The Red Cloud chief., 1902-05-30

is
what she seemed. Hank Pcterhoh and
his miserable warning
SO he trusted blindly.
If there was Il pit. he would fall into
il. hcadlong. for love had already
blinded him.
Or was the Russian bear still on
guard?
Could the hotel he surrounded by
his emissarics, ready 10 cntrap the
wonderful adventures?
Having decided to smoke a weed and
take a look around ere retiring to his
bunk. Charlie lighted mp 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
~wcll-knGwn uniform Of the Antwerp
gendarmes. standing near the Hotel de
la PaiX.
Then it burst upon him that he had
not placed enough significance upon
what the baron had conidcd tn him.
This did not mean the mere arrest of
Il clever adventures. charged with no
specific crime save that of e~nslaNing
men Of rank, and compelling them,
through her %witcheTy, to contribute
from their wealth toward her regal
support. II stood for something
%grander. something that might yet
shake a greater part of Europe with a
mighty CONFUSION. since the conspir-
acy in which the Countess isolde was
connected concerned more than n
imperial throne.
Charlie forgot that he had been
sleepy.
His eyes were never brighter than
now.
1t seemed that the countess had I'm
ally made a stupcndous blunder. and
Peterhoff's hour of triumph was at
hand.
II would mark an epoch In the lives
of many prominent men in Europe
when Isolde Brabant vanished behind
the walls of a 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 10 see what was want
ed. a second hand gripped his other
arm.
A Blended face looked into his own
"Mcssienrs. | am afraid you he
began.
Silence"
Have made a little mistake"
Silence on your life" was Kissed.
He saw frowning pistols.
Ii 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 b%lunder."
so. But We carry OUT his orders.
Now, not "A word more, mynherr."
"Confound-"
DO you hear? Not one word. on
your life"
Charlie shrugged his shoulders.
All, a whistle,-cvidently IA signal.
The game was about to he called.
Even as he stood there, held fast by
his captors, he saw "A man enter the
door of the hostclry,
1t was Petcrhof.
Another and another followed, until
Charlie had counted IA round dozen.
At the same time there was a
stretching of lines in the street Sig
nails passed from mouth to mouth,
and Charlie understood that the we'll
known Hotel de la PaiX was in the
center OF a strong Gordon of officers
through which escape was impossible
Alas. for the countess. 1t was hel
hour OF doom.
He listened, swayed by contending
emotions.
Somehow airline vas in his mind.
Perhaps there might be a fight.
Some OF those who would be found
in the society of Isolde Brabant were
desperate men, connected with an
archists and nihilists, sworn to re
duce society in Europe to one deaC
level.
They might take their lives in theil
hands and endeavor to give battle.
Still, the awful influence of Peter
hoff's dreaded name was sufficient
under ordinary conditions, to frce2'
the fighting blood in the veins q
most men, however brave they Nigh
be.
To his surprise, he heard no shot