MAIDS OF PARADISE
by ROBERT W. CHAMBERS





THE MAIDS OF PARADISE

A Novel

by

ROBERT W. CHAMBERS

Author of "Cardigan" "The Conspirators" "Maid-at-Arms" etc.

Illustrated







[Illustration: "'LOOK THERE!' SHE CRIED, IN TERROR" [See p. 81]]



[Illustration]

New York and London
Harper & Brothers
Publishers 1903

Copyright, 1902, by Robert W. Chambers.
All rights reserved.

Published September, 1903.




PREFACE


As far as the writer knows, no treasure-trains were actually sent to
the port of Lorient from the arsenal at Brest. The treasures remained
at Brest.

Concerning the German armored cruiser _Augusta_, the following are the
facts: About the middle of December she forced the blockade at
Wilhelmshafen and ran for Ireland, where, owing to the complaisance of
the British authorities, she was permitted to coal.

From there she steamed towards Brest, capturing a French merchant
craft off that port, another near Rochefort, and finally a third. That
ended her active career during the war; a French frigate chased her
into the port of Vigo and kept her there.

To conclude, certain localities and certain characters have been
sufficiently disguised to render recognition improbable. This is
proper because "The Lizard" is possibly alive to-day, as are also the
mayor of Paradise, Sylvia Elven, Jacqueline, and Speed, the latter
having barely escaped death in the _Virginius_ expedition. The
original of Buckhurst now lives in New York, and remains a type whose
rarity is its only recommendation.

Those who believe they recognize the Countess de Vassart are doubtless
in error. Mornac, long dead, is safe in his disguise; Tric-Trac was
executed on the Place de la Roquette, and celebrated in doggerel by an
unspeakable ballad writer. There remains Scarlett; dead or alive, I
wish him well.

ROBERT W. CHAMBERS.
Ormond, Florida, _Feb. 7_, 1902.




[Illustration: To E.M.C.]




CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
I. At the Telegraph 3
II. The Government Interferes 21
III. La Trappe 34
IV. Prisoners 50
V. The Immortals 65
VI. The Game Begins 87
VII. A Struggle Foreshadowed 110
VIII. A Man to Let 136
IX. The Road to Paradise 159
X. The Town-Crier 171
XI. In Camp 180
XII. Jacqueline 195
XIII. Friends 207
XIV. The Path of the Lizard 229
XV. Forewarned 253
XVI. A Restless Man 265
XVII. The Circus 280
XVIII. A Guest-Chamber 303
XIX. Trйcourt Garden 318
XX. The Semaphore 339
XXI. Like Her Ancestors 353
XXII. The Secret 381




ILLUSTRATIONS

"'LOOK THERE!' SHE CRIED, IN TERROR" _Frontispiece_
"'ACROSS THAT MEADOW,' SAID THE YOUNG GIRL" _Facing p_. 22
"TO RIGHT AND LEFT, PRUSSIAN LANCERS WERE RIDING" " 62
"A COMPANY OF TURCOS CAME UP" " 74
"'HALT! HALT!' HE SHOUTED" " 84
"EVERY BRIDGE WAS GUARDED" " 124
"SISTERS OF CHARITY WERE GIVING FIRST AID" " 132
"I WAS ON MY KNEES" " 298




PART FIRST




THE MAIDS OF PARADISE




I

AT THE TELEGRAPH


On the third day of August, 1870, I left Paris in search of John
Buckhurst.

On the 4th of August I lost all traces of Mr. Buckhurst near the
frontier, in the village of Morsbronn. The remainder of the day I
spent in acquiring that "general information" so dear to the
officials in Paris whose flimsy systems of intelligence had already
begun to break down.

On August 5th, about eight o'clock in the morning, the military
telegraph instrument in the operator's room over the temporary
barracks of the Third Hussars clicked out the call for urgency, not
the usual military signal, but a secret sequence understood only by
certain officers of the Imperial Military Police. The operator on duty
therefore stepped into my room and waited while I took his place at
the wire.

I had been using the code-book that morning, preparing despatches for
Paris, and now, at the first series of significant clicks, I dropped
my left middle finger on the key and repeated the signal to Paris,
using the required variations. Then I rose, locked the door, and
returned to the table.

"Who is this?" came over the wire in the secret code; and I answered
at once: "Inspector of Foreign Division, Imperial Military Police, on
duty at Morsbronn, Alsace."

After considerable delay the next