Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-24
ELEANOR NJ. INGRAM

| slipped across the paper. The rudy
glow of the open fire was tangled and
reflected among the many-faceted knick-
knacks that Uttered the desk, caught
and tossed back from a dozen shining
surfaces. and mockingly echoed by deep
tinted walls and draperies. Most rud-
Oily. most wildly. the light seemed to
| gather around the writer, as If its quiv-
shield.
! 1t was like another presence in the
room, that fire, to the man behind the
curtain. He watched it also as he crept
| stealthily forward. clutching more tight
| ly the object in his hand. A man OF
the people. shabby, gaunt, unkempt. he
stole out into the regents study, step
ping cautiously on the cleaning floor
| or on the treacherously soft rugs, which
slipped beneath his unaccustomed feet.
From the velvet hangings he gained the
| shelter of a tall Vernis-Martin cabinet
and crouched in the shadow. shaking
from head to foot with nervous tremors.
Stantef worked on undisturbed once
he paused to choose another pen, and
the intruder covered to the floor In alb
ject fear. But the writing was resumed
without alarm. After a few moments
the man again moved forward, this time
on his hands and knees, until he reach
ed the end of high-sided leather couch.
There he halted again. Coming here
with a purpose so bold. the habit of a
lifetime yet prompted him to hold his
soiled garments away from the g1lded
and perfumed upholstery with a vague
sense of apology.
There never was a clock that licked
so loudly. SO instinctively as the time
piece above the hearth. clock that set
its beats so exactly to the beat or
mans hurrying pulse. Once the man on
the floor touched his chest curiously. as
If to be quite certain whether 1t was his
heart or indeed the swaying pendulum
which sounded through the quiet place.
Reassured. he moved on.
The glowing freight wavered giddily
across Staniefs bent head, seeking in
vain for a hint of brown in the fine black
tendency to lie in tiny curls where 1t
touched the neck. The man noted this
duly. If one struck there? Or lower,
between the broad shoulders
Stanief leaned back and selected a Gig
arctic from the tray on the writing table.
His drowsy lashes fell meditatively a.
he reached for a match, half 81
curved his lips. The man by the CHAIR
darted forward and struck once, from be-
hind.
The knife crashed ringing to the floor
as Stanief's quicker movement met his
assailant's. The man cried out sharply
as the strong white hands closed on his
wrists and the superior strength forced
him to his knees beside the desk.
"Clumsily attempted" commented the
level voice. Have you any more
weapons, mon ami?
"Excellency, royal highness, pardon-I
have no French.
( tanief shrugged his shoulders and
lapsed into the language of the country
IT asked you if you had other weapons,
but it does not matter
He deliberately transferred both cap
tive wrists to the grasp of his right
hand and with his left opened drawer
of the desk. The man made no effort
to free himself. Generations of serfdom
had reasserted themselves; he might
have killed from behind, but before the
patrician's glance and voice resistance
did not even occur to him. He submitted
passively when Stanief produced pair
of handouts and snapped them in place.
(To be continued tomorrow