Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-03

HE nodded to man who had stood with his
= back against door which he now opened
and through it -Mademoiselle Lucille
Leopard sprang to his feet. with his head
thrown back.
She smiled gravey and bravely. but with
an effort, 1t seemedtO me. These are the men,
she said in voice SO low that nothing but the
clearness of her enumeration made the words
audible. And then she advanced straight to
Leopard, who was white and cold. Captain
Leopard, she SAID | am sorry to have been your
undoing' There in her voice distinct
plea for forgiveness. respect you, believe
me,-for who, knowing the lives of the Cap
tains Three, could do otherwise?-but love
my country. Her secrets must be preserved
She paused for an instant and looked down
as if rebuffed by his unwavering and repellent
front She went on IN a voice that dead
and passoness and from which all the gladness
of other days had gone, giving place to sorrow
pronounced that 1T like one chanting a
dirge over dead friendship.
IL took you and your friends at the value
you suggested, that of French gentlemen on a
pleasurable excursion. | believed in you, and
gave you place in-in my most kindly af
fections, she stammered; but | heard too
many COrroborative rumors to be able to over
look them. Your inquiries about this plant
came to my ears, also that you had ventured
into the abandoned mountain road. Then
when these suspicious were almost forgotten d
guest of ours and COuntryman of yours recog
nized you at the regatta and poured tales of
your valor into my ears until | became con-
WINGED that you would be the very men chosen
for such a desperate mission that of trying to
steal my COuntry's secret. l met you last night
IN wonder still hoping my alarms were ground
less. You made an appointment which, after
your comrades had summoned you you broke
without reason. Then knew this was the dav
which you would invade this reserve She
had hurried through her words in breathless
way, and now paused for what in that tension
reckoned as a long time.
1t IS hard to lose ones friends, she said
more softly. And yet one could not have held
such knowledge as | had without being traitor
to ones country. l sacrificed you | thought
it out in the night and when convinced of my
reasoning decided to warn the superintendent
of this plant, friend of mine, by telephone
He at once took action to intercept you | am
sorry-sO sorryi
For some reason a hatred of our ignoble
duty and endeavOr came to me with force as
we stood there, and l should have spoken had
not Leopard, with unaCcuStomed tenderness
answered her.
Soldiers must do that which is given them
to do. France is to me what your country is to
you. We have played in a greater game than
often comes, and Mademoiselle / can but
honor you in our defeat. Here, he went on
abruptly and under impulse, / will save myself
the disgrace of being searched or questioned.
France would not want me to retain these at
the expense of my conscience, to stand in your
eyes forever cad
He thrust his hand into his hip pocket, his
barred muscles moving with quick, convulsive
start, and withdrew a little roll. l gasped.
They were the films he had taken! And to this
day l know not whether they were of value;
but of this l certain, he made the last
amende honorable that lay in his power
A SOLDIER raped at the door, entered, and
handed Leopard his coat which had been
recovered He donned it without looking at
her nor did she raise her eyes, but stood,
white and painting, with the roll of records in
her hand. The sharp putting of an automobile
was heard outside. The superintendent looked
up, smiling slowly and said:
Gentlemen, permit me to tender you my
machine l am sorry, knowing how bravely
you tried, that we cannot present you with the
information you sought
We passed out. climbed stiffly into the ton
neau, and were whired away to our hotel Our
task was ended We had been defeated by a
mere slip of girl who loved her country above
all things and had crucihed her heart, l am
sure the splendid altar where other hearts
have bled and other brave spirits put to the
test and not found wanting.