Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-10-21

cursed the two occupants in his own
dialect with Il fierce, vile tongue. 1t
was near midnight when he reached
the tavern and climbed the rickety
stairway to the room where the two
men waited.
Chauyenet opened the door at his APP
proach, and they cried aloud as the
great figure appeared before them and
the lamp light fell upon his dark, blood
smeared face.
1.-THE letters!" snapped Chauvenet.
ais the message safe?" demanded
Durand.
Lost! Lost! They are lost! lost
my way, and he nearly killed me-the
little soldier-as crossed a strange
field"
When they had jerked the truth from
Zmai, Chauvenet flung open the door
and bawled through the house for tie
innkeeper.
"lIorses! Saddle our two horses quick.
and get another if you have to steal
it," he screamed Then lie turned intb
the room to curse Zmai. while Durand
withsa towel and water sought to ease
the ache In the big fellows head and
cleanse his face.
$50 that beggarly little servant did
it, did he? He stole that paper had
given you. did he? What do you i'm
agine brought you to this country
for If you are to let two stupid fools
play with you as though you were n
clown?"
The Servian, on his knees before
Durand. suffered the torrent of abuse
meekly. He was scoundrel, hired to
do murder. aud his utilization by an
angered employer did not greatly trou-
bic him. particularly since lie under.
stood little of Chauvenet's rapid Ger.
man.
In half an hour Chauvenet was
again in n fury, learning at Lamar
that the operator had gone down the
road twenty miles to dance and
would not be back until morning.
The imperturbable Durand shivered
in the night air and prodded Chauve-
net with ironies.
1--WE have no time to lose. That
message must go tonight. You may
be sure NJ. Armltage will not send 1t
for us. Come, we've got to go down
to Storm Springs"
They rode away in the starlight, leav-
ing the postmaster alarmed and Won
derlng. Chadvenet and Durand were
well mounted on horses that Chauvenet
had sent into the hills in advance of his
own coming. Zmai rode grim and ST.
lent on clumsy plow horse. which
was the best the publican could find
for him. The knife was not the only
weapon he had known In Servia. He
carried potato sack across his saddle
bow. Chauvenet and Durand sent him
ahead to set the pace with his inferior
mount. They talked. together in low
tones as they followed
"He Is not SO big a fool. this Armi-
tage." remarked Durnnd "He is quite
deep. in fact. | wish 1t were lie we are
trying to establish on IL throne and not
that pltifuI scapegrlce in Vienna"
II gave him his chance down there
in the valley. and he laughed at me. 1t
40 Nuitc JOSSlblc tiiul Is llOL Il lOOl
and quite certain that lie is not COW.
ard"
"rhen he would not lie i: safe king
Our young friend in Vienna is good
deal of fool ana altogether COW
ard. We shall have Ia provide hin
with a spine ut his coronation"
"1f we fail"- began Cllauvenet.
You suggest II fruitful but unpeas
ant topic. If we fail W.T. shall be fortu
nate If we reach the hospitnsle shore,
| of the Argentine for future residence
Paris and Vienna would not know u
again. If Winkelried succeeds in vi
emma and we lose here. where do W,
arrive?"
1--WE arrive quite where Mr.. Armitag
chooses to land us. He is u gentleman
of resources; he has money; he laugh
cheerfully at misadycntures; he hn
had you watched by the shrewdes
eyes in Europe, and you are considere'
q hard man TO keep track of. my dea