Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-14
CHAPTER XVI.

l f CHAPTER XVI. ~0HE white walled, high ceiled an- teroom was barely furnished with paduasoy chairs and a - small slim legged table. A high l desk used betimes by the colcny's chief l justice of the supreme court was at Gne end, with doors on either side. The oth- CT end of the room opened in narrow arches between pillars into the wide paved hall of the statehouse. Across these pillars was stretched a heavy l cloth curtain, through whose folds sounds from the corridor reached dull l and muff1ed.
 Beyond these curtains on the opposite side of the hall was a great double door, and through the heavy oak came voices in debate and an occasional high note like the metallic rap of, a gavel. But in the anteroom this became only distant hum like that of settling bees. Armand, clad as for court levee, stood one side erect and smiling before | trio of sober coated figures in duffle l gray. His long, brown, rippling hair, | the rare lace at his throat, the jade hilt of his dress sword, made him as dis l tinct as some brilliant hued insect among gray moths Beside him, uni formed, his mustachios aggressive as ever, short, wiry and alert, stood Pli- l arne.
 l The sober coated gentlemen, the dele | gates appointed to meet the secret mes senger to the congress, had made their l bows to the great man, all but Dickin- son, their leader, openly radiant with the presumed bearing of his mission. ! M. Pliarnes proposals for ammunition l purchases had recently been considered | in committee, and the announcement of the envoy's arrival, coming from him, a 1 known agent of France, had carried weight added to by the appearance of the man before them. He had arrived a little late, a deliberat teness that ac- corded well with the sobriety of his er- rand.
 Now they but waited a pause in the debate to throw wide the doors that I opened to the floor.
 On the other side of those doors rages I what is to be the last agitated hour of the fight. The document that is to be the birth certificate of a nation lies up- l on the table. Since early morning the discussion has been bitter.
 l The insect hum ceased suddenly. 1 There was a forward movement of the group in the anteroom toward the cur 1 tains.
 "Stopr' echoed an intense voice be- hind them. "Stopw Joseph Galloway stepped into the room from one of the side entrances and closed the door. Praise the Most High," he ejaculat- ed, 'that I am come in time! Gentle l men, as you would save the congress from a most shameful scandal, let not that man pass from this roomv'
 There was murmur of angry amaze ment from the group. Armand's hand dropped to his side. His face had whit ened, and Pliarne's mustachios worke' . alarmingly.
 l ''Sir,' interposed Dickinson sternly, i've receive here a legate of Francev'
 "You receive an impostor, a villain and spyv' x.
 Pliarne's hand went to his sword. but Dickinson stepped before him, while the others stood stock still, blank ness in their bearing.
 "An insultv' cried the former. "And to the very face of monseigneur! Gen. tlemen, you have cause enough to know l the politics of this meddler who has forced his way into this presence"
 ''I am an honest man." retorted Gallo way. My errand here should demon strate that And what say prove"
 T know not whether we should lis ten, sir,' said Dickinson, his brows to- gether "Heaven forbid that we should affront such a guest Yet the words you have uttered demand, for his ex- I cellency's satisfaction at least, an ex- planation. In his name, then, speak, but quickly and begone." Dickinson was diplomat.
 'I shall be brief" returned Galloway. ''This man, whom you believe French nobleman, is Louis Armand, an adven- turer lately arrested in Virginia, now in the secret service of the British. The message he bears is forgery convey ing the offer of aid only on impossible conditions calculated to discourage hope and quench the fervor for independ- ence.''
 A low exclamation that was very like an abjurgation burst from Dickinson $ lips, and his eyes dashed first on the speaker and then upon Armand. The color was come back to the young Frenchman's face.
 ''In my own country, gentlemen he laughed, Eve have asi1es for such poor miserables.s However-my reputation, how dear it is to me! You will proceed, beg" '@l. It was admirably done. A quaver of relief spread abroad.
 "The document in the case," said Gal loway and handed Dickinson the writ ing executed by Lord Chetwynde at the Halifax prison; 'an agreement duly signed accepting this traitorous mis- Sion." <l
 Having delivered it over, he rubbed his hands together softly.
 "An arrant concoction, to be sure!' railed Pliarne. What could be easier!