Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-10-19

I
know that? That brings me to the
/ second question"
MY dear chap. I can put two and
two together. can't - can see a
church door. as Benedict said. when I
am standing I'm front Of t."
"Oh then. YOU are simply guess
ing" 7 cried disguised
Locke spread the tips Of his fingers
together. and regarded me humorous
~. You forget I am consul at
Lucerue? I. sir, am a parsonage"
Rubbish" 7 exclaimed. brusquely.
American consuls are not as rule
deeply in the confidence Of the min
listers in Downing street"
Locke laughed looked about him
cautiously. then whispered:
IT'S something OF a secret. Haddon.
Before I was consul at Lucerne ] was
a newspaper man. Yes; don't look
shocked. 7 am not averse to eking
out the magnificent income allowed
me by the United States government
by sending a budget OF news occa-
sionaly 20 my old chief"
II understand; you newspaper men
are ubiquitous. Before the mysterious
f knowledge Of the press am silent"
/ Il need hardly say that what have
told you is strictly between our
selves"
) cor course"
$50 FAR I have not breathed a word
OF this extraordinary story. wish
90 make "a strand coup. 7 am waiting
for the finale Of the story-the dra
matte and perhaps tragic denouement
For The end is not yet"
So saying. Locke produced his peck.
etbook. From It's voluminous folds
be extracted an envelope. lie held II
toward me en- silence took 70 curl
ously. IL bore an unfamiliar stamp.
III Is the stamp in the corner I
wish you 90 examine carefully. In
ten years a collector will pay a pretty
penny for this stamp Already e Is
as rare as Strawberries I'm January
IL was Issued less than a month ago
20 mark the anniversary OF Ferdi-
nand's succession 90 the throne. Yes.
70 IS his likeness aud that OF HIS son
you are looking at But Ferdinand
would pay half a million francs A. he
could buy up and destroy that issue
OF stamps. IN Bulgaria that is n sim
pie matter. His secret agents are on
the lookout IN every capital of Eu-
rope. But you see they are not wholly
i successful"
+ AS Locke had suggested. 7 looked
critically at this double stamp which
had caused Ferdinand so much anx-
iety. Two heads we're depicted They
. r.Hn
middle ago and a handsome boy. IL
appeared 20 me rather ordinary sort
% stamp.
Hold 70 upside down" commanded
Locke. impatiently. Cover the left
hand corner with your hand so. Now.
do you see that a portion OF the heads
OF the father and son makes an un-
b. mistakable death-mask? And the
A death-mask is that Of Prince Ferdi-
nand."
3 looked at in this manner the ghast
" pOrtent was wildly suggested. The
nostrils OF the two heads together
formed the eyes Of the death-mask
the mustachc OF the father made the
/ eyebrows; and the brow and the eyes
OF the boy prince formed the nose and
mouth. And more horrible than the
death-masl1 itself was wound Ia the
temple. from which flowed a streak OF
blood.
"This wound" asked, shuddering
'is IL merely a coincidence? The look
OF agony-the staring eyes-is that
meant TO be a menace. a threat OF a
violent death?"
Can you doubt it?" demanded
Locke. replacing the envelope care
fully In his pOcketbOok. "That death
mask IS regarded by a large portion
Of Ferdlnand's dissatisfied subjects as
a heavenly sign That little stamp
venture 70 say. is a death-knen for
Ferdinand-it introduces into Bull
garian politics an awful and solemn
note"
"A heavenly sign?" asked. shud
derlng again. But he stil lives?"
YES: at present he IS IN Paris. ]
suppose he IS safe there. But when
he returns to his capital at Sofia"
And the woman-this Countess
Ssrahoff. Is she one OF the revolution
aries who regard that stamp as q
heavenly sign% You told me that
she was supposed to be the friend o!
Prince Ferdinand"
81 did. But is she? She Is a WON
an OF mystery. Is she really in earn
est IN seeking to entrap Sir Mortimer
into influencing England to stand be
hind Bulgaria in her invasion of Turk
ish Macedonia? Is she ignorant OF the
existence or at least the significance
OF this stamp7 Or, posing as a friend
OF Ferdinand, having ready access tC
him at any hour, will hers be the dag
ger plunged into his breast az the
fatal hour? Perhaps Sir Mortimer Il
not the guileless victim we think hin
to be. Perhaps the kings messengel
does not have two sets OF dispatches
TO be presented at his discretion. Per
haps this death-mask Is a CHASTITY &C
cident and not menace. Perhaps
Countess Sarahoif. alias Sophie d.
WARMER. is a lamb OF innocence. Per
haps. But my dear chap, don't trus
that perhaps"
Locke rose and pulled on his gloves
stared at him In sudden comprehen