Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-25
T HE S T AT u E
Continued from page IA

care If you did tell. Not twOpence! tie
snapped his fingers. m that kind of man..
You needn't. III give you thousand,
and it's every cent you are worth. If Cour-
landers hadn't put up their shutters, and If
you had stayed with them, I'd have given you
two thousand Yes, five! I'd have COM
mitted follies. But you are only pretty
ordinary sort of clerk now. You have nothing
to sell. And as Commanders are finished,
there is nothing that l want to buy. So say
no more"
There was a silence
"Blackmail!" Crampiron burst out again,
laughing harshly. a nice ideal He turned
and leaned over the desk and whispered,
You aren't the only person who knows
Who" Beakbane was too agitated, too
undone, to construct a whole sentence.
MY daughter knows. She overheard me.
And she away. And she is married to
out 1 was upset. was afraid. But have
got over that. l can see I'm perfectly safe.
You dare not tell; and she can't Strange l
didn't that at once. She might possibly
tell her husband, of course; but then he couldn't
tell-it wouldn't do The situation is very
, curious one"
Beakbane made a supreme effort to be great,
and he succeeded in smiling. Very curious"
he agreed, endeavorng to assume the air of
ConnoiSSeur in situations.
Crampiron glanced at the clock.
You have wasted twenty minutes of my
time with your confounded sentlmentatty and
Your aDOminaDle aVarlCe, he SAID. NOW TO
bu inessi The loan is arranged.
&" | thought you had been to Berlin Beak-
bane :nurmured, astonlshed.
SO | have" said Crampiron. when |
say that the loan is arranged, mean that the
loan is arranged through Berlin, and not
through Paris. It's all the same to me"
And Crampron could not forbear a proud
smile of self satisfaction as he went on relating
his achievement. Having killed man,
thought | might as we'll take his place and do
I I Domestic nd
told him that from a sense OF patriotism, and
merely in order to save the country, | should
transfer my services from Paris to Berlin
He was delighted-the fool! He was quite
moved. l wired to Paris that the thing was
off And | put my money at the disposal of
Berlin on terms which Berlin accepted. Ger
many will control the loan to the Sultan
France will quarrel with her. There will be
war. Europe will be turned upside down.
The English Government will stop where it IS
And that sublime nincompoop Domestic will
continue to fancy that he is saving the British
Empire from destruction. And l have done
in four days, including the journey there
and back"
1T is indeed remarkable" said Beakbane
lamely.
% should think it was! And look at that
Ever see that fist before?"
He tossed a letter over to Beakbane and
Beakbane read:
80 Downing Street, July IS.
my DEAR CRAMPIRoN.-In reference to
interview yesterday, l have the two col
leagues whom l indicated to you; and am
now in a position to assure you that in case
the operation which you have SO periodically
undertaken is successfully concluded l shall
venture to suggest to His Majesty the pro-
priety of bestowing upon you a peerage.
Believe me, my dear Mr.. Crampiron, yours
most faithfully, DoNCASTLE."
81 have seen him this afternoon-since this
letter." said Crampiron, snatching the missive
from Beakbane's hands. "He is beside him
self with delight at the prospect of saving his
neck,-I mean the British Empire,-and so
stipulated for an earldom. When Pm Earl of
living, I'll make some of those Mayfair man
darins sit up"
Il congratulate you, sir. most heartily"
said Beakbane.
Crampiron merely stared at him, with dis
dainful quizzicalness.
You had better along there" he jerked
his elbow mysteriously in a particular drec-
ton, after dinner; just to see if there is"
He paused.
Beakbane nodded.
At that moment the butler reentered.
Two gentlemen to see you, sir"
WHO are they?"
They won't give their names sir"
Then shan't see them!" said Crampiron.
In this assertion, however, Abraham Cramp-
iron was mistaken. He did see his two visitors,