Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-12-07

d"
to your slogan and Joined me at the
staircase; the other two were easily
settled with. Yes. Il was a good
fight, but much 700 short--especially
for you. old chap" He shook his
head despOndently.
But your prisoners" I demanded
again. irritated by his superhuous
comments.
1T was Prince Ferdinand who in
sisted on their release"
Their released" I interrupted. fu-
riously. what incredible folly"
you remember that Starva and
Bratinau were the only Bulgars
among the conspirators. and they are
dead. The two ringleadors are wound
ed badly enough TO so 20 q hospital
Forbes himself has accompanied them
there 20 see that they are not dis
charged until one OF us is told. Prac-
tically they are prisoners. There re-
mains Kuhn. Piteschu and Gingaia.
the three men who showed that they
had some instincts of humanity when
IL came 20 tho crisis The other two
were arrant towards; Ferdinand pre-
fers to consider the three his loyal
friends and two others pOwerless.
He has set them at liberty"
by Jove. his magnanimity or his
folly viii cost him dear"
Il am not so certain OF that" re
sumed Locke thoughtfully 1T is
possible that he has made Eve friends
OF Eve az ernies. You must remember
that even ~ he wished TO punish the
conspirators hO IS pOwerless to do
this without advertising to the world
the intended uprising Of the Balkan
States"
But their release viii be the most
efectual way of spreading the news.
"On the contrary. they cannot make
It. known without exposing them
selves. II they do that Ferdinand win
see 70 Il that their respective SOW
ereigns quiteiy but enecrually remove
them Each Of them is so we'll known
that they may be arrested at any
time. Ferdinand shrewdly makes
them hostages. as Il we're The three
certainly viii exert their great inHu-
ence 90 check The rebellion they them
selves have fostered As for Gornii and
Gortschakoff before they arc released
from tho hospital the crisis viii have
passed"
And are We left 70 account for
the deaths OF Starva and Bratinau as
best we msy?' 7 questioned anx-
iously.
IF you remember. 7 told YOU at
Lucerne that I am an old newspaper
man. II IS impossible 90 hide the
fact that an attack has been made
on Prince Ferdinand here tonight
But an attack by bis own countrymen
that has proved a disastrous failure
is quite a different thing from a de-
hberate gathering here OF representa-
uves OF each OF the Balkan States.
Ferdinand has taken my advice to
post in hot haste 20 Sofa. shall
SEQ 20 IL that this nights work does
not get into the papers until - hours
have passed BY that time he will
have shown himself safe and sound in
Sofa The episode OF the death-mask
will have proved a complete nasco
Ny story will make Prince Ferdinand
a hero triumphant over his foes and
not weak king who was lured hero
unWittingly by his mistress to his
doom
There stu remains jacques"
"Oh, jacques" said Locke. with
contempt He was only a tool OF
Starva's and a stupid tool at that
Il was he who was 20 lower the Dag
At half-mast. 1t ssems-to give the
signal 10 the couspirators who were
watching IN the village. But when
he rushed 70 the chamber window to
lower the Gag he found both rope and
fastsnings wreRched away. He sup
posed that the gale had done this. but
seeing the Gag at half-mast. the rome
being caught In the pulley. he said
nothing about the matter 20 Starva.
I suspect that you were responsible
for the lowering Of the nag. and not
the gale"
Il needed the rope" I said. short
y. too impatient TO make further ex-
PLANTATION And now for my last
question: What the devil did YOU
mean when you said that you had
promoted me? And why this haste
that leave Alterhoffen?"
Are you so anxious then that Il
be known that you have been imper-
sonating the British ambassador"
Scarcely" I said. uneasily.
And, my dear fellow. Kuhn and
the rest think that It was Sir Morti-
mer who came to the rescue OF
Prince Ferdinand, and not Mr.. Ern-
est Haddon. an American tourist"
But why do you allow them TO
think this?"
"Faddon. at times you are singu.
larry dense. II these men believe
that the British ambassador has been
killed by one OF their number while
defending Ferdinand, do you not see
that this will keep them even more ST.
lent regarding their share in this
nights tragedy? For II England's am
bassador were really murdered, you
may be sure that she would not rest
until she had brought the assassins to
justice"
You are right. Locke; I must leave
Alterhoffen at once"
CHAPTER XXxViI.
The Second Dispatch.
i was about 20 go to Helena IN fha