The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-01-23
"a. A sudden blow strpuk On d. Ss~ |


She was giving her message 70 Al
phonse after all. She had tsken my
hint of making herself heard through
the closed door. 1t was short mes
sage. ] had not understood one word
OF Il. Though she had raised her voice
almost to a shout. she had doubtless
spoken in her native tongue. She 70
seated herself complaisantly, offerint
me her cigarette case.
Now an ready. monsieur. for om
little affair"
"The sooner IL Is over the better
said, irritated that she had stolen .
march on me.
"Are you familiar with the hand
writing OF Sir Mortimer Brett?"
She had opened a drawer OF the 70
BILE at which we sat. caught thu
sheen OF a japanned box.
mo" I said. pretending that had
not seen the box. II the proofs o;
Sir Mortimer's dishonor we're in thai
dispatch box Il wosld not be many
minutes before had destroyed them
IF that Is the case, n copy Is ~
useful as an original" she said coolly
and. placing the box on the table. she
unlocked It with a little key that huns
at her chatelaine. She took out Of the
dispatch box two envelopes. Theli
shape and bulk suggested wildly the
packets that she and DR.. Starva haze
been examining in the hotel al Vitznau
Evidently you think me a very
trusting person." sneered. mo
madame, I am not quite SO callow az
that. A copy may be forged. Per
haps you are as clever with the pen
as DIR. Starva. Show me the originals
or nothing"
You wrong me-" she protested
mockingly. And you wrong yourself
| am not so stupid as to expect you TO
take these typewrittcn copies for
granted. Nor am | so stupid as I'd
trust the originals in your hands. You
might destroy them. for Instance"
Again II looks like a deadlock. The
burden OF proof lies with yourself As
you say, am not familiar with the
handwriting OF Sir Mortimer. Who u
to vouch for It's genuineness."
"One whose word you viii scarcely
doubt--the sister OF si Mortimer"
raised my clenched hand. Her
cruel smile made me for the moment
forget her sex. II she had been a man
think ! could have killed her then
Then, that was your message. You
have sent for herr"
"She will be waiting In the music
room below. II is for you 20 say II
she is TO be spared the ordeal You
will cause her the suffering. not l."
lowered my hands slowly. Thave
laughed at the old doctrine OF tho per
sonality of the devil believe II now.
Show me the papers,
TLet US understand each other frst
In this envelope are copies Of ce.tais
dispatches and notes made by Sir Nor
timer. The originals are in a safe
that is IN the third room yonder. You
will examine these copies. II will be
for you 10 determine whether Miss
Brett is to be the final arblter of Sin
Mortimer's guilt or innocence"
And IL refuse 10 call on Miss
Brett."
Sooner or later she shall see those
papers"
What advantage will that be 10 you
when have failed TO be 3 partner %
your nefarIous intrigves.
Il shall be revenged on you. moo.
sieur." Her eyes glittered. And nj
revenge will be profitable. The Rus
sian or Austrian governments won,d
pay a long price for the papers In ths
safe. NJ. Coward"
Il will give you your own price Tor
them" | said hoarsely.
And be robbed OF my revensoi
They are beyond price. Come. you
weary me with questions Are. ycs
ready for the proofs?"
"One moment. These dispatches
we're stolen from Sir Mortimer's apart
ments that night at vitznau. Yos
gained access 10 that apartment ~
passing me on as Sir Mortimer. Whsrs
did you find them? How did you know
they we're there?"
"Sir Mortimer had hidden them DO
tween the folds OF a Venetian blind
That they we're concealed in his rooms
at vitznau was told DR.. Starva by Sir
Mortimer himself. When he had left
Sofia for Lucerne he was very III. He
was accompanied only by his physic,
ian, his nurse. and his valet ! need
hardly say that DR.. Starva was the
physician; myself. the nurse; and Al
pnonse, the valet. But Lucerne SAVIOR
ed too much OF publicity for our plans
Even vitznau was not desirable, espe
cially in view II the alarming state
OF Sir Mortimer's health This chs
tesu was our rendezvous. But on this
way here Sir Mortimer suffered col
lapse.
"Dr. Starva remained with his %
tient: I returned to Lucerne TO throw
on suspicion as to cur movements. In
an obscure village In the mountainf
Sir Mortimer died. Or. rather. 1t was
not Sir Mortimer Brett. Minister Q;
His Britannia Majesty at Sofia. but .
Mr.. Stanley Walters. an obscure Eng
lish tourist.
II regret TO say that before he died
air iMorff,ner felf soue rnisgfyfngs fol