Smyrna times., 1911-07-05


two principalities were to him but !
chessboards. If he gave up a town
and gained an island. If be left out a |
province for future consideration and |
sliced off peninsula. it was all for |
final checkmate of his enemy's king. |
During this first morning. when pre- !
limnaries for the struggle were alone |
taken up, his mind was upon a differ |
ent matter. He was thinking of |
Bertha and that if he possessed her |
she must be given him by his oppO- |
nent in the diplomatic game. But the |
next day. when the battle began. he
temporarily forgot his love, and the
older man was surprised to learn that
he had genius for an antagonist.
LET us proceed" said Won Gratz,
"methodically. When | grant you a
province for a town or an island we
will mark the same on our map. and
the agreement shall be immutable. If
we do not proceed thus we shall make
no treaty and both suffer the penalty"
The count saw the necessity, but
acquieSced reluctantly. The boundary
ran for distance of some 800 miles,
at times the natural division being a
mountain chain. at times a river. The
| field on which the game was played
| was so broad that only one who had
a head fitted for the purpose could re-
tain at one time it's different parts.
! The players sat down to work at 10
in the morning and never ceased even
for a meal till 10 at night. Then on
the concessions of both parties they
drew the treaty. When 1t was finish
ed it must be signed. for every step
in it was irrevOcable.
Won Gratz put his signature to it
without reading it The count dread
ed TO do the same, but there was no
escape. Then his antagonist leaned
back in his chair while Won Steinwitz
read the document He had not half
finished it when he paled. HIS enemy
had secured an overwhelming advan-
tage.
For a few moments the count gave
himself up for lost. Then suddenly
he remembered his instructions to his
daughter. He had given them with
view to providing for such a condn-
gency as this and had observed the re-
suits. Retaining his presence of mind,
he expressed no dissatisfaction with
the treaty. The seals of both principali-
ties were attached, and the instrument
was de factO.
"YOu will remain as my guest a few
days longer" said the count, while
engrossed copies are being made, then
l suppose | shall be obliged to part
with you
And your head" added Won Gratz.
For the first time the two looked at
each other. not with duplicity. but in
their true relations.
Yes" replied the count in a tremu
lous voice, with my head"
Had l not played a better game
than you 1t would have been my head
to drop under the AK"
'It surely would"
"a boundary line equitable to bott
sovereigns could not pertain to thi:
treaty. For centuries both have spill
ed blood over it, and now that an ad
vance has been made in the method
of settlement one of US must get the
better of the other, and the one thai
is beaten dies"
How can it be otherwise?"
What may come in future times
know not. Perhaps it may be a grow
ing sense of justice when diplomacy
will not mean an intellectual battle
with armies looking Oh to give mora
/. support to the players. In the cas-
before us love comes in to abrogat,
that treaty we have just made anC
= construct another In striking you
? strike your daughter. whom love
That cannot do"
z Taking up the treaty, he tore it init
9 bits.
T NOW let US make a compact. in
g spired not by armies. not by ships, no
e by intellectual superiority. but b.
: love"
:, The old count looked at his younge
s victor in astonishment- Then beads o
II perspiration stood out on his face, an
l. he trembled. Lastly he folded Vo
It Gratz in his arms with the words:
e 'Afy noble son."
It was the lover who made the neV
u draft of the treaty. while the old ma
. sat giving his faculties time TO regal
E their equilibrium. For an hour Hel
1t man jotted down memoranda. maxim
d erasures and adding new data on th
10 map, then wrote out the articles {
agreement. When the statement wa
y finished he handed it to the count, RI
: marking;
D "There is no war in that; there
- peace. There is no victory gained
- intellectual supremacy; there is pro
- perity. 1t is not based on justice, fl
n human justice is seldom determinabl
10 1t is based on the one simple wor
= love-"
ts Won Steinwitz read the docume1
10 and saw in it that equal division {
IN advantages which must satisfy Oh
Of who possessed the slightest sense {
or equity.
Wban fha fraafv xras nrasanfnd