Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21

eye caught litter OF leaves evidently torn
from memoranda book.
"All right, Sir, said Baynes in low tone,
saluting, and Allison returned it gravely.
For the first time as the boy peered into
the shadows of the room he realized that
the General was not alone Standing back
in the gloom, and rigidly erect, were two
troopers with a native between them. The
lashings at his elbows showed he was pris-
oner Suddenly the General, without
tremor of his face, quickly gathered in his
| hands the scattered papers and searched
| each face of the men before him with keen
glance. For moment he did not speak,
and the silence was portentous. The pris-
| oner shifted uneasily and drew in his breath
sharply. Allison, swapping band about the
| sheets in his hand, spoke suddenly in curl
ously metallic voice.
Gentlemen he said quietly, u have
asked you to come here to witness something
you must officially forget the moment you
leave this place; but am going to ask you
to remember it always in case of need. That
may sound paradoxical; but l believe you
will understand when l tell you that if
hint of what is done here tonight reaches the
world outside, the gravest consequences
would surely enSue. l am putting myself in
your hands, and know | may trust you.
Again his keen, estimating glance travelled
from face to face, and he continued grimly,
Il may tell you that this campaign is
practically ended. Well be within the walls
of Ouladan in three weeks. That is official,
and you may send it if you wish. have the
key to the situation, and,' his voice rose
stridently, harshly, in acute denunciation,
3there it Isl"
HE lifted a fercely accusing hand and
- pointed directly at the prisoner. Darrow
felt his heart leap into his throat with a pain
full throb at the incisive accents, and he
leaned forward, to look curiously at the ma
tive, who, after one involuntary start, fixed
his eyes sullenlv on the nearest candle. For
an instant the Generals face was contracted
into sneering scowl but he swept it clean
again, and went on speaking with cold de-
liberation, as if selecting his words in order
that exact justice might be done.
@You've all heard rumors of an engineer
French, they said-with the enemy. There
is more or less truth in the reports. There
is an engineer, and he was found and fol-
lowed He paused. "He was not French
man, however
At his motion the two cavalrymen brought
their prisoner forward to the table immedi-
atelv facing General Allison, whose dark
eyes now bored steadily into those of the
man in the loose white garments. Suddenly
the glare of the prisoner wavered, f1ickered
irresistibly, and fell. With the suddenness
of blow the commander threw out his
hand and pointed into the dark and twitch-
ing face.
"There's your engineer, Gentlemen" he
said passionately, rising in his seat. French
man! He's one of us-a man of our very
own! He was an officer in regiment "a
regiment that will never hear of him again,
a regiment that for two hundred years has
never borne stain on its rolls
Instantly the room was filled with sibilant
gasps of horror. To man the spectators of
that drama were stirred to their depths.
Staid De Lesseps lifted his two clenched
fists in the air and shook them savagely;
Burnham set his strong white teeth grimly
and Kissed through them. The round face
of Crandall was contorted with a desire to
take this thing aside and strange it.
@He was in the pay of-that other coun-
try! You understand, every man of you!
These and he lifted the little roll of papers
in his hand and shook them until the leaves
rustled crisply, 4are reports to high official
of that country, and are proofs of what l
say! To put him before firing squad would
mean war. War with white men, because of
him! That thing, standing there!'
Despite himself, barrow felt hot rage
yelling up in him, and he felt blindly for
the holster that usually swung at his side.
n e. H. Ill L. Il IL.