The Washington herald., 1914-11-22

htion OF anger, no talk of the police In
stead l saw before me a man breathing
hard under the influence of trenlen-
dous blow.
"You have not mistaken a word BY
any ehance?" he asked, almost impior-
ingiy. BE good enough to repeat it
exactly"
/ shook my head as I complied with
the request: THE cord of the Plum
met is worn through"
Monsieur "" he cried earnest
ly, Il must see this man. You must
take me to him"
could not conceal my surprise n
this request That the head of the
French republic should ascend to a gar
ret in the Place de Ia Sorbonne to in
terview nameless Asiatic was more
than extraordinary; it was bizarre.
1T is impossible" l was begin
ming to answer, when he interrupted
me.
Go and ask him. Obtain his permis-
sion to bring me to his hiding place.
You may blindfold me if you like. Or
l will give you my word of honor"
Such a request admitted of only one
reply. l promised to do my best to
bring about the desired interview.
though without holding out hope of
success.
Late as it was, took my way straight
back to the Latin Quarter. There was
that in the Presidents manner which
convinced me that no ordinary issue
was at stake.
The Persian received me without
manifesting the least emotion, and lis
tened in silence to the request of which
/ was bearer He smoked out a whole
cigarette and lit another before vouch-
safng any reply.
4 do not refuse to see this man." he
said meditatively. But his coming will
make no difference one way or the
other"
"Am I to tell him that"
The unknown looked up as though
recalled from self-forgetfulness.
mo. Tell him this: The Keystone
of the Arch has fallen"
1t was the third message, and in spite
of its figurative character could dc
tect the steadily increasing gravity OF
the language used.
Tell me-" l cried suddenly. what !,
the secret of your strange power? Why
is it that I find myself acting for you
almost against my will?"
The half-shut eyes cleaned for an
instant
MY power is the power of him who
has lost his own will"
The enigmatic answer confirmed Ger
tain conclusions drawn by me from the
language of the messages l had to de-
liver.
On the following night I waited once
more on the French President, and the
vivid emotion with which he heard the
final message confirmed my fears as to
its character.
Nevertheless he accepted the offer Of
an interview with the unknown.
We left the Elysee by one of the gar
den doors. and entered the first passing
cab. contented myself with engaging
his excellency to take no advantage OF
the knowledge he was about to obtain.
On the threshold of the locked room
he stopped
Il must see your client alone" he
observed gravely
You will permit me to take his in
structions, NJ. lie President" l replied,
courteously but firmly.
The President shrugged his shoul-
ders, little unwillingly I thought.
l turned the key in the lock, and
stood back for his excellency to precedc
me into the room.
As walked in after him heard an
amazed cry, and the President turned
to meet me with face of horror and
despair.
My eyes sought the bed on which I
had left my unknown client reposing.
He lay back in a rigid attitude with a
dagger thrust deep into his breast.
Look" whispered the President,
pointing to the handle of the dagger,
round which the fingers of the dead
man were still firmly clasped. "You
see he has killed himselfp'
There came back to me the last words
l had heard from those dead lips. AMY
power is the power of him who has lost
his own will" 1 quoted softly to my
self.
We locked the door and came away
without exchanging another word.
saw Mr.. Casimir-Perier walk away
down the Place de la Sorbonne with
bowed head and the step of an old man
and disappear in the crowd of the Bou-
levard.
The following day the news that a
foreigner had committed suicide in the
Latin Quarter was almost crowded out
of the papers by the announcement that
NJ Casimir-Perier had resigned the
Presidency of the rept1bGc