Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-14


4 y turned up the lights with the air
of a man who has a considerable
task before him and must make the most
OF the hours of grace remaining.
He was very pale and greatly changed
since he had returned from London three
hours ago. Some would have perceived in
his manner not the evidence of fear, but
of displeasure, and such dspleasure as
events bordering upon tragedy alone could
provoke. Uttering but one harsh instruc-
ton to the servant who anwered his bell,
he sat at his writing table and for a full
hour turned over the pages of a diary
which had not seen the light for twenty
years more.
Georges Odin! How the very name could
seize upon his mind to the exclusion of all
other thoughts. Sitting there with the
time-stained papers before him, the earl
was longer in Derbyshire, but out upon
the Carpathans youth OF the west crav-
ing for the eXcitements of the east; hunt
er upon a brave horse. the friend of brig
ands and of misunderstanding deep of the
intoxicating draughts of freedom and de-
bauch Well and truly had this young
count. whom fate had sent to his door, re
minded him of these scenes he had made
IL his lifes purpose to forget.
"Zallony, my lord" he had said. 'Zallony
still lives and you were one of Zallony
band. They tell of your crimes to this day.
The mad Englishman who carried the vii
lage girls to the hlliS-the mad Englishman
who drank when no other could lift the
cup-the mad Englishman who rode out of
Bucharest in a bandit s cloak and lived the
Bohemian days of which the very gyps.es
were ashamed Shall l tell you his name?
1t would be that of my fathers murderer.
And the answer had been cringing eva
sion.
II met Georges Odn in fair fight. He
was the better man. l could show the
scars his sword left to this day OF what
do you accuse me? They sent him to
prison-well, I did not make their laws. He
died there. a convict laborer in the salt
mines. Was 1T my doing7 Ask those at
the ministry We moved heaven and earth
TO save him. The governments reason was
a political one. They sent your father TO
the mines because the Russian government
then all powerful at Bukharest-believed
him to be its most dangerous enemy. His
affair with me was the excuse. What had
I to do with it?"
But the count persisted.
''Your influence would have saved him:
You preferred to keep silent, my lord. And
! will tell you more. 1t was at your IN
stigation that the Roumanian government
arrested my father in the first place. You
wished for revenge-I think 1t was more
than that. You were afraid that the worn
an you married would find you out II
Georges Odin regained his liberty You
were not sure that Dora d'lstran did not
love him. And so-you left Roumania ana
took her with you-luckily for you both
TO die before she had read her own heart
truly. That's what | have come this long
%aV to tell you. 10 RODeTl fOTTeSltI-i
said How should l know that in England
they would make Il lord of such man!
I did not know it; but that TO me Is the
same You shall answer my question or
paw the price. My lord, ! have brains OF
my own and l can use them. You shall
pay me what you owe-you will be wise
TO do so.
The earl did not vince at the threat. nor
did his habitual self-control desert him.
His insight would have been shallow indeed
if ne had not perceived that he was face to
face with dangerous enemy, and one
with whom he might not trifie.
Put your question to me and l Will an
swer it," he said doggedly. Remember
that we are not in Roumania, count.
word from me and my men would set you
where questions would help you little
Speak freely while l have the patience to
hear you"
LAS freely as you could desire, my lord
A wise man would not utter a threat at
such a time Do you think that l. George
Odin's son. do you think that l come 10
England alone? All, my lord. how little
you know me! Open one of your windows
and listen for the message my friends will
deliver to you. I come to you with white
gloves upon my hands 1t is TO ask you.
my lord I'm what prison my poor father Is
lying at this moment. Tell me that, help
me to open the gates for him, and we are
friends 1t will be time to utter threats
when you refuse"
The earrs face blanched at the words.
hut he did not Immediately reply to them.
Inc story WHICH Ine young man IOiu WAS
too astonishing that he should easily I'M
derstand II.
Your father died in the fortress of Kra-
iowa" he said at length. Il remember that
II was in the month of November in the
year 1874. Why do you speak of the gates
OF his prison? 1t is incredible that you
should bring such story to me-
las little incredible as your own gnor-
ance. my lord. i thought as you did until
the day, five years ago, which released Zal-
longs brother from Krajova He brought
the news TO us. My father lives. But he
IS at Krajova no longer. The Russian gov
eminent never forgets. my lord. 1t remem-
bers the day when Georges Odin WAS it's
enemy. My own people fear that my faith
er's liberty would awaken old affairs that
had better sleep. He is the victim of them.
Yours is the one hand In all Europe that
could set him free. My lord the world
must know his story and you shall write
II. And II not you-then my Lady Evelyn.
your daughter. Do you think am so blind
that I do not read the truth? The blood
that ran in the mothers veins runs in tha
daughters. Open the doors Of this house
TO her and she viii go to the hills as her
mother went The desire of life throhs in
her veins. When speak to her. witness
the struggle between the old and the new;
faith and JOY; the convent and the theater;
love and the prison. Your pride. your fear,
have made a captive of her-but l. my
lord. may yet cut her pretty bonds. AS
God is in heaven, viii not spare her one
hour OF shame II you do not give my faith
ct pACk 10 me. Inlnk OF tnat De1OrS you
answer me- The girl or the man, Your
shame or her freedom. My lord. you have
not many hours In which to choose
Such an alternative the earl carried with
him TO his own room; such an alternative
spoke TO him from every page of the
diaries his hand turned so painfully 1t
was as though the dead had risen TO ac-
cnse him. Yonder. In a great clamped
drawer OF the bureau, Were the letters he
had received from his dead wife in the days
when he contended With Georges 0din for
the love CT" that mad wild Girl of the Car
pathians. How ardently he had loved herl
What mad hours they had lived amid the
heart and viii abe was another's He had
long known she loved the prisoner at Kra-