Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-08
By e. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM.

and I will give you lesson. An
tome he added, half turning to the
manServant who stood by his elbow,
my black linen fencing clothes and
shoes in the dressing room and have
the floor in the fencing gallery sprn-
kled with sand"
The man bowed. and Henri slowly
rose from his chair.
Don't bother about it, you know. il
you mind very much" Guy said
Would you rather have game of bill
lizards or swim in the lake?''
Henri thrust his arm through his
friends.
by no means" he answered. eff
we are to do anything at all, we will
do the thing in which excel, 1t feeds
my vanity. which is good for me, for
by disposition l am overmodest.''
! But they were not destined to fence
, that night. for on their way across the
hall the dukes own servant intercepted
, them.
! IN. lie Due" he announced, desires
to speak with monsieur in the library"
| Henri let go his friends arm.
| II return to the terrace, mon ami"
he said You can fetch me when my
| respected uncle has finished with YOU"
NJ. lie Due and NJ, Grisson were still
| together. Immediately the door was
, closed the former turned to Guy.
Your luggage has been thoroughly
searched he announced. by trusty
agent The letter of credit is still
there, but the paper of which you
/ spoke is missing"
| Guy looked q little incredulous.
81 know it was there the evening
left the hotel" he answered. 1T was
elastic band The man you sent must
have missed it."
! The duke shook his head.
That" he said. lis impossible. The
! paper has been distracted"
But who could have known about
, it?" Guy protested.
M. Poynton." the duke said. 1--WE
think it well. NJ. Grisson and l. to take
you little further into our confidence.
Has it occurred to you. l wonder. to
| appreciate the significance of what
you saw on the railway in the forest
of Pozen:"
I'm afraid-not altogether" Guy an
swered.
"We assumed as much" the duke
5; said What you did see was this: You
saw meeting between the German en-
: peror and the car of Russia. 1t WAS
} marvelously well. arranged, and except
those interested you were probably tAC
, only witness. According to the news
4 papers. they were never less than SCI
: | miles apart. but on the day in question
the emperor was reported TO he Goa
fined to his room by slight Chill ant
the car to be resting after fatiguine
Journey You understand that thi'
meeting was meant to be kept a pro
found SecretE
Guy nodded.
But Why" he asked. "Was ther'
any special reason why they should no
! meet?"
r "My young friend the yicomte IN
D swered gravcly. this meeting of whicl
you were the only witness might bu
t for your chance presence there hav
t Try how you will, you cannot appre
e ciate its faTeachng possibilities.
will endeavor to give you the bare out
|, lines Of the affair. Even you. l SUP
a pose, have observed or heard of til
a growing friendship between my cour
try and yours. which has eliminate
|, In what is called the entente col
) diale""
S Eyes, 1 know as much as that" Gu
e admitted.
h This movement" the duke said, cha
e been looked upon with growing di:
If taste and disfavor in Russia. Russi
IS is the traditional and inevitable enem
It Of your country. Russia had. l may G
l. so far as to say. made UP her mind fc
war with England very soon after he
If first reverSes at the hands of Japan.
1t I'm telling you now what is a matte
r. Of common knowledge among dipl'
n. matists when tell you that twas tn
n attitude of my country-of France
Id which alone has stayed her hand"
IS This is very interesting" Guy salt
seven to me, who have never take
any interest in politics. but
d. wait! Russia. as say, found us i:
IN disposed to back her in any quarr
IN with England. She turned then, {
III course. to Germany. We became awar
is through our secret service, that som
to thing was on foot between the tv
70 countries. With our utmost vigilan,
~ we were unable to obtain any partic
10 lars. 1t is you, NJ. Poynton, who ha'
10 brought us the first information Of
- definite character"
Guy looked his amazement, but
said nothing.
Il 'To you" the duke continued, "a S
cret meeting between these two mo
{ archs may not seem at all an astonis
h ing thing. To us it is of the grave
political Importance. Some sort of
understanding was arrived at betwe
Z them. What was it? That sheet of 7