The Washington times., 1911-10-26
CHAPTER XII.
I Learn Marvellous Things.


Into which, as / understand, you have
already been initiated That you sought
membership and fulfilled our severe re-
quirements before fully learning the
nature OF your act is tC my mind most
unusual. But II doubtless does ,credit
to your faith in your sponsors. And now
1t only remains for me to fulfiil my
own. share in the work by obeying the
commands transmitted and indorsed by
Mr.. D'Auban, the orders legate in
Italy"
The preamble was stiff and verbose.
but the mans earnest dignity lent a
solemn ,tinge to II.
1t Impressed Billy. Despite his mo-
tioniess features could see that.
II would have impressed me. too. were
l not too excited to be impressed by
any extraneous thing. barely grasped
the fact that was Italian iegate Of
thiT mystic order.
1.-THE Brotherhood Of Vienna" re-
-sdmed sebaste, rs an association with
branches In every country In the world.
Instituted forty years ago By three bril-
liant young Austrians. 1t now embraces
a membership Of more than 1000. and
with resources reaching far into the
mlluOnB. we numDeT nusSldh BTdHu
dukes and Sandman peasants In our
ranks. Our headquarters, as you know,
are at Vienna, and each country has It's
own branch, ruled by a. ub-president,
or legate, who receives his orders direct
from the great Head Council and who
IL obeysd implicitly by all the Brethren
In his own land. ~ #.s
'Tbe Vicomte Barberi who for twcn-
iy-five wears was Italian legate. died
last month. We were notified by mes.
| .rasvxnv IN N
rule that no papers Of any fort shall be
Eassed among us) that the successor
had been appointed and that he would
set out at once for Naples. The italian
brotherhood were TO convene here To
receive him.
For reasons. doubtless wise. Mr..
D'Auban, the new legate, remained IN
ccgnito for some time after his arrival.
and has not vet decreed a formal meet
ing of the Italian branch"
He paused again. perhaps aware that
his stif.ed resentment against NV long
inaction had led him from the main
thread of his narrative.
Such Is the personnel and MANAGE
ment of the Brotherhood OF Vienna"
nc went on. Its object MAJ, be sum
ined up In one word--Weakh! Where
does the worlds greatest wealth-in the
most portable form-lie? In America
There fortunes. SO colossal as never to
be attained in any other country. ara
Hreedins % e grow suddenly rich beyond ali
dreams of avarics. These men have
chilCren-sons who are sometimes weas
and Observation-Disclosures who realize their
title. Their fathers second the wish.
orr work Is made easy ....
He smiled knowingly at Billy. whose
ewes had never strlvnd for an instant
S I'm Brief" sale sebaste. Through
the strength, means, and genius OF our
Brotherhood we marry the daughters OF
our order. American millions, nay. even
billions. thus pass yearly into our cof-
fers, we have lists of Americas newly
made millionaires and their families,
The agent. not legate Nfor in America
alone Of all countries the Brotherhood
has yet no accredited legate), the agent
who keeps us supplied with these fire.
don't know wn" / was surprised.
The old fox was quite equal TO such
work And yet this only hypocrite, who
helped in the sale of innocent girls to
bankrupt fortune-hunters, was himself
a father! The father of Doris!
Her big. honest eyes rose before my
m,mory and / shuddered involuntarily.
l '. as indeed earlinP-learning fast.
q, noblemen selected by the Head
baste. AN our skill and our countless
varied resources are exerted. and the
quired and, by his oath, the noble who
marries 1t Is obliged to pay 20 per cent
to the treasury of the Brotherhood.
Even with the remaining 30 per cent he
Is rich.
"As for the young American Wife
WELL the woman who Is fool enough to
marry out of her own country, her own
surrounudings and raSf-desery,es ns,n tbese tse
mobiles could scarcely hope to win such
wives. Hence they gladly conform to
cur rules, and everyone benefits-except
the American girl"
many another American. that there Is q
regular guild, or society, In Europe
whose object Is to win, by marriage, the
fortunes of foolish American girls.
too proud to reveal the facts, but there
is more than one authentic case on
record.
had often boiled at the thought of this
band Of vampires who prey on women &
But had never dreamed that the :
Sas e%rfsa sa f R sas sash
financial backing that would put to
shame most>of the state treasure chests
| of Europe. ,''
another matter to be brought face tc
| face with 1t as ] now was.
1t needed all my nerve and self-ocn'
| troll to play my part of cynical, care.
| less listener. do not know what close
calls Sebaste had had earlier in his
career but / doubt X he had ever beer
nearer to death than at the momnl
when hot, blind rage took hold Of me
at his vile recital of that commerce
! in souls.
/ zone reason for our great success, "
continued Sebaste, sis the perfect Sc.
| crecy with which every negotiation Il
conducted. The initiates know each
other solely by password and counter
| sign. There are no written rolls Of
1 membership. The head council lay.
out a campaign, allots to each his par
! In II, and places him under the orders
of his country's legate. No writer
word is passed. All funds are paid di
| rect to the head council. and by hand
! The council in return pays to each his
| share.
I'VE may not even know who Is legate
| to any land but our own. The legates
are appointed from Vienna and come
| to us bearing no testimonial, no creden.
| tials, In fact, no sign of authority what.
| soever, except the high emblem Of au-
| thority-an emblem that is known ano
| revered by every member of the broth
| erhood.
"Perhaps you have seen Mr.. D'Au,
| ban wear "a scarlet scarab scarfpin
| The scarab Is our emblem--the beetle
1 signifying secrecy. industry. and endless
| tenacity; the scarlet signifying gol6
and the royal hue of wealth. II II