The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-06-15
Rv HAROLD MacGRATH
(Continued.)


oWarn the United States? l tell
vou il will not matter. All Russia
would need would be dissatisfied
.lerk What could he not do with half
million francs?" The diplomat blew
cloud of smoke through his nostrils
and dlliped the end of his cigarette.
"A hundred thousand dollars?"
The diplomat glanced amusedly at
RE American friend. Il suppose that
sounds small enough to you rich Amer
Trans. But to a clerk it reads wealth 3"
The American was silent. A terri
bIe thought flashed through his brain,
thought that he repulsed almost i'm
mediately.
"Of course, am only specializing;
nothing has been done as yet"
Then something is going to be
done?" asked the American, clearing
his voice
zone day or another. If we can not
find the clerk, we shall look higher
We should consider a million francs
well invested. America is rapidly be-
coming a great power But let us
drop the subject and turn to some
thing more agreeable to us both. Your
daughter is charming. honestly con-
fess to you that | have not met her
equal in any country. Pardon my
presumption, but may l ask If she
Is engaged to be married?"
Not to my knowledge, Vastly sur
prised and at the same time pleased.
Are you averse to foreign alli-
ances?" The diplomat dipped the end
Of his fresh-lighted cigar into his cof-
fee.
my dear count, l am not averse to
foreign alliances, but rather suspect
that my daughter is. This aversion
might be overcome, however"
What vista was opened to this
wretched father! If only she might
marry riches, how easily he might con-
fess what he had done, how easily all
this despair and terror might be dis
persed! And here was a 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 coffee-room, with it's gath
ering of coffee-drinkers, and at length
came back to bis vis-a-vis.
you will return to Washington? he
asked.
q shall live there for the winter;
that is, expect to-"
Doubtless we shall see each other
this winter, then,"-and the count
threw away his cigar, babe his COM
panion good night, and went to his
room.
How adroitly he had sown the seed!
At that period he had no positive idea
upon what kind of ground he had cast
1t. But he took that chance which all
far-sighted men take, and then
waited. There was little he had not
learned about this handsome American
with the beautiful daughter. How he
had learned will always remain dark to
me. My own opinion is that he had
been studying him during his tenure
OF Office in Washington, and, with that |
patience which is making Russia so
formidable, waited for this opportu-
nifty
shall give the Russian all the JUS
tce of impartiality. When he saw
the sirl, he rather shrank from the
affair. But he had gone too far, he
mad promised too much; to withdraw
now meant his own defeat, his gov
ernment's anger, his political oblivion.
And there was a zest in this life of his.
he could no more resist the call OF
intrigue than a gambler can resist the
croupier's Make your game. gentle
men. | believe that he loved the girl
NE moment he set eyes upon her. Her
beauty and bearing distinguished her
rom the other women he had met, and
Ter personality was SO engaging that
IeF conquest of him was complete and
poAJaneous How to win this girl
.hd at the same time ruin her father
vas an embarrassing problem. The
ian which finally came to him he re-
eued again and again, but at length
e surrendered To get the parent in
is power and then to coerce the girl in
use She refused him! To my knowl-
ase this affair was the first dishonor-
ole act of very honorable man.
t love makes fools and rosues OF Us
n
when The American returned to tn,
ord. his cigar was out and his co-ce
a5 tale and cold.
million francs," he Eur-.;:-a
I"o hundred thousand"
The seed had fallen on fruitful
'"ud
C. NJ.