Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-07-05

but himself engulfed in the chaotic
debris.
Finally he aroused himself to a
realization of the fact that there were
few more people in the world besides
Airline Brand.
How about the baron? Had he learn
ed of his mistake by this time with re-
gard to the identity of the Countess
Isolde?
The idea of taking Airline for the
fascinating countess was absurd. How
could so shrewd a man have been de-
ceived? Why did an occasional lin
gering doubt still find lodgment in
Charles heart. No woman could
play such a game. Airline must be
what she seemed. Hank Peterhoff and
his miserable warnings!
So he trusted blindly.
If there was pit, he would fall into
it, heAdlong, for love had already
blinded him.
Or was the Russian bear still on
guard?
Could the hotel be surrounded by
his emissaries, ready to entrap the
wonderful adventures?
Having decided to smoke a weed and
take a look around ere retiring to his
bunk, Charlie lighted up and saunter-
ed toward the open door leading to the
street.
When he stepped out of the hotel
door, he was astonished to discover
little knots of men, dressed in the
well-known uniform of the Antwerp
gendarmes, standing near the Hotel de
la Paix.
Then it burst upon him that he had
not placed enough sign iticance upon
what the baron had confided to him.
This did not mean the mere arrest of
a clever adventures, charged with no
specific crime save that of enslaving
men of rank, and compelling them,
through her witchery, to contribute
from their wealth toward her regal
support 1t stood for something
grander, something that might yet
shake a greater part of Europe with a
mighty conyulsion, since the conspir-
acy in which the Countess Isolde was
connected concerned more than one
imperial throne.
Charlie forgot that he had been
sleepy.
His eyes were never brighter than
now.
1t seemed that the countess had FIN
ally made a stupendous blunder, and
Peterhoff's hour of triumph was at
hand.
1t would mark an epoch in the lives
of many prominent men in Europe
when Isolde Brabant vanished behind
the walls of military fortress.
Some who had been in the tolls
would breathe easy for the first time
in many moons, and drink a bumper
to her long residence in her new and
exclusive palace.
So Charlie watched and waited, deep
in reflection.
When his cigar was about half con-
sumed, he thought he would saunter
down the street a short distance, to
see what effect, If any, his appearance
might have upon the officers on guard.
The result was really more than he
had anticipated.
He had not gone more than a dozen
PAGES before, without the least warn
ing, he felt a rough hand laid roughly
upon his arm.
AS he turned to see what was want
ed. a second hand gripped his other
arm.
A bended face looked into his own.
"Messieurs, l am afraid you" he
began.
"Silence!"
Have made a little mistake"
Silence on your life!" was hissed.
He saw frowning pistols.
1t was evident that the officers
meant business.
Charlie began to grow a little indig-
nant
"See here! send for the baron!" he
insisted.
"He is engaged"
But he is my friend-he will be
angry with you for making SO ridicu-
lous a blunder."
so. But we carry out his orders.
Now. not word more, mynherr."
"Confound-"
do you hear? Not one word, on
your life!"
Charlie shrugged his shoulders.
All! a evidently a signal.
The game was about to be called.
Even as he stood there, held fast by
his captors, he saw man enter the