The Washington herald., 1906-10-08
CHAPTER I.


The Academy OF ex-Ambassadors.
At q late hour ON q certain cofd night
in February, in the year 1900, three gen
tlemen stood near an old padl0cked iron
gateway at the northern end Of Finchley
road. London. They had arrived az that
common point by separate cOnveyances.
and il was easy Go discover that they
were strangers TO each other. for although
al stood within a circle whose diameter
did not exceed three yards. and although
the night was dark and the road other
wise utterly deserted, the face OF each,
dimly discc-nible by the light Of a neigh
boring street lamp. wore an air Of blank
Inconsistencies of all c0mpaniOnship
The gentleman nearest the gate. and the
taliest OF the three, was wrapped in
heavy FUR greatcoat. His clean-shaven
faCe-strong. impassive, and good 10 look
Upou-was of a type Enthusiastically Eng
Esh and he Wore an oyegiass that ap-
pcared to have become cemented into its
position
The second gentleman was Of short
bus sturdy build, and his bristliug mus
teche, whose yellow and stif-waSed
points turned fcrcely upward, pro-
claimed him Of Teutonic origin. He wore
an imposing military cloak Of foreign
cut and manufacture. and his attitude
was that Of q soldier mounting guard
The third gentleman. whose ughtly-fit-
ting black frock coat was shiny aE1
threadbare to the verge Of seedincss,
seemed TO be Of excessively nervous dis
position- he stamped about incessantly,
sziehed often at the darkness with his
cane. and sent fire of impatient chances
in All directions from a pair Of large and
piercing black eyes. lie was slightly
formed and 1.-THE. active as q panther
never stiU His face was tiay-featured,
pauid. and almost fleshless, its plainn-@s
intensified by the few struggling black
hairs that apologized for the lack Of
proper mustache and imperial. but re-
Hcved from absolute uGiincss by the
beauty Of his ewes. No man might con-
fGentlv predicate his place of origin.
but be resemhled most an Austrian and
perhaps n jew. for his nose was long
and slightly hooked.
a wearisomc half hour passed by in alb
s1lute silence, the relative positions cf
The three gentlemen remained unchanged,
bUt the Impotence OF the Austrian ap-
peared to have communicated itself to his
companions. Cor thu GeTmJ1 often con-
suited his watch and the t-nsIislIman was
swearing softly under his breath.
''Au hour past the appointed time he
muttered at last. half aloud.
Tho German turned u him. Cess five
minutes. my lord. it is five minutes to
twelve. he observed I'm excellent English.
What. you know me2' crlcI the Eng
lishman.
"I saw YOU once not long ago ut the
Court of the Car. You are Lord Francis
Or ssinsham.'
.Tou have NO at disadvantlgr thou-~
The German bowed. My name is OcIt-
5en. Ludwig Oeltjan-"
"7Vf3t. Count Ludwig Oel,iel. chief
altache to the German Annassador in
I-aD& 3d.
'-Eat now. my lord. ] have retired--''
"Al. that fatal-Whew. Uy t3lgue- I
hes your pardon, count
$40 need my lord. But II surprises
mo that you had not already heard. Un-
happily the affair was kent but nalf q
secret"
The third gentleman here broke in.
speaking in English quantity acrenru7ted
-gltrcr than lraEeI- MAY I offer You
OF my cigarettes, massiluTsz
Lord Francis CURLY shook his head.
Count OeItien shrugged ms shoulders
'.No. I thank you. sir
The eyes of the Austrian swept burn
ing glance over the p1ir who had dis
GAINED his advance. uu- ne proceeded
WIKI tIaLIl.t..I VOICE WIS llIHH -i-i
beg from sou "a matchs I wish very much
To smoke.
Lord Cressiueham handed him box
from his waistc1at pocket without
speaking. The Austrian struck a light
and returned the box with low bow
Durinr deep silence, some clock near
by toned uidr eht- and a second after
the last stroke the iron gate before which
they had waited so long opened with a
Sharp cIinkiug crunch
Enter commanded q voice from the
dark beyond The three men glanced ut
each other and each made @ courteous
inclination of invitation and stood mo-
ti0nless-
-vou nv lord
After You. count
"But perhaps this gentleman"
The Austrian bowed 10 the ground. u
am neither my lord nor count he re-
snondod, his tone suggestive of subdued
satire.