Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-22

"Slnce there is nothing more to he
said at present. II seems strange to
me that foreign politics should find its
way here
Politics: ] am only a butterfly
hunter"
There are varieties. But you are
the man. shall find out.7
Possibly" returned NJ. Ferraud
thinking hard.
Il give you fair warning that II
anything is missing H. ..
"0h. Mr.. Fitzgeraldr'
Il shall know where to look for It,"
with smile which had no humor in ii.
why not denounce me nOw%
Would il serve your purpose?"
mo" with deeper gravity. 1T would
be great disaster; how great | can
not tell you"
Then, shall say nothing"
About what?" dryly, even whim.
sically.
About your being a secret agent
from France"
This time NJ. Ferraud'S glance proved
that he was truly startled. Only three
times in his career had his second life
been questioned or suspected. Should
he trust this young man? With that
swift unerring instinct which makes
the perfect student of character. he
said. You will do me a great favor
not 10 impart this suspicion to any one
else"
"SuSpcion?"
1T is true: ! am a secret agent"
and he said it proudly.
You wish harm to none hereT'
mo. am here for the very purpose
OF saving you all from heartaches and
misfortune and disillusion. And hail
! set 10 work earlier should have ac-
cOmplished all this without a single one
Of you knowing IT, Now the matter
will have TO 90 on to its end"
"Can you tell me anything?"
mot now. trust you. viii you
trust meY"
Fitzgerald hesitated for a space.
YES"
"FOr that, thanks" and NJ. Ferraud
put out a hand. ut is clean, Mr.. Fitz.
gerald, for all that the skin is broken"
"0f that / have no doubt"
Before we reach Corsica you will
know"
And so temporarily that ended the
matter. But as Fitzgerald went over to
the chair just vacated by the secre-
tary, he found that there was double
zest TO life now. This would be far
more exciting than lodging ice foes
and freezing ones toes.
Laura told him the news. Their
guests would arrive that evening in
time for dinner.
1t was Breitmann's habit to come
down first. He would thrum a little
on the piano or take down some old
volume. Tonight it was Heine. He
had not met any of the guests yet,
which he considered a piece of good
fortune. But God only knew what
would happen when she saw him. He
dreaded the moment. dreaded it with
anguish. She was woman, schooled
in acting. but a time comes when the
best acting is not sufficient. II only
in some way he might have warned
her; but no way had opened She
would find him ready, however, ready
with his eyes, his lips, his nerves.
What would the others think or say
II she lost her presence Of mind2 His
teeth snapped. He read on. The lamp
threw the light on the SCARED side Of
his face.
he heard some one enter, and his
gaze stole over the top of his book.
This person was a woman, and her
eyes Travelled from object to object
with a curiosity tinged with that in
gertrude which attacks US all when
we enter an unfamiliar room. She
was dressed in black. showing the
white arms and neck. Her hair was Hike
ripe wheat after a rainstorm; oh, but
he knew well the color Of her eyes,
blue as the Adriatic. She was a wo-
man Of perhaps thirty, matured, grace
full. handsome. The sight of her ex.
cited thrill In his veins, deny it how
he would.
She scanned the long rows of books,
the strange weapons. the heroic and
sinister flags, the cases Of butterflies
With each inspection she stepped
nearer and nearer, till By reaching
out his hand be might have touched
her. Quietly he rose. 1t was a criti-
cal moment.
She was startled. She had thought
she was alone.
"Pardon me-" she said. in a low,
musical voice: Il did not know that
any one was here" And then she
saw his face. Her own blanched and
her hands went TO her heaEt. Karl
CHAPTER XII.
TIE DRAMA BEGINS.