The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-16


was nearly full, and M. Thuriet. fat, smil- |
ing. comfortable. beamed a presiding
deity from the background He said that |
M. Livingstone and NJ Rogers had been /
in earlier and had gone, but that there |
were deuX ou trois Anglais still within; for
example, the grand Monsieur who had /
come with Monsieur hier soir. Mac Mae
"Ah,' said I, .'Mackenzie! Sir Gavin |
Mackenzie. But certainly, M. Mac
Kenzie, together, with another etranger,
non, pas Anglais. Italian peut etre, |
4Autrichien one would have a certain diff
ficulty in saying. -,
/ went inside. made my bow to Madame
the Dame du Compton,, exalted upon her
throne, and looked about the room.
There were few at the little tables near
ly every one had chosen the soft scented
air outside under the awning but Sir
Gavin was sitting over in the far corner
behind a glass of whisky and water. No |
French concoctions for Mackenzie. And
with him was the other etranger, Italian
peut etre. Austrichien, one would have
certain difficulty in saying. q5s.. 2...f
| No. not Italian, ;" said / to myself.
Austrian, possibly. Yes, one would have
a certain difficulty in saying. He would
/ be about forty, from appearances. though
his head aud MacKenzie's were OF a n
equal greyness, and Mackenzie was
good fifty or more. But the other man s
skin looked younger than his hair would
| warrant. There were none of the creases
that age burrows in the neck, under the
ears. or across the forehead or In the
cheeks. TO be sure, his face was lined
strongly, but with vicisstude, one would
say, not years. He had great dark eyes
under Extraordinarily bushy and prom
| inent brows. and the skin under and above
them was dark. He had a jutting nose
strong and haWklilke. and a mouth that
shut to firm, hard line over a jaw which
said danger. His cheeks were lean, hoi-
lowed a bit under the bone, and across
one there was sabre scar. lie wore a
small grizzled mustache, and his hair:
| gray as have said, was scant above the
temples. He would not be above. medium
height. but he had a most singular
breadth of shoulders. He made curious
contrast to MacKenzie's square Scotch
bulk and professional closely cropped NUT
ton chop whisker.: p. - II --=.
1 hesitated a moment over Joining the
! two in their corner. but, turned
| away with a little laugh upon reaching
from Sir Gavin a curt and most ungenlal
| nod p
! .MacKenzes something on his mind, "
! said I, settling myself at a table. Hes
| most unusually glum, and SO is the other
chap. Oh anything--I don't care what
Grand Mariner. think to; the waiter.
| saw Mackenzie speak his companion
| who turned and favored me with the keen
est glance of scrutiny 1 remember ever
to have received. --.-.;, r, .,. o.. =. .. HI.
.'Oh, I'm quite harmless, my friend
| said | over my little glass of Grand
Mariner. Il wouldn't hurt a cat and I've
committed no crimes that can recall at
| the moment" .'- e.
The two conferred an instant. heads. to-
gether, and then Mackenzie raised beck
oning> finger, told the waiter to bring
| over my glass and crossed to the corner
:"Creghton.' said the Scotsman allow
| me to present you, to Colonel Won Altdorf.,
Il r>I,i
GUS little bow. heels together. l tried to
look as impressive. Then, when we were
| seated, no one seemed inclined to say
anything, The settled gloom upon the
! faces of Mackenzie and Colonel Won Alt
dcrf remained nlightened--indeed, if
| anything it seemed to grow more deep
Beautiful evening" said firmly, after
a silence that bade. fair. to last the night
OUT -, - '::'.'..s -
Yes, yes-shockin, said Mackenzie,
! absently. s'>' :. ,.5.~-. ~. - :. i.
But it's all wasted grieyed. with a
sigh. whats the good of spring time
coming anyhow? Nobody cares any
more. 1t just stirs your blood up bit,
but you don't do anything. I was think
| ing, on my way UP just now. that springs
a mere exasperation. Nobody wants it.
There's no more romance in the world.
| Colonel Won Altdorf gave a short laugh.
! .'Oh. isn't there?'' said he. ~ -. .-
| l looked from his face to MacKenzes.
| There had been a certain significance in
the tone. ... - .s--~ i: s;-s1,s'
Mackenzie clinked the bit of ice in his
long glass. and frOWned down upon it
thoughtfully. Then he drew long breath
and met my eyes -- ~. s.. n.
"Creighton,' said he. smiling a little
"you did me a good turn once II.
'Ah.' said I. reddening, '.as for that,
it wasn't of ANY, but Mackenzie
raised his hand. ~. =. .~..
"An' Won did if be Iad .t,,r
suggestin' way out of a deefculty. I
may say brilliant way he added.
'Have ye your wits about you tonight,
man? for there is a deeficulty ready for
your solvin' that's too much for my brain
an too much for yon Altdorfs. here,
into the bargain, diplomatist though he
, is - -" ~ t@
Why said T., I'm no barrister. and
I'm 70 writer of melodramas either. that
$ should be able to solve difficulties at the
drop Of the handkerchief; but what's your
trouble, Sir Gavin? At least let's hear it. y
Mackenzie shook his head and made a
: little helpless gesture with his two hands.
''Tis no trouble O. mine, said. he
+ that is, in a way O speakin. Indirectly
: it's bound to be. a trouble to all OF us
,, who're concerned He nodded to Colonel
: Won Altdorf. ....ss, 4 - T. =.
- Tell him, man. said he. i j
> VonsAltdorf rested his elbows upon the
;, edge Of the little table, hands clasped
- among the glasses and turned his deep
- set eyes upon mine. When he spoke it
. was in excellent English but with an ac-
, cent, a dwelling upon sibilants, an alien
- value of dentals and gutturals too slight
: to be reproducible. :.<& .- +: .=
= = DO YOU know where Novodnia is Mr.
Creigllton?' said he $50
: II do" said I. 'It's OH the lower Dan
j ube IL mixed up with Roumania and Ser
f via and Bulgaria and the rest It's the
4 lttlest one, isn't it? Poor dear!. Russia
T will gohble it some day I:
: Precisely, said Colonel Won Altdorf
d unsmiling. Precisely! Russia win COB
II bic it some day. but Russia hasn't gobble6
it yet, my friend 1t would perhaps have
t been better for certain people if she had
p Very Well if you know that much you
e may possibly know that a certain prince
g of the dominant house in Novodnia has
t recently, through a most extraordinary
and improbable series of deaths, come tc
i, the throne t
!, Carol III!' said l.
E Precisely" agreed Won Altdorf again
t Carol III. sits upon the seat of his ia
: thers. May he long sit there But the
e point is this. 1 have said that he. came tt
. the throne through an extraordinary Sc
a ries Of deaths. Indeed; so improbable
s was his succession considered that it was
!, never thought of at all, that he was al.
a lowed to marry outside of royal circles.''
: The deuce!" said l.. You begin tt
S connplicate matters 3 ID -
. Being without fortune" continued
h Colonel Won Altdorf, "the prince at las