The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-11-19

but he ran on His feet struck the
planks of the bridge with a great jar
and creaking, but he kept running and
stumbled and fell once with mad
clatter Of the planks. He was a cow
ard with heart of water and would
! not stop when called and come back
for little fight. The wires of the
bridge hummed, and the bridge swung
and creaked. When he was almost
midway of the bridge the big wires
that held it began to shrek out of the
old posts that held them, though had
not touched them. and it seemed many
years that passed while the whole of
it dangled in the air like a bird nest
in storm. and the creek down below
laughed at that big coward. / still
heard his hoofs humping the planks
until the bridge dropped from under
him and left him for long second
with his arms and legs flying In the
air. Yes; it was very horrible to see.
And then his great body went down,
down. God. it was very dreadful
way for a wicked man to diev'
And Oscar brushed his hat with his
sleeve and looked away at the purple
and gray ridges and their burden of
stars.
Yes; 1t must have been terrible"
said Claiborne.
"But now he cannot be left to lie
down there on the, rocks, though he
was so wicked and died like beast
am bad Catholic. but when l was
boy l used to serve mass. and it is
not well for a man to lie in q wild
place where the buzzards will find
him"
But you cannot bring a priest
Great harm would be done If news of
this affair were to get abroad. You
understand that what has passed here
must never be known by the outside
world My father and Baron Won Mar
hof have counseled that and you may
be sure there are reasons why these
things must be kept quiet or they
would seek the laws aid at once"
"Yes; have been a soldier, but after
this little war shall bury the dead
In an hour I shall be back to drive the
blackboard to Lamar station"
Claiborne looked at his watch.
II will 90 with you." he said.
They started through the wood to-
ward the Port of Missing Men, and
together they found rough inches in
the side Of the gap, down which they
made their way toilsomely to the
bowlder lined stream that laughed and
tumbled foamily at the bottom Of the
defile. When their work was done Os-
car took of his hat and knelt down by
the side Of the strange grave and
bowed his head In silence for a mo-
| ment Then they climbed the steep
side Of the gap and turned toward the
bungalow. Oscar trudged silently at
Claiborne's side. and neither spoke.
Both were worn to the point Of exhaus-
ton by the events Of the long day.
The stubborn patience and fidelity of
the little man touched chord in Clai-
borne. Almost unconsciously he threw
his arm across Oscars shoulders and
walked thus beside him as they trav-
ersed the battlefield of the morning.
"You knew Mr.. Armitage when he
was a boy?' asked Claiborne.
"Yes: in the Austrian forest. on his
fathers place-the Count Ferdinand
Won Stroebel. The young captains
mother died when he was a child. His
father was the great statesman and
did much for the Schomburgs and Aus
tria, but it did not aid his disposition
no?'
The secret service men had come by
way of the Springs and were waiting
at the bungalow to report to Claiborne.
They handed him a sealed packet Of
instructions from the secretary of war.
The deportation of Chauvenet and Du-
rand was to be effected at once under
Claiborne's direction. and he sent Oscar
to the stables for the blackboard and
sat down on the yeranda to discuss the
trip to Baltimore with the two secret
! agents. They were to gather up the
personal effects of the conspirators at
the tavern on the drive to Lamar The
rooms occupied by Chauvenet at Wash
ington had already been ransacked and
correspondence and memoranda of a
startling character seized. Chauvenet
was known to be a professional black
mailer and plotter of political mischief,
and the embassy of Austria Hungary
had identified Durand as an ex-convict
who had only lately been implicated
in the launching of dangerous issue
of forged bonds In Paris. Claiborne
had been carefully coached by his
father, and he answered the questions
of the officers readily:
'If these men give you any trouble,
put them under arrest in the nearest
jail. We can bring them back here for
attempted murder, if nothing worse,
and these mountain juries will see that
they're put away for long time. You
will accompany them on board the
George w. Custis and stay with them
until you reach Cape Charles. A light
house tender will follow the steamer
down Chesapeake bay and take you
OF. If these gentlemen do not give the
proper orders to the captain OF the
steamer, you will put them all under
arrest and signal the tender"
Chauvenet and Durand had been
brought out and placed in the buck
board, and these orders were intended
fnp THAR core