The Washington times., 1905-04-02

the world Possibly there are just
as many kinds outside the serv-
ice. But summing them up and sorting
them out. they are found to fall quite
naturally into two great classes, one
which says much and tells nothing. and
one which says nothing and tells less
Billy Hale. thouoh he could by no means
be accused of saying nothing, belonged
to the latter class. He had an infinite
capacity for telling nothing, but he did
not talk as many do in order to tell It,
His method was the simpler. when he
did not wish to discuss subject he
held his peace.
He was we'll known to the powers that
be in the State Department at Washing
ton. as one who could be trusted to
observe without being observed; when
Senator Langhorne told him. as they
sat at<breakfast. of his midnight meet
ing with the representatives Of the NAL
tese Cross, he made few comments. The
Senator made his story brief. touching
only on the salient points of the inter
view.
II should like to know what the prince
meant bv telling you the Maltese Cross
could command power in the United
States of which you do not dream"
said Billy, as the Senator concluded.
That they will have the aid of the
Socialistic circles here goes without
saying They would possibly call upon as
sassins to put you out of the way. But
they will not try that course If I know
them. unless as last resort. The
prince, who is apparently at the head
of the organization in this country. has
y,j1 iy1c+
Billy still wore a bandage about his
closely cropped black hair. but. as he
expressed it, he felt like four-year-old.
barring a stiff back. He insisted upon.
discarding the bandage as soon as the
doctor came substituting a narrow strip
OF surgeons plaster, and persuaded that
individual much to Marjorie Lees dis
gust, that he should be allowed TO go
cut Of the house.
Morday afternoon he called upon
lime. ven Bruenen. He found her just
as cordial and apparently as firm a
friend as she had been in the old days at
Cairo. But why she had left Cairo so
suddenly, what she had been doing in
the past three years, and why she was
ir Washington, other than that she was
attracted by the social life here, Billy
)
a barrier between them.
During the course of their converse
ticn he asked her what she had heard
from Russia of the stability of the gov
eroment. He noticed that she gave him
a curious. feeting glance. So accus-
toned was he TO fit one thing to another
that for a moment, remembering Marie
Won Bruenen's dread of some unknown
II Rnc cN,aI
mind, she might be connected in some
way with the Maltese Cross. But when
she answered his question fearlessly,
saying that the government was still too
strong for the people to successfully re-
volt, he put his suspicion down as d
wild guess and mentally begged her
pardon. Little he knew low close TO
the truth he had been.
All things must have an end. SO the
last day before the first ball of the
Washington season, of which Marjorie
Lee had told Billy. drew 10 a close. How
slowly the hours passed only Marjorie
and the other debutantes could say. The
ball. which was at the French embassy
was to be a very grand affair in honoA
of the debut of the Ambassadors daugh-
ter.
Billy Hale and the Senator stood al
the foot of the broad stairs in Senator
Langhorne's home, waiting for Marjorie
Suddenly there was the rustic Of silk.
en- skirts, the pattef Of light feet in The
hall above, and looking up they saw
her. the trail of her gown thrown over
one arm. her other hand resting lightIy
on the banister. coming rapidly dowr
to them. She had chosen a delicate
shade of pink for this her first bal
gown How well It harmonized Will
her. delicate coloring, dark hair and eye
brows, probably neither Billy nor tn,
Senator could have told. They onII
knew that they were gazing at a dream
of loyeliness, and such details as tn
color Of a dress did not penetrate tilei
masculine minds. Neither OF the mel
said word when she reached them
She looked from one to the other IL
puzzled disappointment.
Am | late? How do you like me 2
she SAID.
.'Of course Billy Hale spoke in.
tone of conviction and Marjorie fel
there was no need to repeat her las
question. The Senator's eyes had fllet