The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-12-25

antee he had handed over to the banker
the fac-simile of the message which con-
tanned there could be no doubt-the
secret of the conspiracy.
1t may, perhaps, be said that Sandorf
was imprudsnt in acting thus Under
such circumstances to introduce
stranger into the house where such i'm
portant matters we're in hand, on the
very eve of rising, of which the signal
might be sent at any moment, might
seem an act of strange imprudence.
But the Count had not acted thus with
out being obliged.
It was necessary that his personal af-
fairs should be put in order now that he
was about to enter on q perilous adven-
ture in which he risked his life, or at
least exile, if he was obliged to fly in the
event OF failure. Besides the intreduc-
ton of stranger into Zathmars house
appeared to him calculated to prevent
suspicion. He fancied that for some
days-and we know that he was not
mistaken-there had been spies in the
Acquedotta; spies no other than Sarcany
and Zirone. We're the police of Trieste
him and their proceedings? Sandorf
might we'll think so and fear 80. If the
meeting place of the conspirators,
hitherto so obstinately kept hidden,
seemed to him to be suspected, what
better means of battling suspicion could
be devised than to admit within it an
accountant merely busying himself with
accounts? How could the presence of
clerk be dangerous to Zathmar and his
guests? In no way. There was no
longer any interchange of ciphered cor
respondence between Trieste and the
other towns of Hungary. All the papers
relating to the movement had been de-
stroyed. There remained no written
trace of the conspiracy. The measures
had been taken; they were not intended
to be taken. Count Sandorf had only
to give the signal when the moment
! arrived. So that the introduction of
clerk into the house, which the Govern.
ment might have under surveillance,
was calculated to allay all suspicion.
That is to say, the reasoning was Just
and the precaution good, had the clerk
been any one else than Snrcany. and his
introducer any other than Silas Toron.
thai
Sarcany was a postmaster in duplic.
ity, and took full advantage of the
gifts he possessed-his open face, h,s
frank, clear expression, and his honest,
straightforward look Count Sandori
and his two companions could not but
be taken with hlm-and they were
taken with him. In no way did he show
OF learn that he was in the presence OF
the chiefs OF conspiracy to raise the
Hungarian race in revolt against the
Germans. Matthias Sandorf, Stephen
Bathory and Ladislas Zathnar seemed
at their meetings 30 he only occupied
with discussions on art and science
There was no secret correspondence;
there were no mysterious conlings and
geings about the house. But Sarcany
knew what he wanted The chance lie
wanted was sure to come IN turn. and he
waited for it. ~, .;....
In entering ZathmAys house SarcAny
had but one object in view-to possess
himself Of the grating that woulI enable
him to decipher the cyyptogrAn,; and rs
no ciphered despatch arrived at Trieste.
he began 10 ask himselfi il. for pr,lden.
ial reasons, the grating had been do
,troyed7 This would be rather annoy
ing for him, as all tho scnlfOltling OF his
scheme was basea on his being able 70
read the letter brought by the pigeon.
Thus, % he worked OF putting IN or
der the aecounssof Mashias SAndorf. he
kept his eyes opon; he watched, he
spied. Admission 10 the room where
the meetings took place between Faith
mar and his companions was not forbid
den him. Z, Very often he worked there
all alone and then his eyes and his fin
gers were occupied in quite other tasks
than making calculations or casting
figures. He ferreted among the papers
he opened the drawers by means Of
skeleton keys made for him by Zirone.
who was quite an adept in such matters
And oil the time he kept strict watch
on Borik. with whom he seemed some
how, quite out Of sympathy.
For five days Sarcany's search was
useless. Each morning he came with
the hope of succeeding; each evening he
returned to his hotel without having
discovered anything. He feared he was
going to fail after all in his criminal en-
terprize. The conspiracy-if there were
conspiracy, and he could not doubt
that there was one--might come to
head at any moment before it had been
discovered, and consequently before it
had been reported.