River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-01-13

! TdSSCG Tor money OWING 10 MS losses
at play during the week, and begged
| his acceptance Of the sum incloscd as
! loan.
1T is quite true that Jack had lost
good deal of money at cards in the
! preceding week. but even without that
he was in serious pccuuiary difficult
| ties. He had always been an eNtraya-
giant be ggar, and had gone the pace
pretty hard. with the result that he
! had about reached his limit and al this
time WAS in sore straits for money.
Only that morning. indeed. he had re-
ceived a more than usually curt intima
| ton from a London money lender that
unless sum, amounting 10 several hun
| dred pounds. which had been advanced
on bills. was paid without further de-
| Iay. proceedings would be taken
I against him. Nfter some thought. mud
a considerable amount Of hesitation.
the money lent so oPportuucly- in
/ opportuucly-was RENTED 10 London.
and Jack stood committed to breach
OF trust. For his eyes were quite open
| to the terms on which the loan was
given.
That evening he again met the
/ baron. and, having S2nifed his deter
mination to sell his knowledge, the
! TWO proceeded to discuss prelminaries.
| The baron wished Jack to give the in
formation himself, but this be firmly
refused 10 do. He represented the
/ great risk of discovery and consequent
/ ruin he would run. no matter how the
affair was managed; and to reduce that
/ risk 10 a minimum he submitted plan,
| ingenious in its very simplicity. which,
| ii properly carried through, would pre-
vent anyone knowing that the dispatch
! had been tempered with.
| Immediately they were settled, he
explained, note Of the terms Of the
/ treaty would be carried by queen S mes
sengcr from Vienna to London, via
Brussels aud Ostcnd. 1t would be his
duty TO prepare this dispatch and he
would make il his business to accom-
panv the messenger to the depot Os-
teusibly for the purpose of seeing him
start on his journey. In the depot they
would accidentally meet the baron
/ CpreyiouslV uotiiiedl, and an introduc-
ton would naturally follow. In an
/ sNycr to Jacks loudly expressed aston
ishment ut meeting him there, Mirabel
/ was to explain, in the presence of the
/ messenger. that he had been uneNpect-
] c,ilv called to Brussels. and deplore
/ chat, owing to the suddcuncss of the
/ call he had been unable TO reserve a
I compartment. The Vuecn's messenger
| could then hardly fail to offer, or in the
event of his not Offering. he could be
asked for, and could hardly refuse, a
seat in his compartment Once fairly
/ off the baron was, after drucging his
! companion. to make himself master of
I the dispatches. which, when read were
10 be incloscd in duplicate envelope
1 supplied for the purpose by Jack. From
/ BRUSSELS they could be telegraphed TO
( St. Petersburg, and the Russian govern
Iment would thus learn the decision
/ come to at least &C hours before il began
/ to be acted upon. If all went well. the
queens messenger. on awakening from
/ his sleep. and finding his packet APP
! parcntly intact. would simply think
/ tina; the baron had considerably for
( borne 10 disturb him when leaving the
, train nj Brussels. ard dismiss the sub
/ iect from his mind. Lastly, Jack in
sisted on payment of 1,500 at once;
I the balance to bc RENTED from Brus-
se's. He justified this stipulation about
the money by explaining, and, doubt
/ less. eNaggerating, his embarrassed
pecunary position.
by this nice little plot. Master Jack
calculated on keeping himself safe and
making at least 1.5Oo. in addition TO
the / 500 he had received, no matter
what occurred. and tht baron was
forced to consent 10 1t, Us Jack refused
TO make known the dispatch in any
other way Only az a condition Of max