The Washington times., 1911-07-14
CHAPTER XII (Continued).

Ocdus OL peTSplFaIlOnI MCGreSOr lace
had gone the color Of chalk. Each was
a brave man, but to stand by and wit
ness another blow out his brains had
gone against the grain. Only 1 had
kept my nerve, for ! alone knew the
revolver was not loaded.
Haupmann uttered a short, disagree
able laugh.
1T seems you would not let me eud
the matter in the simplest manner; per-
haps IT is because you do not know the
Baron Won Seldorf as l do" He spoke
bitterly.
And so you would have blown out
your brains?" said 1.
have been tricRed by e that hat" rniserab Ia; BILE
Halfenstein. In the devils name, why
DO you interfere in my affairs. or Will
the reward be greater Il you deliver
me alive to the governor"
Captain Haupmann," said l sOberiy,
you are in error; we have nothing to
DO With the governor of Brescia."
He stared at me incredulously..
1t is true" / continued, Il obtained
the paper from Herr Halfenstein. but
had no intention of making use of it
except to protect ourselves:
What devils game is this? Who are
you anyway" he demanded hoarsely.
You had supposed we were> conspir-
Rtors against the government of Bres-
cta; might l inquire how 1t is you de-
sired to arrest us, being yourself in 4
conspiracy to overthrow the Baron Won
A grim smile crossed his bloodless
face.
there are no foreigners among US. Why;
IN that case should not obey orders?'
he answered"
And lull the suspicious of the gov
ernor?" put In Morgan.
He shrugged his shoulders
Listen" continued Morgan. You
have nothing TO fear from us if you
agree to certain conditions
And Halfenstein?" broke in the Bres-
clan.
What of this Halfenstein?' asked
Morgan, turning to me.
Il can promise Halfenstein will not
trouble us; he will abide by such agree
ment as We may reach" l answered.
! fancied an expression of relief flash
ed across the captains face; that ne
was sorely puzzled was evident. MOI
gan took up the conversation.
If you will agree, upon your honor
as an officer, to attempt no violence
Of any description we will, in turn,
pledge our honor to talk this matter
over calmly. 1t may be possible you
have nothing to fear from this Hstten-
stein or ourselves. Are you agreed:
The Brescians reply was to descend
from the bed. when, seating himself
upon its edge, he regarded US one atter
the other.
The deuce take me, but I do not un-
derstand," he muttered. Then, with the
utmost GOODNESS, he produced cigar
cite and lighted 1t.
Morgan drew me to one side, but 1 OBJ
served that McGregor did not neglect &c
watch the captain closely. If the lat
ter saw it he made no sign: only pun
ed nonchalantly upon the cigarette.
AS briefly as possible explained 10
Morgan what had occurred. He noddeo'
Ylanced toward the closed door OF the
closet and lowered his voice, so Wnat
he said could not reach the ears OF the
man seated upon the bed.
~ have had u talk with Shulhof, ana
II was because of it I returned to Bres-
cIa this afternoon"
But. surely. you have not eX-
plained-'
Hardly that. but I have sounded
him. In the first placa. he loves the
little countessSas one would dauSh-
ter He was her fathers closest friend
IL we may except that unfortunate lei.
low, Iudolf III fact, it was he who lent
much valuable assistance on the Eight
when the late chancellor escaped from
RrescIa across the frontier; it was Shul-
hof who provided the horses
''And he acknowledged tris 10 you'
who are a stranger in Brescia?' quer-
led.
"Onlv after I had vanished what
had to say a bit. ! gave him to under
stand We had known old Won Holeun
pretty intimately in England BY work
inc In a part Of what Ludolf told us in
Paris. l fancy 1 made a pretty fa1r
warn of II: at least 1t made its impress
SION on the old war horse. / gave him
10 understand we had come to Brescla
on a promise made to the countess
father: and that was enough for him TO
"And he knows nothing Of the docu-
ments. or the debt Rrescia owes to its
deposed chancellor?
II scarcely fancy So replied Nor
gan. cor he must have suspected |
would have known Of it. and dropped
some hint"
spiracy? gave YOU no inkling that the
countess was mixed up in such an az
Not directly, but he did state the
government, which means Baron Won
Seldorf, was watching her closely; ana
ne warned me to avoid running foul Of
the governor. He warned me above all
not to confide anything to young Won
HolleUn. who is completely under tne
influence of the baron. He even sus-
not so much the result Of his morse
baking. I fancy have confirmed tnat
suspicion" ,o,,
"I was coming to that" he contlnued.
''Shulhof is virtually n, prisoner at the
villa; what you have learned ABOUT a
conspiracy explains the possible rea-
son. 1t was useless for me 10 remain
there. and especially as he gave me q
message to a friend Of his In the city
Rut what started me of post-haste was
tSe suspicion he has that the countess
NAV not return at once TO the villa
The friend to whom he directed me VIII
o,,T ms in touch with her here, provided
she does not return tonight or tomor-
row. ,.,o, ,,.o o,o q,
o~trenn delicacv, and especially sinci
This conspiracy business mas croppeu
ont 7 believe the governor VIII see u
n that she remains under his eye, anC
ne will be moro anxious tnan ever u
marry her 10 that son OF mis-.
'1O,sr coming has hastened matters
Won Seldnrf suspects, Of course, tnal
ne learned something from Ludolf he
e,Isnects also we will hunt up the count
ess and. while we are at large ne pre-
noses to know with whom sne noius
communication. The OLD ielloW ls ~ ~
SooI and understands looking atter MS
own interests" ..,,,o
whv didn't they make sure OF us: Tna'
wns an opportunity I suggested.
"Racausc." answered Morgan, ire
agents who held me up in the PARK
wore watching only to head or would
he oonspirators; II is evident they knew
nothing about this other anar. nMot M
could the governor susnect that InS
man-abour whom Halfenstein wreu
from Psris-hnd ridden out to the count
ess' villa. Yesterday. you must remem-
bcr. they had that Englishman IN tne
tolls, thinking he ives the mau they
The story you nave told me sub.
stantiates that theory: we have Troo1
ihcre is a conspiracy brewing In i3re N
and that the Countess Won HcileI
mixed up in It, II is not vet time
the net to be drawn. go we werc NJ
f1