Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-16
CHAPTER V-Continued.

S14x14 4Gxs v@SoAASAnSAS
There is a candor about you. Capt Ell
lerey. that compels straightforward treat
ment in return. and you shall have it.
have a misgiving that your presence here
VIII tend to hamper my work. and by my
work 1 mean England's interests. 1 do
not pretend to know exactly in what direc-'
ton you will hinder me, but can guess,
and you are too good n man to be crushed
while striving against your own country.
Go back to England 1 thoroughly believe
in you, and you shall have my hearty sup
port in your endeavor to establish your in
nocence.'
You are very good, my lord, and thank
YOU but I regret that cannot comply with
your wishes. I shall not leave Sturatz-
berg"
"You prefer to be crushed?'
Yes, in the service of my adopted coun-
try. We fight with different weapons, Lord
CloveIton."
Then it is to be war between u.s."
you seem to say l cannot leave
SturatZberg.
.'Is it not possible that some of
honor may exist here, that officers here
may not care to associate with one who has
been convicted of cheating, even though he
be foreigner"
81 am not afraid that Lord Cloverton will
spread such a report of me-
My country stands first with me, Capt.
Ellerey.'
But not to make you dishonora BILE You
are attempting to do yourself an injustice.
Besides, if l were driven to use such wea-
pons in self defense, is it not possible that
Lord Cloverton has some enemies in Stu
ratZberg?"
Many no doubt
1T might suggest. for instance. that he
had secretly sought to ALLEVIATE the loyalty
of one of his majesty's officers.
Enough. Capt. Ellerey.' said Lord Glow
erton rising. II see that we must unfor-
tunately be enemies. 1t is pity. You
will be crushed under the Juggernaut or
international politics"
1T may be so, it may not said Elerey.
Believe me, l am not unmindful of your
kindness; but as have said we night with
different weapons. You WELD the power of
the politician; 1 have only my sword. We
cannot therefore. meet in hand-to-hand
encounter. I should hesitate to use
but until British soldiers hold the heights
above Sturatzberg there is no need to con-
slider that question: and your work, pre-
sumo. lies in preventing any chance of such
am an Englishman. and remember only
that am captain Of Horse. subject to the
! commands of my superior officer you would
understand my position better"
YOU are a difficult man to deal with. bur
I rather like you said the ambassador.
holding out his hand Il regret that fate
makes us enemies. and If at the last mo-
ment l save you from being entirely
crushed 1 will
| THANK you I. too. may find an oppor-
tunity of rendering you a service. my lord"
AS Lord Cloxsrton went quickly away
man who had been sitting at small table
in q cafe opposite, who had slipped two
glasses of absinthe and smoked innumer-
able cigarettes, rose hastily and crossed the
street. His dress was travei-stained, and
he had evidently ridden through dirty
weather for his boots were thickly cased
with mud. Ellerey was almost as surprised
to see De FroiIette as he had been to see
the ambassador.
You have been away from Sturatzberg."
he said.
answered throwing out his arms to draw
attention to his clothes, land before going
to the Alstrasse came to prepare you l
have been waiting at the cafe opposite until
Lord Cloverton came out.
and wondering why he visited me?"
asked Ellerey, smiling.
wondering. rather, how far you would
be successful in deceiving him..
He was disposed to be friendly said
Ellerey. -carelessly taking up Sir Charles
Martins letter from the table ana putting
1t in his pocket
Friendly! A trick of his. monsieur. a
trick"
EXACTLY. We have agreed to be enc
~"Ah. but that was foolish said De Froi,
lette quickly. You should have played
with him even as do. He believes that
am very friendly. while 1 hate him.
THAT Is your method; it is not mine.
am not an adept at crawling, even to the
British ambassador.
..What does he suspect?' asked De Froi-
lette after a pause, during which he had
seemed inclined to resent Ellerey's words.
Naturally, he did not say, and am I'M
able to guess. which is hardly remarkable.
seeing that l am entirely in the dark my
SELF
But why did he Gomez
"He used his knowledge of some friends
of mine in England as an excuse for visit
ing me. but he had probably taken upon
himself for the time being the Dice of spy.
AS had no information to give, he has re-
turned little wiser than he came. When am
/ to be fully trusted. monsieur
"You are fully trusted now Captain Ell
lerey. but the time for striking has not ar
rived. 1t approaches. however. Until the
man in Sturatzberg was ready we could
not proceed. Look at me; l have come
from journey l have been doing my
part and 1 come to you and say. be ready.
At any moment her majesty may send for
you"
mot tonight. perhaps nor tomorrow. but
soon.''
Knowing the Frenchmans seeretive meth
cd, Ellerey was convinced that the time
was at hand. Were It not. De Froilette
at his lodgings: he had been SO careful
to avoid all appearance of intimacy
with him. Ellerey was. not inclined to
place implicit trust in De Froilette. He did
not pretend to a keen insight into other
mems characters, but he conceived that De
Froilette would not be likely to lose sight
Of his own interests no matter whom he
served nor how humbIy such service might
be rendered. Ellerey was not even con-
WINGED that the Frenchman's support of the
queens schemes was whole-hearted. and
believed him quite capable of giving just SO
much help as would presently enable him
to thwart her and reap benefit for himself
Whatever the mission was which he was
about to undertake. Ellerey intended to do