Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-06-14

49,
t\-Ez>Z1z r
"Dout 1o1t think arc nlight enact n ro-
nance IN htgh Htc in this rorU room?'
hurst, which will haunt me all the rest
Of my life, fear, said Jennie, still
without looking mp
Mr.. Hardwick smotbered an ejacu-
lation and was clad that the girl 5 eyes
were not upon him. There was a pause
of few moments duration between
them He took the path that was left
open to him, fondly hattering himself
that while he had stumbled inadver-
tently upon her romance he had kept
his own secret safe,
II have no right to intrude on
your confdences Miss Baxter" he said
finally with an effort, land | hope you
will excuse me for--for -
ooh, | have been sure for some days
that you knew itr' interrupted the girl,
looking UP, but not at him. 81 have
been neglecting my work, fear and so
You were quite right in speaking.
mo; your work is all right. 1t WASH
that exactly but never mind. Wewont
speak of this any more, fer | see it en-
| harnesses you.
THANK you, Mr. Hardwicll, " said
Jennie, again bending her Eyes on the
dest before her
The man saw the color come and 90
in her checks auhl thought he had never
| beheld any one SO enhancing He rose
! quickly without making further at
tempt at explanation and left the room.
! One or two teardrUps stained the paper
on which the girl was scrihhling She
| didn like giving pain to any one, but
/ could not hold herself to blame for
what had happened SHE made mp her
mind to leave The Daily Bugle and seek
employment clsewhcre but next day
Mr.. lIaldwick showed no trace of dis
! appointment and spoke TO her with that
curt impcriousne~~ which had hereto
fore been his custom.
"Miss Baxter. he said, "have Won
been reading the newspapers with any
degree OF attention latelyI"
"Ncs, Mr. Hardwick. -
"llave you been watching the drift
of foreign politics."
''DO you refer to that speech by the
prime minister Of Austria IA week or
two ago.
eyes; that is what | have in my
mind. As you know, then, it amounted
almost to declaration Of war against
England-almost but not quite 1t
was case OF saying too much or of not
saying enough. However, it was not
followed mp, and the premier has been
as dumb as a craven image ever since
England has many enemies in different
parts Of the world, but | must confess
that this speech by the Austrian premier
came as "A surprise. There must have
been something hidden which is not
visible from the outside The premier
II too a-tute Il man not TO know exactly
what his words meant, and he was nm
der no delueion as to how England
would take them. 1t is case then, Of
when | was so quickly done for
wonder what was begun for, That is
what all Europe is asking
is it not generally supposed, Mr.
Hardwick, that his object was to con
solidate Austria and Hungary? | I'M
derstood that local politics was at the
bottom Of his fiery speech. "
"Quite so, but the rousing Of the war
spirit in Austria and Hungary was use
less unless that spirit is given some
thing to do. 1t needs war, not a
threat of war, to consolidate Austria
and Hungary If the speech had been
followed by hostile action or by another
outburst that would make war inevita-
Bile, ] could understand it, The tone Of
the speech indicates that the prime
minister meant business at the time he
gave utterance to it, Something has oc-
Cured meanwhile to change the situa.
ton, and what that something il all the
newspapers in Europe have been trying
to find out We have had our regular
Vienna representative at work ever
since the words were uttered, and fol
the past two weeks he has been assisted
by one of the cleverest men | could
send him from London; but, up tc
date, both have failed. Now, | propose
that you go quietly to Vienna. shall
not let either Of the men know you are
at work on the affair at which they