Tombstone epitaph., 1915-05-16

of your coat"
 We were about to go forth for stroll on the bouleyards-I had just helped his eNcellency on with his oyer coat. As bent forward to remove the strand of white cotton which had at tracted my attention. the ambassador turned his head with a startled move ment. even fancied that he gave a slight shiver as picked of the thread and cast it away
 "A thousand thanks" he murmured mechanically, glaneing after the thread with a strange expression. But he realized that had observed bis singu- lar agitation, for he immediately went on to say:
 You ask yourself. perhaps, what it Is that has disturbed me so much in this trivial circumstance? Do me the justice to believe. notwithstanding, that I have not been agitated without a real cause.
 "i; was not long after the mysterious affair. which 1 have related to you, in connection with the death of Abdul Aziz." began his eXcelleacy, and I had just been promoted 10 the rank of charge dafaires. In this capacity l was entrusted with the French mission to the court of one Sf those barbarous principalities in the southeast of Eu- rope. which have hardly yet recovered from their centuries of vassalage 10 the Turks. In these unsettled societies acts of lawlessness and violence are sal ;.-sr ized countries would be dismayed.
 At the time of my arrival in the principality to the court of which I had been accredited, I 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 CTS 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 erine. a princess of Russian extraction.
 While I 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
 "I have 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- auires my presence Is important, and will. perhaps. detain me four or five weeks
 q bowed, and murmured polite ex- pression of regret at the idea Of losing the society of the minister for so long g period.
 That is not all. however. he pro- ceeded toAsay. T have at the legation no one whom I can trust to take my place properly while I am away. Shall I be trespassing too much on your good nature if ask you to take charge of She interests of Russia for these few weeks?'
 "T am too much honored by the confidence you place ia me- I said, but recollect, if you please, my dear Dourenski, that l have only recently arrived in this country. and know nothing of the political situation. He'd you not better apply to some colleague of older standing-to Sir Graham. for instance. the British charge d'affaires?
 He made an emphatic gesture of disspproyai as I pronounced this name.
 Mot for worlds. my dear fellow' That man is a mere tool Of the Aus trian minister's. No. I must have some one whom I can trust, someone of real independence and judgment. Besides, our two countries are friendly; l s.houId leave the affairs of my legation fin your hands with the same conh- t.nce as in those of Q fellowcountry- man
 Thus pressed. I could find no ex- cuse for declining the honor which DoUrenski proposed to confer on me He sent on to add:
 There is one thing about which I ,npst ask you to preserve the strictest secrecy. In the mailbag of the lega- ,ion you will from time to time find letters addressed to M. Staroyifch. which you -Ill without doubt ind ,nsans to transmit to him in private manner. If ,he packages are some times heavy. that is merely because ,bey contain a little gold which it is necessary 10 distribute among our friends.
 -I-sed as 1 was to the tangled paths n, politicai intrigue. 1 could not alto zsther conceal my astonishment at 6.arins him pronounce the name of N sraroyitch. This was the prime min tster the head of the princes govern .,.n, and although l had heard 1t vh,s,ered that he was less favorable xo vienna than his master, l was eer- ,sinIy not prepared to find him in re- ce;nt of Russian gold.
 -Dourenski smiled at my look of sur
 The prsmisr is discreet man. he