The Washington herald., 1906-10-11
CHAPTER III.
a spy Upon a SPY.

Col EihottS house. The captain held
twisted piece Of paper in one hand: with
the other he was impatiently twirling his
walking stick.
The countess asked me to give you
this note he announced abruptly.
'Ah. thanks" Cressingham crushed the
paper into his pocket. Are you going
cityward?"
II think not"
nod.
One moment Cressingham. if you
please"
Ten if you like. Anything urgent?"
Let us walk on" The captains face
was troubled; they walked in silence for
little and stopped by common impulse
at lhe corner Of Dover street and Pic
cadilly.
The fact is Cressingham. I've wanted
10 speak 10 you for quite a while. but
you're so Internally hard to get hold of
since he hesitated.
Since I got the sack from the +. o. s."
said the other grimIy.
l didn't quite mean that. but you've
said 1t yourself We used to be friends
once, CTessingham-7
! "Oncei-"
Web"
oh, I quite understand; vour manner
WHeh We met to-day left little 10 be ex-
planned"
Bosh!' blUrted out the CAPTAIN. "It's
not your part 10 be satiricaI; you are the
deserter Frank The old rooms which
You always shared with me are still Their.
ana never once have You come near me
J thought"
Never mind what you thought You
never gave me a chance You resigned
from the
10 a soul. You've never been to the club.
never called at the mess. How can you
wonder that your old pals are offended
) The fellows are thinking all sorts of
Z things-'
Let them Think
oh, it's all very Well to take that
stand, but you are not treating them
properly They have "a right to an ex-
plantation and YOU know it. Vernon and
have stood your sponsors long enough.
It's time YOU took n hand. or at least
P gave one or us the rIeht 10 speak"
Cressinghams face S0ftened. You're g.
good fellow. Jack, but I can't vet; I'm
too cut up
Absurd, cried the other sharply.
Don't You see how foolish YOU are2
WHAT'S the use of nursing the beastly
thing? It's not as il you'd cleared out and
gone TO India or somewhere. Then they'd
2
ten the whole business before this But
here you stay right in the heart Of things
avoiding everybody and not cCndesceud-
ing TO offer the smallest explanation
Pom my soul. it's no wonder that people
b talk about YOU and imagine things"
It's kind Of you, Jack to come down
on me like this. I know you're right
Well, then. III see the colonel; Vernon's
a good sort. he has refused to send on
my resignatiOn-I got note from him
to-day
Good man. You'll stay on with us.
then"
If Vernon advises me-after he hears
what 7 have to say. Fact Is I was dam
nahly careless, Jack, and deserved the
. thrashing I got. But for an accident. I'd
' have disgraced the old regiment. The
facts were not published, but YOU have "a
right 10 know. II was uihilist COnspiT-
>Scy, and the brutes made use of me. The
q Car might have been assassiriated'
Great heavens!'
L was near 10 cutting my throat at one
time, and would have, too, if they had
called my honor into question"
Don't talk rot Frank. The T. O's
stupid enough, but it never gets drunk,
all at one time"
I'm dashed glad TO have chatted the
thing over with you, old chap. I feel bet
ter now than I've done for weeks"
We'll, good-by, old fellow. See Yer
non soon. won't you2"
Tomorrow. Goodbye, Jack"
'Eh, by the bye, dine with me az the
club tomorrow nighte"
Very we'll.
- Capt Lethby got into a hanson. and
presently remembered that he had entire
" overlooked his original intention of
rating his friend for his extraordinary
treatment Of Miss Elliott But he soon
forgot the whole matter i'm the reccllec-
tion Of Madame Niyella's bright eyes and
certain kind speeches which she had muir
INJURED in his ears Indeed. so tickle is
the heart of man, he forgot also his own
devotion 10 his cousin and the fact that
he had woTshiped at her shrine for six
long years,
Cressingham wandered moodily to his
rooms in JeTmyn street, and there, ar
rived, nerYously plucked open the count
ess note
It was laconic, and bore sharply to the
point; Expect me at twelve He threw
' it In the fire, and. lighting "a cigar. cast
himself upon q lounge. the prey OF eXas-
perating thought and vain imaginings. He
> saw himself as he had set out from Lon
don half year back. an ardent and sue
ceSsful lover, for although Francine FL
lott had not verbally accepted his pro-
DOsul. still she had promised 10 wear his
ring and she had not been offended at his
kiss. lie recalled with heartfelt bitter
ness the ambitious and splendid future
that had beckoned TO him at that time.
Rich and young the only son of one OF
England's greatest mobiles a career had
opened for him in the diplomatic service
of his country which only needed his own
diligence and Intelligent cooperation to
Z lead him to the foremost rank of power
and craftsmanship. And true happiness
had seemed more than possible. for his
sweetheart was a woman without peer i'm
her class; we'll born beautiful an heiress.
and aobve ali, worthy beyond dispute Of
the best blessings in the gift Of fortune.
alike for her goodness OF heart. her purity
of mind. and her sweet. untirinV charity
He reviewed the causes Of his ruin as
dispassiOnately as ne could, but from the
red Goals into which he stared rose up
the sofceTess face and form Of Katherin
= ViyelIa 20 taunt him and TO disturb bira
~ OF old She came, "A Cleopatra smile
lon her lips, bewildering and reckless
hallenge in her eyes, advancing toward
- him. gliding like a graceful phantom
Y through the splendid ballroom OF the
winter palace, nearer, ever nearer, her