The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1915-06-10

to be on his guard, he made the best
of what he considered misfortune
and at Nine. Tatianis invitation took
seat in a compartment that she had
engaged for her own exclusive use.
The lady was a woman verging on
thirty and had been very beautiful.
That beauty had but little faded, and
her mental attractiveness was at its
best. Delano soon became aware that
she was endeavoring to fascinate him.
She adored Americans, pronounced
them a marvellous people, and the alb
sence Of European conventionality in
them gave them freshness that other
people did not have. Her eyes were
very expressive, and she kept them
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 do
so, but when he was hurrying away to
train for Berne man stepped UP,
to him and informed him that a lady
wished to speak to him. Resigning
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 a reproachful look, "were you GO
ing to desert me? Did I not tell you
that was going on the same route as
yourself? What have 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 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 glance what this all
meant. The Greek was an agent of
others and had sent him after her
trunks to get him where he could be
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.
BE supposed those who had come to
his rescue were persons who had seen
stranger attacked and considered it
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 of in the
fray and offered it to him. The others
disappeared in different directions.
Then the one who was left said to him
in whisper:
"Follow me-"
Leaving the station, the man struck
into the town and after turning in Diff
ferent directions went into 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 it is possible by the plan I
propose to do So" -:--
But how asked Delano, did they
| get word of my coming on my mis-
sion?"
"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 out for cab, and. entering
it with their hats drawn down over
their faces, they were driven some ten
miles to station, where they boarded
train. The other members of the
party got on at different points. and
Delano was informed that there were
in all dozen men, stout and we'll 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 Of 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. on changing