The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-09-23

vi lace tudilStu III 81 Siu6lS IN
slant to warning.
He stopped short, grew a little red
and remembered. Basil knew hat the
spy, despite all his acumen, was obvi-
ously utterly that h Ouch
ess herself had accompanied the W
young men upon their adventure.
Grant turned to the man on the
sofa.
Very well, / will believe YOU" he
said. and | shall do what | proposed.
| understand that you have not tele.
graphed anylhing Of our movements
to Wohlau.Landskrona, do | not?
Well, o will send a telegram off at
once, and | will go with you to the
telegraph Office while you send it. 1t
will be to the effect hat you followed
us TO Ostend and SEN us an anony-
nous letter warning us to go back-as
indeed you did. By the way" he went
on, how did you manage that? Who
was it that gave the letter to my val
ct? He told me it was a young, clean
shaven man."
1T was an assistant steward" he
replied. THAT was all. But your
fellow drunk appeared to be, or upset
by the passage"
We'll, my friend" Marriott broke
in, that was because he drank out
of my flask, into which o had
dropped something"
The spy, now cur ana regaining
confidence, chuckled.
"Entschuldigen, mein Herr" he
said; that was but a little ruse of
war"
That's all right, Marriott Grant
interposed. Now, look here; you
will send a telegram to say that we
are back at Ostend, frightened by
| your letter. That will mean that
none of the people-observe l call
them the peopie-none of the people
at Neutrality-suspicious. will know any
thing Of my friends and my own ar
rival in Cologne"
"Yah, mein Herr" said the man,
and his voice was evidently sincere.
Il would do that and more to get
away free from my present position
here with a hundred pounds In my
pocket. / don't like dirty work, but
I've been constrained to do it. | am
really the son of a pastor, sir, and it
is not what / should wish to do, it is
not what / should wish to be-a paid
private detective in the service of the
Dowager Princess"
Michael Grant was a judge Of men.
He realized swiftly that the spy was
- hlxr gfn,Apn IIn Inni1nI tn pt,rt
him to the extent which he had men,
toned.
Then he made a master stroke, and
Basil, who had been listening to the
conversation with an extreme respect
for Grants talents in diplomacy. real
lied suddenly that here indeed was a
man like Understanding as a SER
pent and strong as the wind.
Il don't know your name," Grant
said suddenly.
my name, sir, is Hulke."
Herr Hulke," Grant replied, with
a change in his voice from accusing
menace to something very like kind
ness and friendship, Il am very glad
that chance has given me an oppor-
tunity to rescue you from a life which
cannot but be terribly distasteful to
anyone OF your parentage and
bringing up. l shall not give you a
hundred pounds, but l shall beg your
acceptance of double that sum, and
when you have arrived at your desti-
nation in Hungary l shall be most in
terested to hear of your subsequent
proceedings. You may command me
at any time In your interests, and If
you will send me a letter to the Cocoa
Tree Club, in st. James's Street. you
may depend upon 1t that you will not
find me wanting. Gentlemen can rec
ognize each other all the world over,
and / am extremely sorry that we
should have met on such al inauspi-
| cious occasion; but you will permit
me, / am sure. Herr Hulke, to offer
you my apologies'-Ee drew u a
leather pocketbook - land these
notes."
The man at once rose from the sofa.
| His face assumed an absolutely differ
| ent expression. His voice seemed to
have more blood in 1t. He took the
cracking paper. put 1t into an inner
! pocket, and then extended his hand
10 Michael Grant.
Sir" he said, II am proud TO meet
you. You have given me an opportu-
| nifty which has always been wanting.
| With this money | shall go at once to
| Hungary and shall be able to start a
more honorable career than circum-
stances have as yet allowed me to
| pursue"
Basil noticed that Grants elbow
twitched a little. and he realized with
what enormous s~elf-control the great
| athlete stretched out his hand and
| grasped the others.
Herr Hulke," Grant said, this Is
| indeed q pleasure. We have met un-
der unfortunate circumstances, sut l
beg you to believe that we part as
| friends. You know my address. and
I shall be delighted to hear from you
when I 60 back to England, which /
| doubtless shall do In a fortnight or