Show I. I STORIES OF F SPIES 1 By Albert Pay Payson son Terhune Terhune- Terhune THE CHEVALIER DEON CEON Spy of Mystery This French girl girl demure demure beautiful and highly educated journeyed educated journeyed from her Burgundy home to Russia in 1748 The damsel was equipped with credentials credentials creden creden- introducing her as Mile Genevieve Gene- Gene Genevieve vieve de Beaumont was presented resented to theR the R Ru e ian siah czarina Elizabeth izabeth and was wasso wasso so fortunate as to attract the stodgy m monarchs monarch's interest Finding that th the girl had an eX exquisite contralto voice olce and was line a elocutionist the czarina appointed her r official reader eader of the t court For hours ever every day Gen Genevieve vieve would read aloud to the empress When ministers of state had occasion to br break ak in on the reading the young Frenchwoman would withdraw discreetly discreetly dis- dis j dis-j erectly to the far end of the room and i j become absorbed in a a. book bool So completely did she efface herself herself her her- herself i self at such times that the others used to forget her presence So completely I did she lose herself in the book she I Iwas i I was reading that it was necessary to i speak several times to her before she I j i could hear I i Therefore state secrets and other I I bits of diplomatic conversation were eie I freely discussed where Genevieve was The czarina was too fond 0 of the d de demurely 1 I mutely reverential girl that in in answer to Genevieve's artless queries she used to babble to her by the hour houi about Russian diplomacy Elizabeth also asked Genevieve many questions about France and w was wasat was wasat s' s sat at last guided in more than one point of international intrigue by the advice of this quiet reader of hers who had I I won such influence over the empress empress' j mind Bit by bit Elizabeth was won over to I Frances France's side in the matter of certain important treaties etc ete And bit by bit France began to profit by secret tidings tidings tid tid- ings that leaked mysteriously from the Russian court Before the net of suspicion could close around Genevieve she wen to France Elizabeth was bitters bitter I ry to have her dear reader de des But Genevieve promised to s sei sen n I brother the Chevalier dEor ic her place She bespoke the czi friendship and protection for foi I brother brothe w for j A few months later the Ch dEon arrived in m the Russian e I with letters from his sister G Gen Gento nf to the empress He was a hand band I dashing young fellow witty ant antI and andI i I petie and a murderously br bi brI i I duelist I 1 j By this time Genevieve's Geneviee's spy i j was as pretty a accurately sia Sla and a sharp watch was k 8 s' s sher I her brother But presently thi this funess relaxed when it beam becan I parent that he was a mere spend jand and lazy libertine whose sole ob obi life i life was to have a good timely time DEon did not around go less less questions as had bad his sister yawned when was 1 I Drinking and dueling were t tI th ih pursuits which interested him hiral I Nevertheless Russian secrets l to filter through to F Also the czarina became suddenly I er to side with France against J sla sia in a a. war that was brewing brewing- I And gradually statesmen gt IfE re looking lookin askance at the sprightly a Her dEon Before long he hed d it was far more healthful to r ret tt France France than to dawdle dle his time Um in Russia So he went a aThen Then the truth came out D Dc Genevieve de Beaumont anc and ald swashbuckling Chevalier dEo dEon not brother and sister f They were one and the same sam l DEon was one of the cleverest attached to the French court of off XV Through his genius Russi been playing steadily into Tr Fla Fra hands bands during a of fevere crises And the spy ha hi caned unharmed t It To fo this day there is a certain whether dEon was a man or at awe aw ic Ha Hrs or she sh shwas was able to adopt role with perfect convincingness same doubt by the way has bee beeD upon Charles XII II the young young-vt VI kin king of or Sweden JI |