The Irish standard., 1911-06-17
Copyright 1909. by the Bobbs-M Merrill Co.

hauseated, but the word Of an emperor
was out. She shuddered as Sam put
his enormous hands upon her, but she
defended the key as best she could
with her puny strength. There was
brief struggle, then Sam sprang from
Elsie and inserted the key in the lock,
though Rollins by that time was in
his automobile and speeding away to-
yard the Maryland line.
Elsie staggered back pace against
the wall for support, still with those
large eyes fixed upon Kelvin. Across
the width of the room he gazed into
them and saw die there every last
lingering trace, from every corner of
her heart, of the love and affection
that had for many years been part
of its fiber. She sank fainting to the
floor. Two or three ran to revive her,
but Lillian was not among them.
In the midst Of that confusion Henry
Breed found his voice. "You shan't
have itv' he cried. "You shan't have
my money. I'll resist to the last ditch.
You can't get into the vault. I'll hire
a million assassins to kill you. II
was to be emperor! I was to be en-
perorw His face was scarlet, and
there were fecks Of foam upon his
lips.
His granddaughter put her hand
upon his shoulder. Never mind,
grandfather" she said contemptuously.
Remember that it's all in the family"
She glided up to the desk before
Phillip. "My emperor, 1 salute you,"
she said, smiling up at him, and from
his desk she picked up the dagger.
"Here it. is, your talisman that twice
threatened your life. Do you remem-
Der how once, holding its point up like
this, you declared that in this sign you
would conquer? 1t represented then,
as it does now, the tips Of ten thou
sand glittering sword points, Of mil
lion glittering bayonets. believed in
you then, as I do now, and declared
that I, too, would reign. In this sign
we conquer!' and with a hysterical
laugh she raised the dagger aloft.
Kelvin looked down upon her in sud-
den fury. He had not forgiven her
for enticing him to the forgetfulness
of his great principle that to acquire
success he must have no entangle-
ments with women; he had not for
given her his .entrapment into mar
riage avowal; he had not forgiven her
the death of that love which he had
seen. die out of Elsie Whites eyes.
"For some time to come" said he
with quiet suppression, II expect to
reign alone"
"Then, your majesty" she said to
him mockingly, II have only to ask
you that you guarantee me safe exit
from the palace"
His face flushed at this first trace Of
ridicule to be heaped upon his preten-
sions to royalty, but his voice was
grave and even enough as he strove to
establish dignity. "You have my word
for that" said he.
"Then," she cried as she sprang
back from his desk toward the door
that was still open, II shall keep this
little souvenir until I have chance to
present it to you again." and she
thrust the dagger into her belt. do
you know what am going to do?
am about to turn revolutionist; am
about to become the Jeanne dare Of
America; am about to join George
Blagg's army and finance it and lead
itw And with shrill laugh she swept
out Of the door.
There was moment of paralyzed
silence, and then through the corridor
they heard her voice, loud and clear
and wild, singing the "Marseillaise."
She swept out through the entrance
and down between the ranks of those
bronzed mountaineer soldiers. March
ing with martial tread, she sang the
song of blood clear through their
ranks. The news of it's singing flashed
along wires and across pulsating, cleo
tri6ed spaces. In every city in the
United States that mighty, rousing
song was caught up, and the land vi
brated with one accord to it's rhythm
and grew wild with it's frenzy. In one
day America had an emperor, and it's
national song had become the "Mar-
seillaise!''
At midnight Phillip I. sat in the
observation tower he had caused to
be built upon the roof Of the White
House watching, waiting. Even the
sudden harsh clatter of a bell within
the apartment did not disturb him
from his statue-like rigidity. Sam
rose and picked up the telephone from
little table In the corner.
cts General Rensselaer,, subj" he
said. "He wants to see yo' all on very
'pawtant business.
"Tell them to let him come up" d.
rected Kelvin without turning his
head. He had accomplished in success
sion all his specious aims until now.
From ocean to ocean for seven days
there had existed state Of tense, taut
strain. What violence. what carnage
what hideous saturnalia of bloodshed
might break forth at any moment no
one knew, but In the meantime ne,
Phf11in Kelvin who but q few BRIEF