The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-07
CHAPTER xxIv.-continued.

yered when I was about to despair
was successful to this extent: Sil
Mortimer agreed to have secret
meeting with the banker at this cha
teau-to-day."
To-day" / stammered. "And Sil
Mortimer Is dead"
Il learned OF his doath when you
were In the kursaal with me-"
"You need say no more | under
stand why you have brought me &c
the chateau only too we'll A just fate
snatched from your lips the cup oi
success But fate dashed one cur
from your hand only TO tempt you
with another. l have seen for myself
that I bear a sufficiently marked re
semblance to deceive one who has
known Sir Mortimer but slightly. Per
haps Kuhn has never actually met SiI
Mortimer"
Never" interrupted Madame dc
Varnier, her voice trembling.
And you wish me to do-what?"
IAN Interview of half an hour and
the desunies OF a nation Will be
changed. oh, know that the move is
a desperate one. Its audacity is the
best augury OF success. Look. | give
you power such as few men have held
Sir Mortimer lies In that room dead
know of his death; DR.. Starva, AL.
phonse. myself. and yourself. One
hour after this interview, 1t Will be
given out that he has died suddenly
from heart failure. But In the mean
while the interview between yourself
and the banker will have taken place"
Woman. you are mad" | cried
scornfully. Let us suppose for the
moment that this interview has taken
place between myself and the banker,
Let us say that the deception has
proved to be completely successful,
The loan is promised TO Ferdinand.
but how is that promise TO be made
good? There are papers to be signed
and attested-there are checks to be
drawn and receipts to be given. Who
Is to sign these documents-who Is to
eigp the receipts? /. the false Sir
Mortimer? Esregious follyi Your
fanaticism has run away with your
common sense, There is no pressure
on earth that could make me consent
to your scheme. Your banker would
not be so great fool as to be de.
ccived, | say again. even If | consent
ed. Did you think he would hand out
a package to YOU containing millions
as a grocer passes a packet OF soap
across the counter to a customer"
That should even discuss the mat
ter with her at all seemed to her a
hopeful sign. She drew her chair
closer to me. ] regarded her disdain.
fully. For clever woman. her scheme
seemed to me preposterous on the
face Of It,
do you think, my dear monsieur.
that the perpleXities you mention have
not occurred to me-" She was vio-
lently scornful in her turn. Yes. and
there are a hundred others. But I
have thought of them all Money? |
have not mentioned money or checks
or receipts. i am not quite an imbe-
cile. l have arranged all that. You
have simply TO see this Kuhn. There
will be no discussion, You will lay
before him an ultimatum. IL he
agrees, document will be gwen to
him promising on the part of England
her moral support. This document will
have been officially sealed by the min
lister Of the British Foreign Office. 1t
will already have the signature of Sir
Mortimer Brett"
She leaned close to me. Her breath
was in my face. Her eyes were LIQUID
bfe Because / was silent for the mo-
nent she imagined me tempted But
II | were silent it was because my
scorn was too great for utterance.
"A forgery" ] said at last.
Listen The document Itself Is Of
hc'al' 1t awaited merely the sigma
ture Of Sir Mortimer Brett"
How was that obtained, since Sir
Mortimer is dead?"
"Dr. Starya IS a clever penman.
TBat Is why be IS useful"
l sprang to my feet. pushing pack
my chair so abruptly as to oyerturn
it- DR.. Starya'S name was a red flag
10 soad me to enraged lmpatience.
And this is the forgery that Is TO
save nation!" I cried In fierce con-
tempt. Il say again and again. you
are fool-a fool TO think that your
scheme can be successful"
viii England repudiate an act OF
her minister because he dies shortly
after attesting it? | tell you. mon.
siour. L have counted tho chances.
shall succeed"
And the loyalty of DR.. Starva? You
may count on that? ] am willing To
believe that your mad project has
been planned with the hope that It
may benefit your oppressed race.
viii give TO you the doubtful virtue of
faraticism. But that arch.hend Star.
vat Is impossible that he be infiu.
enced by an unseldsh motive. That
deoth'mask, did you know its sigpifl.
caDce till last night? Madame de Var
nier. be advised by mo before It Is too
lato, You have said am your enemy.
1t is true. II have come TO this cha
teau as your guest. II was to spy on
you-to learn what have Just learned.
TO learn what ] shall learn"
do you think ] have been blind To
that7" she interrupted, smiling dis
dainfully.
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