The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-11-06

Them" she replied, with an emphasis
that pleased me and startled Buck
hurst.
Buckhurst began to speak, but
cut him short.
Then, madame if your heart went
out to the soldiers of France. it went
out to France, tool"
"Yes-to France" she repeated, and
| saw her lip begin to culver.
Wherein does love for France con-
f1ict with our creed. madame?" asked
Buckhurst, gently. 1T is only hate
that we abjure"
She turned her gray eyes on him.
Il will tell you: in that dreadful mo
ment when the cavalry of France
cheered Death in his own awful pres
ence, | loved them and their country
my country!-as | had never loved in
all my life. And | hated, too
| hated the men who butchered them
-more.-I hated the country where
the men came from; | hated race and
country and the blows they dealt, and
the evil they wrought on France-my
France! That is the truth; and real
ize it,"
After a silence Buckhurst said: "All
that may be, madame, yet not impair
your creed.
What" she said, does not hatred
of the stranger impair my creed?"
ut will die out and give place 10
! reason"
when? When | attain the lofty.
dispassionate level | have never at
talned. That will not be while this
war enduree"
who knows?" said Buckhurst,
gently.
said, abruptly: so you are not go
ing to denounce me to the Prussian
provost?"
He lifted his well-shaped head and
gazed at the Countess with an ad.
mirable pathos which seemed a mute
appeal for protection from brutality.
That question is a needless one"
said the Countess, quietly 1T was a
cruel one, also, Monsieur Scarlet"
Il did not mean it as an offensive
| question" said |. 81 was merely recit-
! ing a fact, most creditable to Mr.
! Buckhurst. And if It be true that Mon
sieur Buckhurst desires to atone for
for what has happened, then it is per
fectly proper for me, even as a pris-
oner myself, TO speak plainly Is it
not my duty, as a guardian of national
! interests, to point out to Mr.. Buck
hurst his honest errors? Certainly it
is, madame, and this is the proper
time"
| Turning pomp0usly to Buckhurst,
fancied | could almost detect a sheer
on that inexpensive mask he wOre-at
least | hoped | could, and said, heav-
lily:
Monsieur, for a number of years
| there has passed under our eyes here
in France certain strange phenomena.
! Thousands of Frenchmen have. so to
speak, separated themselves from the
rest of the nation.
France is only a name TO them;
they were born there they live there.
they derive their nOurishment from
her without gratitude. But France
, is nothing to them; their mother-land
is the International"
l was certain now that the shadow
of a sheer had settled in the corners
of Buckhurst's thin lips.
Believe me, madame, the time is
| coming when the whole world will rise
TO combat this lnternationale; and
when the mask is dragged from its
| benignant visage, there, grinning be-
hind, will appear the same old Spec
ter Rouge torch in one hand, gun in
the other. squatting behind a barri-
cade Of paving-blocks."
/ wagged my head dolefully
81 could not have rested had not
warned Mr.. Buckhurst of this" said
sentimentally.
Which was fairly we'll done con
sidering that I was fguratively lament
ing over the innocence of the most
accomplished scoUndrel that ever sat
in the supreme council of the Inter
rationale
Buckhurst looked thoughtfully at
the floor
Your earnestness almost converts
me-" he said, lifting his stealthy eyes,
The Countess appeared weary and
perpleXed.
AT all events" she said, we must
do nothing to. embarrass France now;
we must do nothing until this fright
full war is ended
After a silence Buckhurt said, Put
you will go to Paradise. madame?"
Yes" replied the Countess, list
lessly.
Now. what in Heavens name at,
tracted that rogue to Paradise?
CTO BE CONTINUED