A Prince to Order

n coverlet; he turned on his side and the linen pillow-case was cool to his cheek; through half-open eyelids a sweep of pale blue became visible. Later he realised that he was in a curtained bed and

Then in a flash the unfamiliarity of his surroundings aroused him suddenly, sharply, like a cold plunge, and his brain cleared a trifle. His memory

passed and he raised himself on one elbow, resting his cheek on his hand. At the contact he started, amazed, bewildered. In some unaccountable manner he had grown a beard. His hand ran from his cheek to his chin. Close-cropped at th

d returned home late, and, having a pressing business appointment at ten this morning, had dragged himself out of bed at eight,

k as a Spaniard, was as blond as a Norseman. He ran his fingers through his hair, tousled it, going closer to the glass to make sure that there was not some optical illusion. He puffed out his lip and pulled at his moustache until his lowered eyes could see it, and he thrust

ped-back blue velvet curtains. At the head of each bed were six pillows and another of down at the foot. The full-length mirror into which he had gazed was duplicated between two windows. Upon the mantel was a bronze and gilt clock, flanked by partially burned candles in brass sticks. Two tables, a couch, a washstand, a cheffonier, thre

ied across sea and land and dropped into a Paris hotel on the Boulevard des Italiens, was not only inconceivable but terrifying. He was very pale, and his brain was reeling. Twice he drew trembling fingers across his eyes, as if to wipe out the kaleidoscope of the street below; but when he looked again

night, but he could recall nothing of the cause. It occurred to him now that he had read in the newspapers of cases where men had lost their memory for months and had wandered into remote states or countries. This must be the explanation. And in his aberration he had given way to some freak of fanc

he could judge by the trees on the boulevard, and the tables in front of the Café Riche across the road, and the straw hats, it must be early summer-late May or June; possibly, indeed, July. And all this time his friends a

ce; the theories they must have advanced and the pictures they must have published. And then the tragic side of the affair took hold of him, and he put himself in his mother's plac

ire which, while quite as unfamiliar as his yellow hair and beard, was nevertheless tasteful and well fitting, he emerged from his room, locked the door and started forth on a tour8 of investigation. His curiosity had grown with his dressing, enhance

yes was the afternoon panorama of the gayest of Paris thoroughfares. It was the newspaper hour, and a kiosk in front of the hotel was being besieged by a horde, each hungry for his favourite journal. Every man that passed had a paper in his hand or in his pocket. Some were reading as they walked. On th

raph office, for he meant to lose no time in despatching his cables. As he picked his way through the narrow street the messages took form, and on reaching

Sailing first steam

street, New York, and one to "Malgrey," the code name of the st

vard, he sauntered leisurely towards the Avenue

unfamiliar reflection in the plate glass of the shop windows he failed utterly to recognise. He crossed the Place de l'Opéra without so much as turning his head, and halting at the far corner stepped in under the ample awning of the Caf

n, mon

d was apologising. Startled out of his reverie he looked

all that's good

urned upon him a look in which mystifica

coldly, "I-I don't r

some embarrassment, "I can quite understand that you s

's demeanour sh

y in New York, a member of the Knickerbocker and the union; b

the news of his own demise, "I'll try to explain. I'm Carey Grey, just the

outed suspicion from the field. He took a chair and Grey

ey began, "tell me what

e four

wh

e, of c

f the

urs

adn't the sl

ancied the ma

hen he proceeded to relate his afternoon's experience, while

concluded, "since that morning last winter-I

as t

nter, then-January,

ounted back. He wondered whether it

f it," Grey went on, eagerly. "D

was the ultima

e they searc

d up every clue. There were columns i

ighed

et in the unsettled condition it was, but my memory was always clear enough. Why, I could give you the closing price and highest and lowest of about every active stock

ack, Grey," replied Fro

nued; "I'm the modern Rip Van Winkle. Thousands of things have happened-must have happen

claimed Frothingh

k Mallory, my partner. He'll be surp

God,

s the

across the table, each a picture

u, that you are taking me in? I did fancy for a little while that you'd gone off your head; but I was wrong. You're sharp and shrewd, and you feared I had recognised you and that that was wh

n him. The blood rushed to his face only to desert it. His fists doub

ed, in a hoarse whisper. "Ta

ination; no, nor at this juncture, his honesty. Fr

said anything, I-I-well, of course you don't understand. I see it no

not used to being called a blackguard. I've never in my life done anything to be seriou

gestion of a smile on his lips. He calmly unbutto

imply anything; but-I wish you would sit down, Grey!-you say you've lost co

ndreds of things probably in which he was personally interested. The thought instantly became appalling. What,

uite right, I suppose. One of

upting him, "that you left New York suddenly-disappeared totally

ed to his face fled again. He leaned across

, breathlessly.17 "My God, Fr

I have chosen for myself, and I prefer that you don't question me. What you have told me-and I'm satisf

hour ago. I

e, I suppose,

ancy

were you. It

God's sake, ma

e New York Herald at the office of the Paris paper. It's only a block or so away, you know. Look up last January. But I'd try to

ce on the table, and hurried int

out, 46,"

his messages had been dispatched and that no po