Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-10-24
CHAPTER vuI.-continued.

CHAPTER vlll.-Continueo.
do you mind telling me what II
was?"
"Willoughby, the man who was
killed, loved a Miss Brett. She was
at this hotel last night with her moth
er. They heard of my being here. and
did me the honor to send for me, and
to ask from me the details OF the
tragedy"
Locke's heavy face was agitated
equally by sympathy and surprise.
Miss BRETT" he cried. THAT must
be the sister of Sir Mortimer Brett
You know herr" I demanded
eagerly.
Il have never seen her, but | know
something of Sir Mortimer. He Is
the most picturesque figure In the
English diplomatic service"
why picturesque? That Is q
strange adjective to describe a Brit
ish minister. Who is he, and how do
you happen to know him."
HE is consul general and minister
plenipotentiary at Sofia, Bulgaria.
There is o an attache in Europe to-
udy WHO mas HOl hh ihduloihNV Wv
cooked at Sir Mortimer Brett"
And his claims to Distinction"
1.-TWO only, my dear fellow, but they
are sufficient to make any man motor
ious. First of all, scandal has been
busy with his illustrious name. How
ever I am afraid that's a very or
dirany sort of notoriety. But when
I tell you the sober. fact that II he
Just winked war would break out In
the Balkan peninsula you will grant
that he is a factor in the game OF
European politics"
II have heard enough to have my
curiosity excited. Tell me more of the
man who controls the destiny OF q NJ
ton. The scandal, for instance. Is II
q matter Of common newspaper pub
licity? | have figured in the papers
myself lately, and | feel a certain
sympathy for a fellow-sufferer?"
"Oh, the newspapers have made him
squirm a bit, no doubt. But my
sources Of information are more &C.
curate than mere newspaper gossip.
You see, ] happen to be the Ameri-
can consul here"
Then your gossip Of the embassies
ought to be worth listening to-"
I settled myself in my chair and
lighted a fresh cigarette.
MY dear chap. you are asking too
much OF me-really you are! The
situation in the Balkans! Good Lord,
that's too appalling a subject to be
discussed between two friends who
have just met"
Locke" / replied automatically, Il
suppose you wish to discuss me and
my unfortunate affair. Well. I don't
II you wish to show me that you be
lieve me not quite so black as | an
painted, ignore the matter complete
ly."
"Of course, OF course" he FASTENED
to assure me. ".And you really wish
to understand why wal would break
out tomorrow in the Balkans II Sill
Mortimer Brett lifted his little fin
ger?"
'If such a knowledge is the prelude
to the scandal that concerns him."
Every WELL" he agreed g~ood.natured
ly. But don't despair II you are still
muddled after ten minutes talk OF
Balkan politics; Count Won Bulow ha:
said that the man who comprehend!
the situation in the Balkan State doe!
not exist. But to understand how
Sir Mortimer's influence may, plung,
Europe into war to-day, Just as surel,
as whom Madame de PompadouI
twisted Louis XIV about her little fin
ger, you must know something Of tn,
trouble hat seethes and bubbles IL
Turkish
Even the word Turkish-Macedoni,
is a mere geography name to me-"
Hang 1t, have l got to give you
lesson in geography as well as In his
tory?" growled Locke. well Mace
donia is actually no state or country
It is simply a term to designate
strip of Turkish territory ~immediatel,
to the south of Bulgaria. 1t Is with in
dependent Bulgaria and insurgen
Macedonia that our friend Sir Mort
mer Brett is concerned. In a word
the situation is this: Bulgaria, Ion
freed from the Turkish yoke, woul
help struggling Macedonia to gail
her freedom.
Macedonia itself is an ~extraordir
airy hodgepodge Of races--Greeks
Turks, Serbs, Bosnians, Bulgars-
there are a dozen dirty little races
and half a dozen fanatic sects a.
ready to fly at each others threats 1
they were not too busy struggling fc
their freedom. But Greek, Catholic
Jew, they are all ready to die cheer
fully II they can down their Turks
oppressor. 1t Is Just this sublim
struggle for freedom that gives
touch Of nobility to mongrel, snarfint
swapping Macedonia. These Mace
domains for years have been putin
up one of the Quickest running fight
imaginable. The House Of Common
INDUCES in solemn pihie about wha
they choose to call the Balance @
Criminality. In other words, they pre-
fess to think that the atrocities con
mitted by the Turks and the Mace
domains are equally horrible. But, a
a matter of fact, English knowledge c
Macedonian affairs Is doled out by tn
London Times, which In turn gets II
facts from the English embassy q
Constantinople, professedly pro-Turl
fish in its sympathies."
"How do you account for that?"
demanded with q show of interes
Locke's lecture was not thrilling, br
] listened patiently; for ! realize
that his information was necessary
] would understand Sir Mortimer
predicament.
THE missionaries" continue
Locke, know only too well that III