The Red Cloud chief., 1907-10-04
poNTINUED.l


He was dressed for the evening. and
his breast clittcred with stars and Of,
dcrs.
ut IS exceedingly kind OF YOU mon.
S'"ur.' he said. "to grant me this inter.
View al so short notice. was most
anxious 60 aupri2r You of uows which
rs yet, / believe, has not found its way
INTO your papers. NoN have read nc.
counts of q Russian attack upon an
English fishing feet, but YOU have not
yer boon Informed Of the presence the
uadoubtcl prcsrncc-of Japanese tor.
pcdo boats concealed among them"
Nj. Grioson raised his eyebrows.
Indeed, no. he answered. 1--WE
have not even heard a rumor of any
Thing Of the sort"
Nevertheless their presence was in.
dubitable,' the prince declared. "rn.
der those circumstances, monsieur. YOU
can doubtless understand that our re-
ply to any protests OH the part of Eng
land will be Of an unpacifc nature.
We should not for a moment allow
ourselves TO be dictated to by the allies
Of our enemy"
Naturally" NJ. Grisson answered.
ION the other hand. you surely do not
wish 10 cmbroil yourself in n quarrel
with England ut the present m%oInent?'
1--WE wish to quarrel with no one"
the prince answered h~auGhtily. at
the same time. we are not afraid OF
England. We recognize the fact that If
war should como it is an Independent
affair ana does not como under the OBJ
citations Of our alliance. We ask,
therefore, for your neutrality alone"
". Grisson bowed.
but. prince" he said grovcly, "you
speak lightly enough Of the possibili-
ties Of war, but surely you must know
that the English fleet in the channel
and at Gibraltar altogether outmatchcs
the Baltic feet
"A Russian" the prince answered
grandly, "is not afraid OF great odds"
M. Grisson bowed.
"For the sake Of humanity" he said.
81 trust most sincerely that affairs
may be ~peaceably arranged. If the
contrary should turn out to be the
case, l can only say that in a quarrel
which concerns Russia and England
alone France would remain bencvo-
lently neutral. AS you have remarked.
the obligations Of u treaty do not
apply to such a case"
N'he prince played nervously with
the star at his chest. Both men were
--.1l .-,a, AIAt a. g. ,@.., tIAy Hal
been merely playing with words.
'"There is another contingency" the
Russian remarked, (which now we are
upon the subject ii would perhaps he
as well to allude to. The relations be-
tween Germany and England, ns you
know, Just now are very sDrely strain
ed. If Germany should take advan-
tage Of the present situation to make a
demonstration against England. that.
OF course. would not from your point
of view affect the situation"
M. Grisson looked like a man who
sees before him amazing things.
"My dear prince" he said. "'io not let
us misunderstood one another. You
cannot by any possibility he suggest
sng that Germany might associate her
self with you in your resistance to pos
sible English demands"
The Russian leaned back In his chair.
Germany Is on the spot" he re-
marked. land knows the facts OF the
case. She has proofs OF the presence
Of Japanese torpedo boats among the
English fishing feet. Her natural love
Of fair play might possibly lead her to
spouse our cause In this particular in
stance. This. Of course. would make
-.r peace, II Germany commands.
England will obey. She could not do
otherwise"
"YOu have Introduced. my dear
fprince." NJ. Grisson said. ian altogether
new phase to this question. and one
which merits the most grave considera-
ton. Am | to understand that there IL
any arrangement between Germany and
yourselves with respect to this ques-
tom"
Scarcely anything SD definite as an
arrangement" the prince answered.
"merely an understanding"
NJ. Grisson had the air Of a man who
has lust received grave tldiugS of his
dearest friend.
us this, NJ. le Prince" he said, ZEN
tircIy in accord with our own treaty
ohliGations!'
I'VE do not consider 1t to he in con-
travcntlon to them" the prince an
swcred,
The gravity of NJ. Grisson's manner
grow even more pronounced.
my dear prince he said. "you are
doubtless aware that during the last
..nnEn thnrn hnNn Lenn Gnmn Very