The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-05-28

and at Nine. Tatiani's invitation tool
a seat In II compartment that she haC
engaged for her own exclusive use.
| The lady was woman verg!ng or
| thirty and had been very beautiful
| That beauty had but little faded. anC
her mental attractivcness was at il
| best. Delano soon became aware thai
she was endeavoring TO fascinate him
She adOrcd Americans. pronounced
them Il marvellous people, and the alb
sence OF European conventionality IN
| them gave them a freshness that other
| people did not have. Her eyes were
very expressive. and she kept then
constantly fixed on Delano's.
At 10 o'clock Delano left the lady's
compartment after she had exacted a
promise from him to see her the next
morning. He was intending to give
her the slip at Lucerne and tried to dc
so. but when he was hurrying away to
train for Berne man stepped up
to him and informed him that lady
wished to speak to him. Resignine
himself to another meeting with his
fair companion of the evening before
he followed the man to the waiting
room, where he found her.
"Ah. Mr.. Delano," she exclaimed
with reproachfui look. ''were you go.
that was going OH the same route as
yourself? What have I done that you
should treat me SOP" The last words
were spoken with tinge Of sadness
and look from her beautiful eyes that
would have conquered almost any man.
Delano was certainly affected by her
apparent preference for him, and had
he trusted any one he certainly would
have trusted her. He would have re-
signed himself to travel further with
her without reluctance had he not been
sensible of the great importance Of the
message he bore.
On reaching Berne the lady begged
him to see that her trunks were put on
the train for Neuchatel. which did not
leave for an hour. Delano went off to
look for the trunks and was directed
from one railway official to another till
he was In far distant part of the sta
ton. Suddenly he saw Il man coming
hurriedly toward him and two others
from another direction. They closed in
on him and were dragging him to an
exit when they were in turn attacked
by several others.
Delano. whose brain worked very
quickly, saw at a glance what this all
meant The Greek was an agent of
others and had sent him after heI
attacked by agents of the secret serv-
ice with view to robbing him Of his
dispatch. What he did not know was
that the Italian government had sent
men to follow him and be ready to as
sist him should he be interfered with
He supposed those who had come to
his rescue were persons who had seen
stranger attacked and considered 1t
their duty to help him.
The rescuerS were all powerful men
and soon drove off the assailants.
Then one of them picked up Delano's
hat that had been Knocked Off In the
fray and offered 1t to him. The others
disappeared in different directions.
Then the one who was left said to him
in q whisper:
Follow me-"
Leaving the station. the man struck
into the town and after turning in diff.
ferent directions went into a wineshop.
Delano followed him and was told by
him that he was an officer of the Ital-
ian carabineers, or national police. He
and half dozen men in plain clothes
had been sent by the government to
shadow and protect him.
There is another train tonight" he
said to Delano, (which we will board
at the first station west Of Berne. My
men will meet us there. Any one of
us seen to get on the train here would
give us away. | do not expect to avoid
them, but 1t is possible by the plan |
propose to do So"
But how" asked Delano. did they
get word OF my coming ON my mis-
sionT'
"Spies-spies everywhere They are
among the clerks even of the govern
ment offices. Doubtless your visit to
the foreign office was reported immedi-
ately."
Delano and the Gardiner remained
where they were till dark. Then the
latter sent OFT for II cab. and. entering
it with their hats drawn down over
their faces, they were driven some ten
miles to station. where they boarded
a train. The other members of the
party got on ut different points. and
Delano was Informed that there were
I'm all dozen men. stout and well arm.
ed. All were In citizens dress and
many of them disguised.
Evidently the arrangements made
for DelanO's protection were far more
perfect than those CT the other side.
for. though the officer In command of
the carabineers pointed out various
persons who were secretly watching to
take him, they were not In sufficient
force to do so. However. OH changing
trains at Neuchatel they made one last
effort Deano was walking through
the crowded station when some one
cried out:
"A spy!"
Immediately there was rush for
him by many persons But the cara
DinpprS who cnma From, all diractionS