Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-08


ambassador is esteemed in just the same
| degree as the country he represents. If
his country triumph he triumphs Also"
In this case 1 might point out that your
stiriy, would be the best shall 1 say the
only possible preliminary to the success of
the mission with which his imperial maj
| esty has charged you
Elmur drew in his lips slightly. Valerie,
as the Baroness Won Elmur was to be her
fathers guarantee for the future! Although
Elmurs desires lay in the same direction.
| SeipdorfS inSistence was most HDpalatable
| to the German minister.
Il am ready to lay myself at mademoi-
| selle's feet he said aloud, but there is al
ways the picturesque young captain of the
| guard"
"Unziar7 can positively reassure your
excelency on that point
'Unziar? No! The Englishman-R Rally
wood"
"Rallywood?" said the chancellor, in very
real surprise what of him?''
| Nothing beyond the fact that he has
| aptitude for challenging fate. Such men
dazzle the eyes. and are consequently apt
to be dangerous. Why has he been placed
| in the guard?'
Il placed him there to serve our mutual
| convenience" replied Selpdorf. He is
Englishmsn. with his full share of English
Intolerance and courage On the other
| hand. the guard resent the intrusion of for
| eigners, neither sre they-mild- mannered-"
| Flmur considered.
| 1.-The chances were in favor of trouble GER
| y.
might have disposed of some of our chief
difficulties for u.s." he remarked. with
| cynical smile.
He might also have been disposed of
| himself" said Selpdorf, land he is the one
| human being for whom the good Counsellor
has the slightest regard. In politics it is
necessary to consider the personal eQua
| ton. To touch Counsellor in his weakest
| point would have been to ALLEVIATE England
at the convenient moment"
"All that might have been true'-Elmur
| shrugged his shoulders; "unluckiy we must
| face things they actually are
Even now Hollywood has his uses. The
guarl is composed of the flower of our no.
bity-they not to be tempted. At
| least, that is my opinion, although believe
Count Sagan holds differently But this
Hollywood is a soldier Of fortune, merce-
nary. You perceive?"
| Elmur stroke6 his chin obviously.
Il am very much afraid he belongs to the
wrong breed However. 1 would wish to
point out that it will be essential to carry
| through this matter quickly. If the duke
couli be persuaded to accept the scheme of
reversion, tie whole arrangement would be
| completed before the world was the wiser"
1T is the simplest plan. and therefore the
hest But what will England say? Coun-
selloT is here, that in itself speaks"
Neither England nor the good Counsel
Tor can touch an accomplished fact. As
| they say in their own idiom, Possession is
nine parts of the law 1t remains with us
| to make the fact
| Selpdorf rose.
l [
| time to start for the palace. Today his
| highness the duke holds review of the
| guard. l will if possible sound him on the
| subject which interests US both. Should
| that fail we must consider the alternative
| scheme"
Half ho1r later the two men met
| again as they dismounted in the courtyard
of the palace. They approached each other
| courteouSly
There stands the real obstacle to our
success" said Elmur. in low tone.
| SelnGorf followed the German ministers
| glance. Standing there in the freight of
| the guard room was the tall figure of An
| thony Unfair, waiting with naughty stiff
| ness for the appearance of the duke.
| His highness' gentlemen, the Maasaun
| guard" went on Elmur. with bitter
sneer. the representation of an arrogant
| militarism!''
''Seven-to be counted with" corrected
Selpdorf. gently. The other. the eighth
Has the initial fault of nationality.
| However, he goes to Sagan."
The mist cleared the sun rose higher
until by noon the sky was of pale. ra-
| diant blue. laced with a delicate embroidery
| of white wind-scattered clouds. Looking
| westward, the dark river wound away to
| the sea, ringed here and there by the high
ly decorated bridges of ligbt-toned granite
peculiar to Maasau. Revonde in the sun
shine, shone in the colCrs of moss-grown
| stone. gray and green. the twin ridges on
which it stood fretted and embossed to
their SUBMITS with the palaces and pin
| nacles, the spires and towers. and gardens
| they rounded the mounting road to the pa
rade ground. looked back upon Revonde
with lingering glance Selpdorf. who was
seated opposite to him, had been replying
TO his grumbing questions to the condi-
ton of the royal exchequer with a depress-
ing account of the hopeessness of the sit
| ton
"Revonde is a jewel, after all said The
| duke, suddenly. "A jewel can always bt
mortgaged, Selpdorf'
Selpdorf admitted that this was true. ant
also limited that the jewel had been used
- | in one way or another pretty freely tC
raise the revenues for good many years
| without giving much in the way of a quid
! | pro quo, beyond the vague hopes and airy
y | promises which pledged the Maasaun gov.
eminent to little or nothing. But now, he
| explained the powers were growing weary
of SO Improbable speculation, and were
inclined TO expect some definite return fol
| their aSsiS lance
The duke listened modify, lying back or
his cushions. thin-legged. paunchy figure
e | whose features had lost their shapeiy mold
= under the touch Of dissipation. The nose
hung long and heshy between the pouched
skin of his cheek bones. the eyes showed
n | tel-tale slackness in the under eyeid
e | where it merged into the loose wrinkles be-
g | low. The lower part of the face was COW
! cred by long but sparse mustache, through
. | which at times could be discerned that ter
: | rible protrusion of the upper lip that seems
= | the herald of senlity. Yet Gustave, GRAND
| Duke of Nassau. was only that day cele
| brating the completion of his fifty-seventt
| year.
When the carriage attained the level OF
= | the plateau the main road curved away in
y land to the right while upon the left hand
4 | under the wall of encirclng brown cliffs
u | small brigade of all arms was assembled
- | to do honor to their ruler. Through a GU
in the hills, far away, but seemingly nearer
=. | on that windy morning. could be
blue, open bay, blown into the 'innumer
. | able laughter of the sea-" The air, the
whole scene, was inspiring, but the duke
looked heavily on the troops dep,oyet
= and turned, their arms glitterlng in the sun
y | light.
First in order came couple of squadrons
of the frontier cavalry, with their BLACK
-. | sheepskins hanging behind them then in
u | fantry, followed by two batteries of artil
lery divided by some more cavalry, and
;, | after distinct interval the guard.
- | The little army was perfect in equipment
. and finish, and their uniforms were brilliant
!" and Picturesque, but the duke stared ou
j, upon the amphitheater of the parade ground
u with dissatisfaction and ennui. Money, ht
. | wanted money, and the less the chancellor
= | could encourage him to hope for il the