Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-11-07

Haddon thst the sister Of Sir Moru
mer Brett IL at this hotelf Certainly
you will not tell her"
He thrust his spectacl led, paIlid face
close to that OF the trembling servant.
Then releasing him sud1enly, he
pushed him without, the little con
clerge rubbing his shoulder ruefully.
Immediately he regretted this un.
necessary violence. lie stepped out
into the corridor, and | guessed that
he had smoothed the injured vanity OF
the gold.laced official with more Of the
crisp notes.
He had scarcely entered the room
again before he admitted Madame de
WARMER, and again the key was turned
They lost no time in vain talk or
congratulations on the success of their
trick, whatever its meaning might be
DR.. Starva half led, half carried me
into a bedroom adjoining. There |
was put to bed with as little cere
mony as a helpless infant is disposed
Of for the night. For a momen Starva
looked down on me grimly. Then he
disappeared, closing the door care.
fully behind hun.
Now. indeed, | understood why
Helena Brett and her mother had been
so startled when first they had zee
newly Madame de WARMER had
shown herself no less concerned-why
| had caught DR.. Starva spying on me
why 1t was plotted that | should be
drugged and brought hither in this
melodramatic fashion.
In the worlds history there have
been many instances Of men playing
the protcnder, but certainly none
more innocent than myself. | should
be dense indeed now did | fail to com.
prehend everythirg-from Madame de
WARMERS first greeting. tc th9 episode
of the cloak and hat.
recalled the woman's CHASTITY de
spair when she had read the telegram
in the kursaal, He is dead she had
repeated over and over.
Sir Mortimer Brett, minister pleni.
potentiary at the court of Sofia, was
dead. The adventures for some pur-
pose of their own, not yet to be
guessed, had deliberately planned that
| be mistaken for him at this hotel.
That the ambassador was dead was
a bitter disappointment to my hopes.
The opportunity to fulfill the task that
Helena had given me was not to be
mine after all. And now that | knew
that, what further excuse had I to be
as clay in the hands of these people?
| vas tempted to burst into the room,
there, to prick the bubble of their in.
trigue.
But II | did that, though | might BAT.
fe the execution of their plans. !
should be utterly ignorant as to the
nature Of those plans. The danger to
myself in continuing to play the role
OF accomplish was very great. The Of
ficers of the law would not be so touch.
ingly simple as to believe that | was
abetting the plans of this precious
couple only with a view OF bringing
them to final Justice.
But much more alarming than posi-.
BILE danger to myself was the fact that
Helena Brett was in this hotel.
Before morning a cruel but Just
chance might bring us face to face.
and in her eyes | should stand ron.
victed Of the grossest Nillainy. With
diabolical cunning, DR.. Starva had in
sisted that | was Mr.. Haddon, and yet
he had deliberately planned that be
mistaken for Sir Mortimer Brett. The
intent to deceive was obvious.
When that were proved, on my head
YfnttlI Coll thA nKAntAut aa-Gtrn Nos
who would believe that | was an inno-
cent victim? But l had gone too far
to retreat now. Or rather, I had not
gone far enough. Granted that Sir
Mortimer Brett were dead, and that
my elaborate plans to rescue him from
the hands of these adventurers were a
failure. the fact remained that for
some dark purpose OF their own the
cOnspiratOrs were either c~oncealing
the knowledge Of his death, or were
using that knowledge for some base
purpose. They must be brought to
justice. That justice could be obtained
surely and swiftly only at risk to my.
self.
How many minutes had passed now?
Dared ! move, dared | even open my
eyes? For aught | knew they were
watching me, were even In the room
at this instant. lay quite still, breath.
ing st~ertorously.
The handle of the door a turned
sharply. | heard the weight OF DR..
Starva thrown against 1t as 1t damned
and for some moments resisted his
efforts.
The fare of an electric light fell on
my face. He stood at my bedside. !
muttered incoherently, tossing about,
and turning my face from the glare,
Then | was alone again.
l was in a Don little larger than
an American hall bedroom. They
were cavalier enough Of the dignity Of
Sir Mortimer Brett's understudy. |
must be lying in the chamber OF the
valet and not of the master.
| leaped lightly to the floor, I tip.
toed to the closed door. To my con-
s~ternation it was too tightly closed to
permit me to see anything in the room
beyond. 1t had creaked loudly in re-
sisting DR.. StCrva's efforts; certainly
| was not so rash as to attempt to
open 1t, however cautiously and
slightly.
(TO BE CONTINUEDJ
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