Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-06-22

are moments when he IS delirious TIC
bring him sleep it was necessary to
give him an opiate, you understand
II he is awakened he may be sane or
he may deny his very identity"
Which is his room?"
Captain Forbes, l forbid it, 1t Is
impossible. | warn YOU"
Madame de WARMER opened the door
of the bedroom quietly.
IF the gentleman insists on awak.
ing Sir Mortimer we are powerless,
she said gently. but at least let him
not be excited more than necessary,
sir"
Il shall endeavor to follow your in.
structions. madam said Forbes stiffly
He strobe to my bedside. l could
imagine with what breathless anxiety
the Adventures watched him. Was
he sufficiently intimate with Sir Nor
timer Brett to denounce me instantly
as an impostor?
Your Excellency!" he said gently.
Your Excellency!"
The immediate danger of discovery
was past. At least he had not de.
tected the deception so far. He called
me again; he shook my shoulder re-
spectfully. | opened my eyes.
What is it," demanded, bewildered
| am Mortified to-day when l think of
the facility that was mine in playing
this game of intrigue. | looked Ian
guldly from Captain Forbes to Madame
de WARMER, WHO had resumed her seat
at the bedside. The question was adj
dressed to her.
She took my hand. "This is Captain
Forbes. a kings messenger He has
brought you dispatches Of impor-
lance"
"Ah yes" l said YEARLY, and looked
at him with dull eyes.
Il am sorry to arouse you, sir"
Contempt for the man struggled with
respect for his Office But my orders
at the Foreign Office were to give you
these papers at the earliest possible
moment. The business is urgent. May
| suggest that you read them at once?"
My eyes unconsciously turned to
Madame de WARMER for guidance. she
stroked my hand gently.
do you not see that he is in no
condition to be disturbed tonight ?"
she asked Indignantly.
For the first time Captain Forbes
hesitated He placed one sunburned
hand on his breast as if to guard jeal-
ously the dispatches he bore. That he
should hesitate at all seemed to me
incredible. But Captain Forbes
seemed fair example of that type of
Englishman who performs his duty
with the stubbornness and obstinacy
of a fool as well as a hero. Chance
often determines which of the two
characters he shall assume. 1t is true
he had not the remotest suspicion that
| was not Sir Mortimer. But surely
he must see that was in the power Of
these adventurers.
All my fears reached a climax.
when, looking steadily at me a mo-
ment, he turned TO the others:
Il must speak to Sir Mortimer
alone"
| saw Starva grasp the revolver con-
cealed beneath his coat. Madame de
WARMER silenced the protests on his
lips with a meaning glance. She real
lied the uselessness of further resist
ance.
You will not excite him more than
necessary" she entreated anXiously.
And you must not be surprised to
find his mind still confused as a result
Of the opiate given him.
81 shall spare him as far as posi-
BILE" Forbes replied with some stern
ness. Drawing himself erect, his arms
folded, he waited until the door had
closed behind them.
My first impulse was to put an end
to this farce. But again l hesitated.
They were listening outside that door;
every suspicion was alert; the slight
est cause would fan the suspicion to
a flame.
And then, what? | should have
made myself ridiculous to no purpose.
| had gone far in my reckless venture
too far A. risk all by attempting to
warn Captain Forbes at this. crucial
moment. His brain worked too slowly
he was too deficient IN Imagination
too much lacking in subtlety and
finesse. refused-recklessly If you
will, but deliberately-to risk the sue
cess of my scheme by drumming into
the dull brain of Captain Forbes the
true state of affairs. 1t would have
taken him a good quarter of an hour
to grasp merely the facts. At that
time he would understand just enough
of them to be stubbornly convinced
that | was equally involved with the
other two, but he would think my
nerve had failed me and that | was
attempting to purchase my own free
dom from punishment at the expense
of the others. And certainly they
would drag me down with them. If