The Yale expositor., 1907-06-14


loted to us the concierge was sum
marily dismissed. But before he left
us the servant insisted on whispering
to Dr. Starva these words, which no
doubted startled him as much as they
did me:
THE sister of his Excellency is in
the hotel. Shall tell her that"
DIR. Starva clutched the shoulder of
his informant, and held him In a fierce,
vise-like grip.
Thrice times stubborn fool" he
growled, what concern is 1t to Mr.
Haddon that the sister of Sir Morti.
mer Brett Is at this hotel? Certainly
you will not tell her."
He thrust his specialized, pallid face
close to that of the trembling servant.
Then releasing him suddenly, he
pushed him without, the little con-
cierge rubbing his shoulder ruefully.
Immediately he regretted this I'M
necessary violence. He 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 l
was put to bed with as little cere-
mony as a helpless infant is disposed
of for the night. For a moment Starva
looked down on me grimly. Then he
disappeared, closing the door care
fully behind him.
Now, indeed, / understood why
Helena Brett and her mother had been
so startled when first they had seen
newly Madame de WARMER had
shown herself no less concerned-why
| had caught DR.. Starva spying on me
why it 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 pretender but certainly none
more innocent than myself. | should
be dense indeed now did | fail to COM
prehend eyerything-from Madame de
Varnier's first greeting, to the episode
of the cloak and hat
l 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 l knew
that, what further excuse had | to be
as clay in the hands of these people?
| was tempted to burst into the room,
there, to prick the bubble of their in
trigue.
But If did that, though I might baf-
fle 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 accomplice 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 con-
victed of the grossest villainy. 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
would fall the greatest censure. For
who would believe that l was an inno-
cent victim? But / had gone too far
to retreat now. Or rather, / 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 concealing
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 l knew they were
watching me, we're even in the room
at this instant. lay quite still, breath
ing stertorously.
The handle of the door was turned
sharply. / heard the weight of DR..
Starva thrown against II as IL jammed
and for some moments resisted his
efforts