Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-19
and bawled through the house for tn

the room to curse Zmai, while Durand
with 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 l 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
clown?'
The Serylan, on his knees before
Durand, suffered the torrent of abuse
meekly. He was a scoundrel, hired to
do murder, and his viliication by an
angered en-. soyer did not greatly trou
bic him, particularly since he under
stood little Of Chauvenets rapid Ger
man.
In half an hour Chauvenet was
again in fury, learning at Lamar
that the operator had gone down the
road twenty miles to a dahce and
would not be back until morning.
The imperturbable Dnrand 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. Armitage will not send it
for us. Come, we've got to 60 down
to Storm Springs"
They rode away in the starlight, leav-
ing the postmaster alarmed and won
dering Chauvenet and Durand were
well mounted on horses that Chauvenet
had sent into the bills in advance Of his
own coming. Zmai rode grim and ST.
lent on clumsy pillow 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 fool. this Armi-
tage." remarked Durand. "He is quite
deep, in fact. wish it were he we are
trying to establish on throne and not
that pitiful scapegrace in Vienna"
II gave him his chance down there
in the valley, and he laughed at me. 1t
is quite possible that he Is not fool
and quite certain that he is not cow
ard,
"Then he would not be safe king.
Our young friend in Vienna is good
deal OF a fool and altogether COW,
ard We shall have to provide him
t. tSnv, ~
..If we fail began Chauyenet.
'You suggest fruitful but unpleas-
ant topic. IL we fail we shall be fortu-
nate il we reach the hospitable shores
Of the Argentine for future residence
Paris and Vienna would not know us
again, If Winkelried succeeds in vi
emma and we lose here, where do we
arriveY
1--WE arrive quite where Mr.. Armitage
chooses to land US. He 10 gentleman
Of resources: he has money; he laughs
cheerfully at misadvehtures; he has
had you watched by the shrewdest
eyes in Europe, and you are considered
hard man to keep track Of. my dear
Durand. And not least important, he
has tonight snatched away that little
cablegram that was the signal to Win
kelried to 60 ahead. He is very an
moving and vexatious person, this Ar
mitage. Even Zmai, whose knife made
him terror in Servia. seems unable to
cope with him."
and the fair daughter Of the val
ley"
..Pish! We are not discussing the
young lady"
81 can understand how unpleasant
the subject must be to you, my dear
Jules. What do you imagine she knows
Of M. Armitage? II he is the man we
think he is, and a possible heir to a
great throne, it would be impossible
for her to marry him."
HHis tastes are democratic. In Mon
tana he is quite popular"
aDurand flung away his cigarette and
laughed suddenly.
HAS it occurred to you that this
whole affair Is decidedly amusing!
Here we are in one of the free Ameri-
can states about to turn card that
will dethrone a king il we are lucky.
And here is man we are trying to get
out of the way-a man we might make
king IL he we're not fool! In Ameri-
cal IT touches my sense of humor, my
dear Jules'
An exclamation from Zmat arrested
them. The servian jerked up bis horse,
and they were instantly at his side.
They had reached point near the
bunting preserve In the main highway.
It was about half past 1 o'clock, an
hour at which Virginia mountain
roads are usually free of travellers,
and they had been sending their horses
along as briskly as the uneven roads
and the pace Of Zmais laggard beast
permitted.
| The beat Of a horses hoofs could be
heard quite distinctly in the road
ahead of them. The road tended
downward, and the strain OF the as
cent was marked in the approaching
animals walk. In a moment the three
men heard the horses quick snort OF
satisfaction as 1t reached teveler
ground. Then, seeming the other ami
mails. it threw up Its head and neighed
shrilly.
In the dusk OF starlight Durand saw
Zmai dismount and felt the Servants
big, rough hand touch bis In passing
the bride Of his horse.
'tWaitr said the 6srvfan.
n,An ,,.~.> - chs ,Ynknnwn nAuSod,