Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-15
CHAPTER Y.
Two Visitors,


cupied in problem which either baffied
him altogether, or which. having been
solved. gave him considerable anxiety. He
had pushed his chair back from the table.
and his attention was concentrated on the
papers he held in his hand They had come
during the past few days, and although he
had read each one carefully on it's arrival,
he had put them aside until he could study
them together. They were all before him
now and he had spent the greater part Of
the morning reading Them and in piecing
together the information they contained
into one complete and Ineligible story.
1t was not an easy task, and the result he
arrived at gave him little satisfaction.
This pestilential fellow will make trou-
Bile for u.s. he said to himself, and then he
went systematically through the letters
again.
read slowly from one of them. He denied
everything, of course. but the evidence was
exceedingly strong against him. That he
accepted the verdict and disappeared In the
truth That is what cannot understand"
said the ambassador arguing the point to
the empty room. why did he accept It.
and disappear? Why didn't he stand and
is what 1 should have expected from such
a man, and with such eyes. too"
He took up another paper.
1.-THE question can hardly be reopened,
my lord, and since 1t was closed nothing
has transpired to suggest that there was
any error Of justice in the matter. OF
course he might bring an action for SANDER
in the civil courts. and for this purpose be
The ambassador shook his head; he had
not much faith in persuasion in this case.
Then he turned to another letter and read
one paragraph In 1t more than once. II
impressed him.
81 feel convinced that Desmond Ellerey
is an innocent man. One has such convic-
tons without being able to explain them.
That he accepted the inevitable 1 think
can understand, considering the weight of
evidence against him. and although l en-
deavored to persuade him against his de-
termination to offer his sword to another
country, 1 can appreciate his point of view
since his career had been ruined in his
own. If you think any good will come of
my writing to him. making on my own ac-
count the suggestion contained in your let
ter I will certainly do SO, and shall. OF
course not mention that have heard from
you, that we are known to each other ="
The ambassador looked at the signature
"'Charles Martin An excellent man to
have for a friend, and 1 believe he is
right"
He turned over another paper signed
Ralph Ellerey.
"He does not count" said the ambassador
with gesture of contempt. and threw the
letter aside without troubling to read it
again. Then he rang bell upon his table,
and a man entered.
ASK Capt. Ward to come to me-
The ambassador was pacing the room
with little short steps when the captain en-
tered.
do you know a Desmond EIlerey, who
lodges by the Western Gate, Ward?'
Il know there is such a man, but know
nothing about him.
HE is likely to be dangerous. I want
you to keep eye upon his movements.
He is friendly with Monsieur De Froilette,
and is in her majesty's favor. l do not
want you to make Ellerey's acquaintance.
I don't want him to know who you are, for
the present at any rate"
ct understand"
Il should be glad to see him turn his
back upon Wallaria; failing that, I am I'M
charitable enough to hope he may meet
with an accident" said Lord Cloverton.
That might be arranged" was the an
swer.
..Sturatzberg is having bad effect upon
your moral sense. At least we will try per-
suasion first and 1t was difficult to tell
from the ambassadors smiling face wheth-
er a sinister thought had entered his head
or not. After a moments pause he added:
"Will you also have a telegram sent to Sir
Charles Martin? Just say, Please write,
Cloverton.' He will understand
The extent of the ambassadors interest
in Linn would have surprised Ellerey con-
siderably had he known Of it. After his
interview with Lord Cloverton he had half
expected that he would seek to question
him further, or, If he had any reason to
suppose he was in his way, might bring
pressure to bear upon the king to dismiss
him from the army. He certainly did not
do the one and Ellerey had no reason to
think he had attempted to do the other.
At court the ambassador had bowed slight
ly as he passed him. and the flicker of
smile had been on his face for moment
when he saw him crossing the room with
Countess Mavrodin, almost as though he
wished him to remember what he had said
about a lovers quarrel. Ellery had made
his peace with the countess as speedily as
enemies that he could not afford to lose a
friend and he felt that this woman was a
friend. He had duly BUNDLED himself and
had been forgiven, and even when she
questioned him about his adventure in the
Altstrasse, he refused to speak of 1t lest
he should again offend. He succeeded as
he hoped to do, in raising her curiosity.
but if this woman so resembled me,
surely 1t would be satisfaction to me to
know something more about her." she said.
ut was dark countess, but she seemed to
be pretty. That misled me perhaps. 1 was
foolish to imagine for moment that 1t
could have been you.'
Elerey knew that such an explanation
would not content her Would 1t satisfy
any woman? He had only to wait and
she would ply him with further questions.
and, If she were not the woman, would not
rest until she had discovered who the other
woman was. She would probably help him
to some explanation of his adventure in
the long run, her curiosity leading her to
play the part Of a useful ally.
The days passed and no message came
from the queen, neither did he see nor hear
anything of De Froilette. The Frenchman
was not at court and Ellerey did not meet
him in the streets of Sturatzberg. He did
not go to visit him in the Altstrasse; it had
been agreed that he should not do so.
After consideration Ellerey had taken
Stefan into his confidence. He believed the
rough soldier had some affection for him.
so had told him something of his adventure
in the Altstrasse, and of the mysterious
mission he might be called upon at any
moment to perform. Such men as Ellerey
wished to enlist in the enterprise were not
easy to find. There were plenty of adven-
turous spirits ready for any service so they
were we'll paid, but such men were quite
likely to desert him at the critical moment
If they saw any benefit to themselves in
doing SO.
Now, Stefan, can we find the men we
want?" Ellerey asked.
"a dozen of them?' queried the soldier
thoughtfully. Twelve trusty comrades?
It's large order in a world where it's
safest to trust nobody"
There is adventure, there is good pay.
two attractions to the soldier Of fortune"
Eyes, captain; but the soldier of fortune
In Sturatzberg Is ecuryy sort of rascal