Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-08-25
ID c hepterRM
~ twenty-five Nj


Markart more than a little
harsh. To use 1t was to apply
to Krayonian affairs the sterner stand
ards of more steady going. sqneamish
countries. A coup d'etat may we'll in
volve fighting. Fighting naturally in
cludes killing But are the promoters
of the coup therefore murderers? Muir
derers with difference, anyhow, nc
cording to Kravonian ideas. which
Captain Markart was inclined to share.
Moreover coup d'etat is war. The
suppression Of information is legitimate
In war. II the Prince of Slavna could
not find out for himself what had hap
pened in the palace. were his opponents
bound to tell him? In fact. given that
an attempt to change the succession in
your own interest was not crime. but
q legitimate political enterprise, the
rest followed.
Except Mistitch! 1t was difficult to
swallow Mistitch There was mix.
ture of ingenuity and brutality about
that move which not even kravonian
notions could easily accept If Stat
nitz had gone-nay. IL he himself had
been sent-probably Markart's con-
science would not have rebelled. But
to send Captain Hercules-that was
cogging the dice! Yet he was very
angry that Stenovics should have di-
vined his feelings and shut him up
The general distrusted his courage as
well as his conscience. There lay the
deepest hurt to Markart's vanity. 1t
was all the deeper because in his heart
he had to own that Stenovics read him
right. Not only the brazen conscience
was lacking but also the iron nerve.
Getting no answer to his unpleasant
ly pointed question. Lepage relapsed
into silence. He stood by the window,
looking out on the lawn which sloped
down to the Krath. Beyond the river
the lights of Slavna glowed in the
darkening sky. Things would be hap
pening in Slavna soon. Lepage might
well look, at the city thoughtfully. AS
a fact, however. his mind was occupied
with one problem only where was Ter
kovitch and how could he get at him !!
For Lepage did not waver. He had
taken his line.
Presently. however. his professional
Instincts seemed to reassert them
selves. He opened cupboard in the
room and brought out q clean pair Of
sheets. which he proceeded to arrange
on the bed. Busy at his task, he paus-
ed to smile at Markart and say: I'VE
must do the best we can. captain Aft
er all. we have both camped, l expect!
Here's the bed for you-you'll do fine
"" He went back to the cupboard
and lugged out a mattress. "And this
Is for me-the shakedown on the floor
which use when sleep In the kings
room-or did use, should say. In my
Judgment, captain. it's comfortable to
90 to bed on the floor. At least one
can't fall''
It was 8 O'clock They heard the
outer door Of the suit OF rooms open
and shut. A man was moving about in
the next room. II they could judge by
the sound of his steps he also paid DR..
Natcheff brief visit. They heard the
clink Of dishes and of glass.
OAuucI. SdAO 1AepdSc. All, Iudt
not unwelcome! Have permission? ~
Markart nodded, and he opened the
door. On the table in the sitting room
was sayory dish. bread and two bot.
ties of wine. Captain Sterkoff was
just surveying the board he had spread,
with his head on one side. There was
nothing peculiar in that His head
was permanently stuck on one side-a
list to starboard--since the Virgin with
the lamp had injured the vertebrae of
his neck. But the attitude. together
with his beaked nose. made him look
like particularly vicious parrot. Mark
art saw him through the open door and
could not get the resemblance out of
his mind.
Supper. gentlemen said Sterkoff,
with malevolent mirth. 1.-THE doctor
can't Join you. He's little upset and
keeps his bed. A good appetite! |
trust not to be obliged to disturb you
again tonight
Markart had come in by now. but he
was too surly and sore to speak. With.
A. out WORD ne