The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-07-18
Continued

\SOhtihuONJ
The cigars burned out slowly, thu
tumult on shore died away. a
quivering vibration awoke to deli
cate life the yacht. Stanief smoked
| or played with his coffee cup, hi!
heavy double fringe of lashes brush
ing his cheek; Allard leaned bacl
in his chair, less in reverie than II
utter exhaustion.
Exactly as the bells rang thu
hour came the metallic clank o
anchor chains. The yacht shudder
ed under the screw, the glass ant
china tinkled family, then all set
tied into regularity as the engine!
fell into their gait and the beauti
full boat moved down the river.
"And Vasili is out there in poig
nant distress because he can no
come in to have the honor to re
port that we sail, remarked
Stanief, breaking the long pause
ut was daringly conceived, Mon
sieur John, but were you not g
trifle imprudent in speaking before
that brilliant visitor of ours? YOU
voice."
Allard aroused himself abruptly
Our speech back there was con
fined to monosyllables," he answer
ed. "No, your Royal Highness,
think there was no risk"
Stanief did not deprecate the
title, perhaps unnoting, perhaps
willing to let the other learn. eve
are on the high seas, and quite
free from listeners" he said com
posedly. 81 ask no questions, de
mand nothing of you, but if you in
deed wish to speak of the CLOSED
episode, Monster John, l am ready
After tonight we shall have Other
things to occupy U.S."
Allard leaned forward eagerly
his clear gray eyes barring to the
other man all their tragedy ane
compelling truth.
81 want you to know, it Is youl
right to know" he answered, will
very fierceness of pride and sor
row. 81 am going to place in youl
power more than you have giver
me today. Hand me to those who
hunt me, give me the pistol prom
Used and the word to use 1t. but
keep my confidence. Forgive me
| am not distrustful. only trying te
show what l mean"
II understand"
Allard looked down at the poi
ished surface Of the table, his pal
lor deepening if possible, then sud
denly brought his eyes back to
Stanief's and began to speak.
1t was a very quiet story, very
quietly told. 1t had never occur
red to the Anglo-Saxon Allard tt
idealize his course into heroism
even mistaken heroism. Rather. he
had learned to see more clearly
to condemn himself, during those
long, bitter months. He bore ne
resentment for the punishment in
flicted simply it seemed to hin
that he had paid enough. Ovel
the weeks of suffering in the hos
pital. the bitterness of the public
trial with it's torturing dread Of
recognition, he passed in a few
brief words. OF Theodore he spoke
only as his cousin and as Roberts
bethrothed; yet dimly he felt thai
the mute Stanief was reading al
he left untold.
There was no other way" he
concluded. and the phrase was the
key note to all. Undoubtedly Il
was the wrong way, but there was
no other could find. and l had
to take care of them"
So far he had spoken of those he
loved merely by their relationship
1t was the final trust that Staniei
asked by his next question:
will you tell me your name?"
And Allard laid his heart in the
others hand.
John Leslie Allard," he an
swered.
There was an instant's pause
Stanief folded his arms on the
table and spoke in his turn with no
less quiet sincerity.
'Of the ethics of what you have
told me, Monsieur Allard. ] am per.
haps not a good updge. come
from one of the worlds greatest
countries. where from sovereign to
peasant necessity Is an excuse for
all things. | have seen the high
est officials of the state stoop to
accept systematic bribery: have
seen mobiles whose blood was fill
tered unmixed through centuries
tricking one another and the en-
peror who trusted them; | have
seen the commanders of the army
selling for private gain the sup