The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-28

is the point when MOunet-Sully was geS-
ticulating wildly on the stage in front of the
red-cIoaked artists grouped around the
busts Of Moliere, Racine and Corneille.
When the ecstacy of the audience had been
tions of the ode which the rhymster was
hurting at the Russian monarchs, Fortes-
cue slipped from his fauteuil and made his
way round to the lobby at the back of the
CHANDELIER boxes There he found lima
NaSsih awaiting him.
Il have only a moment, or my mother,
who is In there with Count Woronzoff and
some of the others, will miss me-" she said,
pointing to the door of box.
"A moment will suffice, for 1 have COM
mitted everything TO writing" replied For
l ask is that you carry out the instructions
to the letter. You are sure of your courage,
mademoisele?"
rs it not for my dear mistress, for Laura,
for you, monsieur, who have been so kind,
and just a little for poor Boris. that l am
to be brave?" she replied with a grave
smile. Yes, my courage shall not fail;
Then a goodnight, Mademoiselle Vas
Sill, and may tomorrow bring luck" said
Fortescue, bowling low, for the benefit of
left her to return to his seat
He remained till the close Of the per-
In the private boxes allotted to the Imperial
suite or among the obvious mouchards-
Russian and F'rench-who thronged the lob
bies and corridors. But in the portico, as
iC wac lcdNiDS tic litdleT WIFI tNO dl-
taches of the embassy. he was touched
the arm and some trust a crumpled
paper into his hand. 1t bore the words
Take care. We have lost track of De-
laval
On reading this he smiled a rather ugly
smile for a mild-mannered man, and i'm
mediately excused himself from further
accompanying his companions.
"So my friend Volborth," he muttered.
as he turned his steps towards the tele-
graph office Il am not sorry that tonight
nights ChOI1ld 40 for hot
are not infallible. But L must warn the
detectives at Blairgeldie in case the 'Yank,'
as Laura calls him, has doubled back in
that direction"
The contingency made him self-concen-
trated, and it was not till he had walked
several blocks that he remembered the
necessity of paying attention to his own
surroundings. Almost simultaneously was
borne In upon him the consciousness that
he was being followed, and turning his
head without Stacking his pace, he per-
ceived that his visit 10 the telegraph office
was not immediate necessity. A con-
venient lamp shot its rays full on the face
or the man behind, and showed the broad
pretentiously genial features of Delaval
| himself.
/ The street through which Fortescue was
taking short cut was a quiet one, lead
| ing to still quieter byways. in which
| he anticipated that the attack would be
| made. As he walked on with seeming
| carelessness he formed his plan and pro-
| ceeded TO put it in practice by turning the
| next corner and diving into the first dark
| entry he came to. There he would wait
| he told himself, till his pursuer had passed.
| when he would slip out, while Delaval
| was hating in perplexity, and make the
| best of his way back TO the glare of the
| boulevards, where 1t would be easy 10 lose
| himself in the crowd.
Twenty, forty, sixty seconds sped by, and
! pidpad round the corner came Delaval
| brushing so close 10 his Intended victim
| that the fumes OF ms whisky-laden breath
were distinctly noticeable He went on a
| dozen PAGES. then paused in doubt, and
| began TO come slowly back peering into
the entries. and stopping at every step to
| listen. Fortescue saw that the time was
| come for beating a retreat, and he was on
/ the point of making a dash for the corner
when something happened that held him
! spell-bound- Two tail forms glided past.
| the simmer of steel catching his eye, and
| a moment later as they met Delaval. he
heard the muffled words in a rich Irish
| tongue:
| Traitor. That is for Boulogne"
| And in another voice:
And that for those whom you betrayed
| at Antwerp.
There followed a faint groan, and. unable
| TO contain himself, Fortescue looked from
1 his hiding place and saw his late pursuer
| limp and lifeless on the pavement The
| two men Were returning on their own
| tracks. and Fortescue would have drawn
| back, but perceiyins that he had been seen
he waited in the mouth of the entry not
knowing what to expect.
As the men came up the nearest raised
his hat and said:
1--WE have saved you some Inconvenience
| sir, you will have noticed. 1t is not my
| business TO be inqUisitive about his rea-
sons. but that gentleman wanted to give
YOU what he has got himself Is II toe
| much to expect that YOU will repay us by
| abstaining from raising an alarm?"
! Il shall consider that have seen moth
| ing, but l should advise you to make your
selves scarce" replied Fortescue, 'You
| have certainly relieved me from dilemma
| not, l presume. out OF any affection e
myself
Eve know nothing OF you. sir. except