The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-06-28
are nomests when he is de,.rious. T,

Which Is his room?''
captain Forbes, ! forbid 1t. II Il
impossible | warn YOU"
Madame de WARMER opened the door
OF the bedroom quietly.
If the gentleman insists on awal
ing Sir Mortimer we are powerless, d
she said gently But at least let him
not be excited more than necessary
sir"
II shall endeavor to follow your in.
structiOns madam" said Forbes stifiv
He strobe TO my bedside. / could
Imagine with what breathless anxiety
the adventures watched him. Was
he sufficiently intimate with Sir Nor.
timer Brett TO denounce me instantly
as an impostor?
Your Excellency," he said gently.
Your Excellency,"
The Immediate danger OF discovery
was past At least he had not de.
tected the deception so far He called
me again; he shook my shoulder re-
spectfully. | opened my eyes.
What is it?" demanded, bewildered.
! am Mortified to-day when | think OF
the facility that was mine in PLAYING
this game of intrigue | looked Ian.
guldly from Captain Forbes to Madame
de WARMER who had resumed her seat
at the bedside. The question was adj
dressed TO her.
She took my hand. This is Captain
Forbes, a kings messenger. He has
brought dfgnatol1e -
lance"
All, yes" said YEARLY, and looked
at him with dull eyes.
Il am sorry 10 arouse you, sir"
Contempt for the man struggled with
respect for his office. but my orders
at the Foreign Office were to give you
these papers at the earliest possible
moment The business is urgent May
! suggest that you read them at once?''
My eyes unconsciously turned to
Madame de WARMER for guidance She
stroked my hand gently.
DO you not sec that he is in no
condition To be disturbed tonight ?"
she asked Indignantly.
For the first time Captain Forbes
hesitated He placed one sunburned
hand on his breast as If to guard jeal-
ously the dispatches he bore. That he
should hesitate at all seemed to me
incredible But Captain Forbes
seemed fair example of that type OF
Englishman who performs his duty
with the sttbbornness and obstinacy
OF fool as wei, as hero Chance
often determines which of the two
characters he shall assume IL is true
he had not the remotest suspicion that
was not Sir Mortimer But surely
he must see that / was in the power OF
these adventnrers.
All my fears reached a climax.
when. looking steadily at me a mo-
ment, he turned 10 the others:
Il must speak to Sir Mortimer
alone
] saw Starva grasp the revolver con-
cealed beneath his coat. Madame de
WARMER silenced the protests on his
lips with a meaning glance. She real
lied the uselessness Of further resist
ance.
You will not excite him more than
necessary" she entreated anxiously
And you must not be surprised to
find his mind still confused as a result
OF the opiate given him.
Il shall spare him as far as posi-
BILE" Forbes replied with some stern
ness. Drawing himself erect. his arms
folded. he waited until the door had
closed behind them.
My first impulse was to put an end !
to this farce. But again | hesitated. |
They were listening outside that door.
every suspicion was alert the slight |
est cause would fan the suspicion to
a flame.
And then. what? should have
made myself ridiculous TO no purpose
had gone far in my reckless venture
too far TO risk all by attempting TO
warn Captain Forbes at this crucial
His brain worked too slowly
he was too deficient in Imagination
too much lacking In subtlety and
inesse. | refused-reclIlessly. If you
will, but deliberately-to risk the sue
'ess OF my scheme by drumming into
he dull brain Of Captain Forbes the
rue state of affairs. 1t would have
aiken him a good quarter of an hour
o grasp merely the facts. At that
ime he would understand just enough
f them 10 be stubbornly convinced
hat ! was equally involved with the
ther two. but he would think my
erve had failed me and that | was
tempting NJ purchase my own free
ON from punishment at the expense
T the others. And certainly they
'ould drag me down with them, II
Dr no other purpose than revenge.
10: this was not the hour for conf
ences; Captain Forbes was not the
ian to be made a confdant at such
n hour.
He looked down at me with cold re-
oect Outwardly | met his steady
'ok with something Of fortitude and
Dmposure, but beneath the clothes
" two hands were clenched rigid
From a silk bag suspended about !
" neck he produced two envelopes. !
q weighed them in his hand q mo- :