt, nnd to procure the necessary llconso. Wo wero In seedy circumstances; an endless chain of bad luck had fol, lowed us from Chnrtres. Tho fortune that Dyram had made In tho provlous year was already gone; wo no longer traveled by rail; wo no longer slopt nt Inns; wo could barely pay ror tho food for our nnlmals. "dot enough ensh for tho license?" uskod Dyrnm, uneasily. "Plenty, governor; don't worry," I replied, and sot my horso at a gallop over tho old Btono bridge. I pafleod a Btono houso, another; then tho whlto road curved under tho trees and I rodo straight Into tho heart of Paradlso, my horse's hoofs nwaklng echoes In tho silent, stone-paved square A young girl with a faco like tho Mndonnn stolo across tho nquaro In hor felt shoes. -i "Can you tell mo whero tho mayor lives?" I asked, looking down at her from my horao. . "Hoi la; oul, monsieur, bI'1 fautblen. Thu mayor Is nt. breakfast In his kitchen kitch-en yondor." "Thank you, my child." I turned my horso across tho shady squaro to a stono houso banked up, with bed on bed of scarlot geraniums. Tho windows wero open; a fat man with very small oyos Bat Intfido eating uiuquujIoL I told him that I wanted a llconso ror a circus to camp for ono night; that I nlso desired pormlsslou to pitch camp somowhero In tho vicinity. Ho mndo out the llconso, Btnmpod It, banded band-ed It to mo, und I paid him tho usual foe. "How much-will It coBt to have your town-crler announco tho coming of the circus?" I Inqulrod. "That will cost ten sous If he drums nnd reads tho announcement from boro to the chateau." I gnvo tho mnyor ten coppor pen-nleB. pen-nleB. Tho mayor glanced at mo. "ParlB still holde out?" ho askod, with a yawn. "Oh yes," I replied. "And tho wur Is it still olng badly for us?" "Thero Is nlwayB hopo." I answered. ' Hopo," ho grumbled; ;'oh yes, wo know what hopo Ib-t-wo of tho coast llvo on It when thero's no bread; but' hopo novor yet tilled my belly for mo. Why, not a keel has passed out or tho, port since August. Wherq Is tho fish- Ing Moot? Where are tho sardine sloops that ought to havo sailed from Alglors? Whero nro tho Icelanders?" "Havo tho German crulBers frightened fright-ened nil your croH from tho sea?" I asked, astonished. "Yes, partly. Thon there's an ugly French cruiser lying off Croix, yondor, and her black stacks aro dribbling smoko all day and all night. We have "I'll Cry Your Edicts and I'll Drum for You, Tool" orders to keep off and use Lorlont when wo want a port." "You believe the cruiser out at sea yonder Is going to bring you evil?" "Sho has brought it. But It's all tho eamo to mo. I am mayor, and exempt, and I havo cider and tobacco and boudln for a few months yet." At that momenfwo both caught sight of a peasant running and waving a packet of blue papers In the air. "Monsieur the mayor! Monsieur tho I mayorl" he called, while still far away. "Cre cochon do mainour!" muttered tho mayor, turning pale. "He's -sot a tolegraml" Ho turned to mo, almoBt bursting with suppressed prophecy. "It bus come tho evil that tho black cruiser brings us! You laughed! Tonoz, monsleurf there's your bad luck In these bluo morsels of paper!" And ho snatched tho telegram from tho breathlesB messenger, roadlug It with dilating eyes. When at length tho magistrate bad mastered tho conteuts of his telegram, ho looked up with a stupid staro. "I want my drummer. Whero's trio town-crler?" ho demanded, as though dazed. "Ho has gone to Lorlent, m'sleu tho mayor," ventured the messenger. "To got drunk. I roraomber. Im-beclle! Im-beclle! Why did ho go today? Are thero not six other dnyB In tblB cursed week? Who Is thero to drum? Nobody. No-body. Nobody knows how In Paradise. Para-dise. Solgneur, DIeu! tho Ignorance of this town!" ' "M'elou tho mayor," ventured the messenger, "thero's Jacqueline" "Ho! Vrnl. Tho Lizard's young one! Sho can drum, they say." "Tho llttlo witch can drum them nwnko In Ker-Is," muttored the messenger. mes-senger. Tho mayor roso, looked around tho Bquaro, frowned. Thon ho ralBcd his volco In a bellow: "Jncquollno! Jac-quollno! Jac-quollno! Thou Jacquollno!" A far volco answor.ed, faintly breaking break-ing ucrosa tho square from tho bridge: "She Is on tho rocks with her Boa-rako!" Boa-rako!" Tho mayor thrust tho bluo telegram Into his pocket and waddled out of his garden, across tho squaro, and up the path to tho cliffs. Uulnvltod, I went with him. CHAPTER X. The Town-Crier. Tlio boll In the unseen chapel ceasod ringing us wo camo out on tho cliffs of Paradlso, whoro, on tho horizon, the sun hung low, bolted with a single ribbon of vlolot cloud. Helow tho cliffs, on a crescent of flat sand, from which Blugglsh, rotiy rlvu-lots rlvu-lots crawled Boawurd, a man stood looking out ucross tho wntor. And tho mnyor stopped and called down to him: "Oho, tho Lizard! I want somebody some-body to drum und road a proclamation. Whero's Jucquellno?" At this Instant a young girl, a more child, appeared on tho beach, drngglng i Bca-rnko over tho ground behind her. 3ho was a lltho creature, Imro-Haibed ind rngged, with tho aea-tnn on throat ind knoo. The girl caught Bight of 'bo mayor and gnvo him a laughing greeting which ho returned with a hrug. "If you wunt a town-crlor," sho called up, In a dollclously fresh volco, icarcoly tinged with tho accent, "I'll :ry your edicts nnd I'll drum for you, tool" The girl thrqw her rako Into a boat ind leaped upon tho rocks at tho base )f tho cliff.. "Jacquellnol Dftn't como up that way!" bawled tho mayor, horrlflod. 'Hoy! Robert! Oho!! Lizard! Stop er or she'll break her neck" Breathless, hot, und laughing, the girl pulled herself up over tho'edgo ol tho cliff, I held out my hand to aid her, but sho pubbed It awny, crying, 'Thank you all thu same, but hon 1 am." Tho mayor looked at hor angrily, but, probably remembering he was at hor morcy, suppressed his wrath and hold out tho telegram. "Can you read that, my child?" "Yea, 1 can read it. Why not? Can't you7" "Head? I the mayor of Paradise!" ropeated tho outraged maglstrato. "What do you mean, lizard of lizards! gorso cat!" "Now ir you aro going to say such things I won't drum ror you," said th child, glancing at mo out ot hor sea-bluo sea-bluo eyos and giving a shako to her olMocks. I gavo her a handbill; at tho Aral glanco her oyos Bparkled, tho color deepened under her coat ot nmber tan; she caught hor breath and read rapidly to tho ond. "Oh, how benutirul," Bhu said, soHly. "Am I to read this In the square?" "I will glvo you a franc to road It, Jacquollno." "No, no only oh, do lot mo como In and see tho heavenly wondore! Would you, monsleur7 I I cannot pay but would could you lot the como In? I will read your notice, any-wuy," any-wuy," sho addod, with a quavor In her volco. (Contliicd 'next weok.) |
