Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-01

lie loos nO10 intent upon the little room
and its occupants
We must not forget our more legitI-
mate business In the midst OF these
pleasant side issues"
'The field is easy. After our delight
| ful continental capitals. where as you
know. one is never quite sure of one
self, IL is pleasant 10 breath the demo
| cratic airs of Washington" remarked
| Chauvenet-
Particularly So my dear friend.
when one is blessed with your delight
ful social gifts I envy you your ca
pacity Tor making others happy"
There was a keen irony in the fell
lows tongue. and the edge OF It evil
! IDENTITY touched Chauvenet. who scowI-
ed and bent forward. with his fingers
on the table
Enough OF that. II you please"
"As you Will. carino. but you win
pardon me for Offering my condolences
IN the regrettable departure Of Ia belle
Americana. II you had not been 80
intent on matters OF state you would
undoubtedly have found her here. As
Il is. you are now obliged to see her
on her native soil. 4 mouth in Wash
ington may do much for you. She Is
beautiful and reasonably rich Her
brother. the tall captain. is said 60 be
the best horseman In the American
army"
"Humph, He is an ass" calculated
ihauvenet
a servant now appeared bearing a
fresh bottle OF cordial. He was distin-
guished by a small head upon a tall
aud powerful body and bore little re-
semblance 20 n house servant While
he brushed the cigar ashes from the
table the men continued their talk
without needing him.
Chauvenet and his friend had spoken
from the FIRST ia French. but IN ad-
dressing some directions 20 the servant,
the blond. who assumed the role OF
host. employed a Servian dialect
Il think we were saying that the
mortality list ia certain directions Will
have 10 be stimulated a trihe before
we can do our young friend Francis
any good. You have business in Amer
lea, carino. That paper we hlched
from old Stroebel strengthens our hold
on Francis, but there is stnl that ques-
ton as 10 Karl and Frederick Angus
tus. our dear Francis is not satisfied.
He wishes 10 be quite sure that his
dear father aud brother are dead We
must reassure him, dearest Jules"
Don't be a fool. Durand. You never
seem 20 understand that the United
States Of America is a tribe larger
ntnr hos
those fellows are over there. They're
probably lying IN wait here somewhere
ready TO take advantage OF any Oppor-
tunity-that is, II they are alive. A
man can hardly fail 20 be impressed
with the fact that so few lives stand
between him and
The heights-the helghtsv' And the
young man. whom Chauvenet called
Durand, lifted his tiny glass airily.
Yes. the heights" replied Chauve-
net little dreamuy.
But that deelaration-that docu-
ment! You have never honOred me
with n glimpse. but you have it put
safely away, dare say"
There IS no place-but one-that 1
dare risk 1t is always within easy
reach. my dear friend"
You Will do well to destroy that doc
ument 1t is much better out OF the
way"
Your deficiencies in the matter OF
wisdom are unfortunate. That paper
constitutes cur chief asset, my dear
associate. So long as we have it we
are able to keep dear Francis in order.
Therefore we shall hold fast 10 it, re-
Wondering that we risked much in re-
moving it from the lamented StroebePs
archives"
do you say 'risked muchY My val
ued neck, that is ally' said the other.
you and Winkelried are without graf
itude."
You viii do WELL" said Chauvenet,
'to keep an eye open in Vienna for the
unknown. II you hear murmurs in
Hungary one OF these fine days!-
Nothing has happened for some time;
therefore much may happen"
he glanced at his watch.
II have work IN Paris before sailing
FOR New York. Shall we discuss the
matter OF those Peruvian claims? That
is business. These other affairs are
more in the nature OF delightful diver
sions. my dear comrade."
They drew nearer the table, and Du-
rand produced a box OF papers, over
which he bent with serious attention
Armitage had heard practically all OF
their dialogue and. what was OF equal
interest, had been able 20 study the
faces and learn the tones of voice Of
the two conspirators. He was cramp-
ed from his position on the narrow bal
cony and wet and chilled by the rain,
which was now slowly abating. He
had learned much that ne wished to
know and with an ease that astonished
him, and he was well content to with
draw with gratitude for his good for
tune
His legs were numb, and he chung
close to the railing OF the little ladder
for support as he crept toward the
area. At the second story his foot
slipped on the wet iron, smooth from
10. Il.