Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-08-05

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Pardon, M. lAmbassadeur, but
there is a piece of thread on the back
of your coat"
We were about to 60 forth for q
stroll on the boulevards-I had just
helped his excellency on with his over
|. coat. AS bent forward to remove the
strand of white cotton which had at
tracted my attention, the ambassador
turned his head with startled move
ment even fancied that he gave a
slight shiver as picked off the thread
and cast it away.
"A thousand thanks" he murmured
mechanically, glancing after the thread
with strange expression. But he
realized that had observed his singu.
lar agitation, for he Immediately went
on to say:
you ask yourself, perhaps, what 1t
is that has disturbed me so much in
this trivial circumstance? Do me the
justice to believe, Notwithstanding,
that have not been agitated without
real cause.
1T was not long after the mysterious
affair, which | have related to you, in
connection with the death of Abdul
Aziz," began his excellency, "and |
had Just been promoted to the rank OF
charge d'affaires. In this capacity |
was entrusted with the French mission
% rf 80 of fbNcn ho rho rnI G
principalities in the southeast Of Eu-
rope, which have hardly yet recovered
from their centuries of vassalage to
the Turks. In these unsettled societies
acts of lawleseness and violence are
rendered possible at which more civil
lied countries would be dismayed.
AT the time of my arrival in the
principality to the court of which | had
been accredited, found things in a
very disturbed condition. AS is always
the case in these petty states in the
region of the Danube, Russia and Aus
tria were intriguing for the predomi.
nance, and the whole population was
rent into factions accordingly, which
pursued each other with the bitterest
hatred.
This rivalry between the two pow,
ers have named had even extended to
the palace, where the Austrian incli'
nations of George, the reigning prince,
were counterbalanced by the Russo.
phile sympathies of his consort, Cath.
ori,o n pr;poo,o of Pucciop attraction
while l was preparing to walk
warily among the pitfalls which sur
rounded me, I was surprised one day
shortly after my arrival by visit from
the Russian minister, Baron Douren'
ski
"T nave come he said. as soon as
he had taken a seat and exchanged the
usual compliments, to inform you that
am obliged to leave for Russia in two
days time. The business which re,
quires my presence is important, and
will, perhaps, detain me four or five
weeks
81 bowed, and murmured polite ex'
preston of regret at the idea of losing
the society of the minister for so long
period.
THAT is not all, however, he pro-
ceeded toesay. I have at the legation
no one whom | can trust to take my
place properly while l am away. Shall
be trespassing too much on your good
nature if | ask you to take charge OF
hn ;-t atc Of PnScio for fhpSn fpW
weeks?'
90 am too much honored by the
confidence you place in me- | said
but recollect, if you please, my dear
Dourenski, that | have only recently
arrived in this country, and know
nothing of the political situation. Had
you not better apply to some colleague
of older standing-to Sir Graham, fol-
instance, the British charge daffaires?
He made an emphatic gesture ol
disapproval as pronounced this name
"'Not for worlds, my dear fellow!
That man is mere tool of the Aus
trian minister's. No, l must have some
one whom | can trust, someone of real
independence and judgment Besides
our two countries are friendly;
should leave the affairs Of my legation
in your hands with the same conf
dence as in those of fellow-country
man.
THUS pressed, could find no ex
cuse for declining the honor which
Dourenski proposed to confer on me
He went on to add:
"'There is one thing about which
must ask you to preserve the strictest
secrecy. In the mailbag OF the lega
ton you will from time to time fine
letters addressed to M. Starovitch
/ which you will without doubt fine
| means to transmit to him in private
manner If the packages are some
times heavy, that is merely because
they contain a little gold which it Is
necessary to distribute among oul
friends.
Used as 1 was to the tangled paths
of political intrigue, | could not alto
gether conceal my astonishment a.
hearing him pronounce the name o.
NJ. Starovitch. This was the prime min
lister, the head of the princes govern
ment, and although l had heard il
' whispered that he was less favorable
to Vienna than his master, was Ger
tainly not prepared to find him in re
ceipt of Russian gold.
"Dourenskl smiled at my look of sur
prise.
"'The premier is discreet man, h'