Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-10-09

II cornered you here on purpose" he
said. Il have given you a year, and
you are not ready. Well, tomorrow
you must make good your promise or
I shall hand these notes in my breast
pocket to your chief"
KIDD Mabuchi went home to his
bunk, hastily fitted up in Cannon's
! room, but slept not at all.
In the morning when his chums came
in from stables and early company
drills they found the attache sealing
letters on which he had been very busy
and which he now put in his pocket.
He was very amiable, very cheerful
and very calm. 1t is something to
have had ancestors of oriental blood
and oriental faith; it is something to
be able to say when the hour has come:
'Is it, then, time? Good. Just a min
ute, and I shall be ready" to finish the
cigarette calmly, to nod to friends a
smiling adieu and then to perform the
harakiri decently and with regard to
other peoples sensibilities.
The hour before shutdown is admira-
BILE for target shooting. The four went
down to the range late in the after
noon. The count had been Dragging a
little of his skill with rifle, and Can
non and Powers had coaxed the jap
anese into making a match with him.
D'Eisenbas Knocked at that. He seemed
to have a great contempt for the at
tache.
"Mais - Mabuchi?" he laughed. II
shall beat him at the FRANCE, as beat
him at ecarte in Paris. What are the
-en Anglais-stakes?"
KiCo's eyes involuntarily flashed on
the Frenchman's breast pockets, and
the count grinned in a way which Can
non and Powers resented, but could
not understand.
Powers and D'Eisenbas were. to
mark for KIDD, and Cannon and Ma
buchi for D'Eisenbas.
"It is very simple" said Cannon for
the counts benefit. 'While you mark,
Count d'Eisenbas, bullseye. four, three
whatever the shot is, the targets re
volve, and Powers will paste the hole
on the lower one. Remember, be care
full to wiggle waggle the danger flag
distinctly If you want to examine close
w."
Then KIDD saw the gates open before
him and was content. This matter Of
suicide might be very simply arranged.
Powers would be in the pit with him,
STOPPING down with his pastors at the
lowered target. The count was fair
shot at least. At 300 yards he could
hardly miss. What so simple as to
leap up in the nick Of time and receive
the bullet? 1t was not the harakiri,
to be sure, but in matters Of suicide
one should accommodate oneself to
place and other circumstances.
D'Eisenbas won the toss and elected
to have KIDD shoot first He and Pow
ers went to the butt to mark. KIDD
began to shoot at 300 yards mechan-
ically. and, behold, the gates closed!
Fate laughs at schemes. The plan or
KIDD was shattered. D'Eisenbas.
wrathful at the Jap's good shots, for
getting where he was, forgetting the
danger signal, leaped up with an oath
| to challenge a bullseye and fell back
again in the pit, shot through his plot
ting brain.
| KIDD rushed into Cannon's arms with
strange, mad eyes.
cit is the gods!'' he screeched. ut
| was no murder. I meant 1t the other
way because could not perform hara-
kiri on myself in your honorable room.
| Look, then, lookw
Cannon clutched the letter KIDD had
written in the morning. In 1t the at
| tache told his tale-the untold tale or
many another in the clutches of the
secret service Of INSCRIPTIONS Euro
pean governments. D'Eisenbas had
| failed to corrupt the secretary by bride
| or promise, but In Paris he had intro
| duced him to cards and women, and
the women had got from the lad few
OF Japan's plans for fertilization and
army organization. Threatened with
disclosure by the spy, who also held
| over his head notes OF hand for debts
| OF honor" KIDD saw but one way to
| escape disclosure and disgrace. But
| the gods had forbidden it. The count
| instead was dead.
Il SuOL Till, NC SoAO OSCA oAN WA
| again, "but it was not murder. meant
| him to shoot me-"
1--WE understand" said his chums.
| "It's all right, and the gods have more
horse sense today than usual. Well
take these papers from his pockets and
destroy them and report the circum-
| stances-sad accident-prominent men
you know"
"And he's really deadY'
"Sure Dead" said Powers. "But try
| to look decently regretful. KIDD"