The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-06-30

out the shortest road"
But her knowledge of foreign army
and naval strength?'
Money does all that. Russia pos
sesses an accurate knowledge Of every
fort, ship and gun England boasts of;
France, Germany, and Japan. We have
never taken it into our heads to in
vestigate America. Till recently your
country as foe to Russian interests
had dropped below the horizon. And
now Russia finds that she must pro-
coed to do what she had done to all
other countries; that is, duplicate her
rivals fertilization plans, her total
military and naval strength; and so
forth. and SO on. The United States
/, is not an enemy. but there are posi-
kilities of her becoming so. Some day
she must wrest Cuba from Spain, and
then she may become recognized
quantity in the Pacific"
THE Pacific?"
even so. Having taken Cuba, the
United States, to protect her western
coast. will be forced TO occupy the
Philippines: and having taken that
archipelago, she becomes menace to
| Russian territorial expansion in the
far east. do not always speak so
frankly But l wish you to see the
necessity of knowing all about your
coast defenses."
bled.
ut can not be done! "-spiriteilly.
ut can and will be done" smiling.
DESPITE the watchfulness of your Of
fcials. despite your secret service, de-
spite all obstacles. Russia will quiet
ly gain the required information. She
possesses a key to every lock-"
And what might this key be?'--
with tolerant irony.
Gold"
but il the United States found ont
what Russia was doing. there might
he war"
Nothing of the kind Russia would
simply deny all knowledge The man
whom she selected to do the work
would lpc disrrcditcd. banishcf. per-
haps sent to Siberia. to rot in the
mines No. there WOULD be no war.
Russia would weigh all these possi-
biltcs in selecting her arm. She
would choose a man of high intellect,
rich, wcll-known in social circles.
linguiSt, a man acquainted with all
histories and all phases of life. y diplo-
mat. perhaps young and pleasing. You
viii! say. why does he accept so base
q task? When a Russian noble takes
the oath in the presence of his czar,
he becomes simply an arm: he no
i longer thinks. his master thinks for
him. He only acts. So long as lie Of
fers his services without rcmuncra-
ton, his honor remains untouched. I'M
sullicd. A paid SPY is the bascst Of
all creatures"
Count. take care that do not warn
my country of Rnssia's purpose. You
are telling me very strange things"
The American eyed his companion
sharply.
WARN the United States? tell
YOU. il will not matter. All Russia
would need would he a dissatisfied
".
u million fruncs?" The diplomat blew
Il cloud of smoke through his nostrils
and iilliped the end of his cigarette.
IN hundred thousand dollars?"
The diplomat glanced amusedly at
his American friend. 81 suppose that
sounds small enough to you rich Amer
leans. But to Il clerk II reads wealth."
BILE thought flashed through his brain,
a thought that lie rcp,ilsed almost inn
mcdately.
"Of course. am only specializing;
nothing has been done as yet"
'"Tllrn something is going to he
donc?" asked the American. clearing
his voice.
zone day or another. IT we can not
find the clerk, we shall look higher.
We should consider g million francs
well invested. America is rapidly be-
coming Il great power. But let us
drop the subject and turn to sonle-
thing more agreeable to us both. Your
daughter is charming. | honestly con-
fcsS to you that ! have not met her
equal In any country. Pardon my
presumption. but may | ask if she
Is engaged to he married?"
mot to my knowledge, VASTLY sur
priscd and a, The same time pleased.
Are you avcrsc to foreign alli-
anccs?" The diplomat dipped the end
Of his frcsl-lighted cigar into his cof-
fee.
My dear count. | am not averse to
foreign alliances, but rather suspect
That my daughter is. This aversion
might be overcome however"
What a vista was opened to this
wrclchcl father! If only she might
marry riches, how easily he might con-
ftSs what he bad done, how easily all
this despair and terror might be dis
perscd! And here was man who was
known in the great world, rich, young
and handsome.
The other gaZed dreamily at the
ceiling; from there his gaze Travelled
about the coffceroom, with it's gath
cring of coffec-tlrinkers, and at length
came back to his vis-a-vs
"Yon will return to Washington? he
asked
~ shall live there for the winter;
that is. expect to-"
DOUBTLESS we shall see each other
this winter. then, the count
threw away his cigar, babe his COM