The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-10-07
CHAPTER x~vl-Continued.

~ ultciiy IeIIlutu as now 0ioh'
had always seemed to him the calm
est and most self-controlled person
be had ever met. For years, long be-
fore he had yer met him, Basil had
admired and wished to meet the most
famous athlete that Europe could
show. He had met him, had become
his intimate friend, had Joined him
upon a most extraordinary quest, and
now In n sudden moment he saw
the man changed almost beyond rec
ognition, as IL a skin bad been ripped
from his personality and betrayed an
unknown person below.
All these thoughts passed through
the sailors mind in a second or two.
Then his ~self-control returned to him,
and he caught Michael by the arm.
What is the matter?" he said
again. What Ia the matter?"
Grant seemed to swallow some
thing In his throat. He tried to
speak, but could not. Then with a
tremendous physical effort the words
burst from him.
Marriott" he said thickly and
slowly, as IL each syllable was ex-
PEELED from his throat by the shot Of
a gun, Observation-Disclosures was the
little Duke! That was the little
Duke!"
The tall and splendid figure reeled
upon the pavement.
Marriott heard the words, but only
half understood them for a second,
and then, In a flash, realized their full
import. How it was he did not know
and could not guess, but he knew
that the child for which all Europe
was searching, the child for whom
they were rushing through Europe,
had been within two yards of them but
a moment ago.. His quick brain, the
brain of the man OF action-of a ma
val officer accustomed to act swiftly in
emergencies-now proved to be an
executive machine which worked
promptly and well.
He dragged Grant by the arm-half
helped, half flung himself into the Die
trich, leaped himself into the drivers
seat. and turned the handle which
started the f~iy-wheel; for the Dietrich
has a starting apparatus from the
driving-seat itself. Then, as the first
pistoI-like shots of the explosions
burst out into the air, he swung round
the steering.wheel, and the great car,
%shuddering and trembling, seemed to
gather itself together as a horse does
before a water-jump, and, answering
to the brain and science that con
trolled 1t, made a wide curve, almost
rose upon the narrow side of the walk
which runs round the Dome, and,
getting into it's full stride, RAM
smoothly out towards the great road
of the Rhine-side which leads to
Bonn.
The whole thing was so quickly
managed and so adroitly done that, as
they came upon the highway by the
great riverside. the first car was not
more than five hundred yards before
them.
Basil leaned back and shouted over
his shoulder.
"Soon," he said. IT am going to let
her go! We are going to catch them
up!"
The road which runs from the
great railway bridge which spans the
Rhine, towards Bonn, Is somewhat
narrow and c~ongested for at least a
quarter of a mile out OF Cologne.
After that it widens, as the more open
country is reached. Starting from
the railway bridge. there is n of
the fastest electric train-lines in the
world, composed of three or four
heavy coaches, which run to the good
city of Bonn with a swiftness almost
unknown elsewhere.
1t was impossible for Marriott to
go at any great speed at first, owing
TO the traffic; but he could keep the
other car well in sight, because IL
also was hampered in the same way.
Indeed, the electric train passed
first one Dietrich and then the other,
owing especially to the fact that the
line was in the road itself, which is,
by police regulations, kept as clear as
possible. The cars were only ON their
second speed, but the houses flashed
by. the tall. dirty houses of what Is
pTdctlCdiy the SiuIu quarter OF 20
logne. then came a part In which the
tumbledown ~erections grew fewer
and fewer; then, finally. villas began
to dot the fields.
The electric train had stopped at a
small wayside station, when at length
the two cars reached the wide high
road. There 1t stretched before them,
straight and empty. A low wall on
the left guarded a drop Of some eight
or nine feet to . beach of pebbles
which fringed the river. Upon the
right there was alternate wire fenc-
ing and hedge, which marked on the
fields from the highway.
The first car leaped forward, and q
great cloud Of dust hid It from Basils
View for g moment.
Nov. then. Grant. here's our
eharce." Marriott said, between his
cienched teeth we shall see what
this car IL like. Now l am going to
let her sol"
he threw IN his fourth speed.
The noise Of the engines immedi-
49, 1900 ~ : sfnN XE~-i