Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19

time we will talk
Hollywood motioned Counsellor back to
the camp bed. while he himself sat down on
the table.
Il fancy, John, we are both rather in the
dark about all this" began Counsellor
Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine"
MY orders clear enough Rally
wood said. Il to take charge of a
prisoner, to be brought to me by the in
coming mail. at the spot where met you
You arrived queerly. I admit. rolling along
the down line. but you are undoubtedly the
person of whom 1 was instructed to take
charge"
ALL begin to see There may be many
men In Nassau who would rob me, but
there is only one man who could do 1t so
clumsiy.'
Count Sagan?"
Naturally But to return, I left you at
the castle looking for Colendorp; whether
you found him or not does not come into
this affair. Perhaps he was in Sagan's way
and he removed him"
with knife"
THAT is quite in the counts mskner
Well. got safely to England. wherS my
business took day and half longer than
I expected l received my dispatches, and
800 miles from here l took the precaution of
removing them from my dispatch box. At
ter we had left the frontier station noticed
that our train had lost half its length. and
that was in the last carriage. / didn't like
ii. II is never healthy for a dispatch box
to travel in an end compartment. That is
a tempting of fate"
Counsellor stopped as If to collect his
thoughts again.
After a little the pace slackened and
felt a sharp jolt. They were switching me
on TO the down line an Improvement upon
the original plan so like the counts manner
that it almost proves he must have been on
the spot experimenting opera tons. Next
it was a face at the window. 1 used
my revolver, but they stunned me and rob-
bed me and left 1t to the night mail to close
my mouth for good. Now you know where
you are. John Ral.ywood; you are abetting
a crime. and a crime against your own
country, against England"
Hollywood laughed. but a laugh against
oneself has bad sound with it.
1t seems the day has come when I find
my enemies dressed in red." he said.
Why. yes. Il you choose to put it so. If
You either carry these dispatches on for
Cnziar or remain to keep me prisoner, you
PLAY Germanys game for her
The chancellor sent me here
Counsejlor's short. angry grunt of deris-
ion SUI prised him.
Mile Valerie may be loyal. but Selpdorf
Is at the bottom of the whole plot Does he
guess there is any bond of liking or inter
est between you and his daughter? # So
he sent you here to break you. He knew
that between the conflicting claims of
mans public and private honor lie shame
and often death. Do YOU not see that
among them they bent on running
you! Just now, when l hoped all might be
yours that man can ask for, Your Chi
cago cousin at Queens F'ain is diving and
you are his heir. Yet you are to be ruined
ruined by the hate of Elmur and Sasan.
ana what are you to Selpdorf but a fly to
De crushed whose presence annoys him."
Are you sure of this? His sending me
TO be witness of your assassination fits in
badly with the theory of his COLLISION"
perfectly; Sagan stulti1ed the scheme.
mat was all. Seipdorf forgot that Sagan is
a wiz beast who can only be fed with
blood. Counsellor paused 1.-The high
way foobery with violence TO which | have
been subjected is Sagan's buII-headed trans
latioh or Selpdorfs hint to detain me- Thus.
according to their calculations before 7 can
get 10 Revonde the duke will have been in
Guced to lend himself to some other course.
II Is not hard TO read their tactics They
run run on old llnes. So you see. there is only
one way out of it-you must help me- John
" nat advice he might have offered 20
i.dils WOOD as simple man to man occupied
no place n Counselor's intentions. He
"as f,hsia 40 envoy as opposed to her an
,asonlsts, and into the scale in her favor
he meant % throw the whole Of his per
sonal influence with Rallywood
RaiiyWood made sign of dissent.
But You surely will not side with Sa-
gan party as against the duke?' urged
Counsellor.
The duke has been known to change his
mind before now"
Counsellor bit savagely at his mustacbe
Inc minutes We're flying
wonder If old Gustave has allowed
himself to be humbugged yet once more!"
he said TO himself. John on which side
do You suppose Valerie Selpdorf would
wish to see you?''
We need not mention her" answered
Hollywood, stiffiy.
What! Have you not spoken? Does she
not know
She knows-yes, and others know, too
thet love her But 1t Is ended There is
nothing more: there never can be now"
Counsellor put his hand to his head
VIII you help me? That after all is
the question"
Hollywood looked down at him. and Coun-
Selior fancied there was a shadow OF re-
proach in the glance.
For you that is the question: but for
ME there is another Hollywood said de-
nberately. Until L can resign my oath to
Maasau, honor holds mo her sworn SOL
der
of all things in the world, what is so
arbitrary honor?' said Counsellor.
Honor is a wild flower. God plants it, but
man prunes it, and the devil only be
responsible for the sports one sometimes
meets with. Well. go your own and the
devils way The major turned irritably
around. In my creed mans first duty
IS 10 his country"
Il wish | could see it So" said Rally
wood, sadly. Then the hush of a mighty
battle fell upon the little room. The air
was sitting TO both for Counsellor knew
what was in his companions heart, and
even felt a far-of pity for him, but no re-
lenting. Rallywood's handsome brown face
had grown suddenly sharp and aged, ana
his gray eyes contracted to dark points
under their frowning lids. The man was
looking on the wreck of his life, and slowly
coming to the conclusion that he must
choose that course which would add the
defeat of the land he loved to his own
ruin He would have died for England,
happy in the sacrifice, but to lose all in her
despite was bitter thing.
Times up" said the major. You have
one minute to give me your decision"
"A soldier should see no further than the
point of his sword. replied Hollywood
AN oath stands my desires These dis
patches may be yours. but you know how
they have come into my charge. AS long
as | am a soldier of Nassau, my duty to
her comes first of all. l cannot let you 60.
nor can 1 give up these dispatches! Curse
, your strong flash of emotion breaking in
upon the restraint of his speech. why
lave you sword? II you had killed
Counsellor Put his watch back into his
pocket.
"A mans country should be his
| conscience" said the old diplomatist one
! who pronounces a definite and unassailable
| truth. Then he waited.
| Hollywood stood up.
Il cannot argue he said, but, major,
| you will believe me when l say that 1 see
my duty plainly. l refusei'
Il have had great regard for you" re-
| piled Counsellor, slowly, but If you were
my own SON by heaven. I'd blow your