Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1916-06-23

accomplish my purpose ANA tnat Is
the price, tho only price, you Will have
to pay me for these plans"
II don't understand you"
1T is on schedule. is II not, that Cap.
tain Vauquelin of the aviation corps y
to attempt nonstop flight from Pa
to London this morning, " Ntwo(
sengers, in new PARROT biplane'
That is so. Well?"
II must be one of those passeng
and | have a companion, young Ii
who will take the place of the otho
1T isn't possible, monsieur. Tho
arrangements arc already fixed"
you will countermand them" i
But there is no time"
You can get into telephone COM,
munication with Port Aviation In two
minutes"
But the passengers have already
been promised"
You will disappoint them"
THE start is to be made in tho first
flush of daylight. How could you reach
Port Aviation in timer"
In your motor car. monsieur"
1T cannot be done"
1T must! IL the start must be de-
layed until we arrive, you will give
orders that it shall be so delayed"
For minute the minister of war
hesitated; then he shook his head def
nitely.
The difficulties are insuperablc-"
There is no such thing. monsieur"
81 am sorry; it can't be done"
THAT is your answer
1T is regrettable, monsieur"
Very WE'LL" Lanyard bent forward
again. took a match from the stand
on the bedside table, and struck il.
Very calmly he advanced the flame to-
ward the cigarette containing the roll
OF infammable films.
Monsieur" Ducroy cried in hor-
ror What are you doing?'
Lanyard favored him with look OF
surprise.
Il am about to destroy these films
and prints"
You must never do that"
why not? They are mine, to do
with as | like. If | cannot dispose OF
them at my price, ] shall destroy
them!"
"But-my God!-what you demand
Is impossible! Stay, monsieur! Think
what your action means to France!"
Il have already thought of that. Now
must think of myself"
"But-One moment"
Ducroy sat up in bed and dangled
fat legs over the side.
but one moment only. monsieur.
Don't make me waste your matches!"
Monsieur, it shall be as you desire.
il il lies in my power to accomplish
It."
With this the minister of war stood
up and made for the telephone, in his
agitation Needless Of dressing.gown
and slippers.
You must accomplish it, NJ Du.
croy." Lanyard advised him gravely,
putting out the fame; for il you fail.
you make yourself the instrument Of
my death. Here are the plans"
You trust them to me?" Ducroy
asked in establishment
But naturally--that makes It an af.
fair OF your honor" Lanyard explained
Guavely.
With gesture of graceful Capitula-
tion the Frenchman accepted the little
roll Of films.
Permit me" he said. TO acknowl.
edge the honor of mOnsieur's conf.
dence,"
Lanyard bowed low and grayely.
One knows with whom one deals,
monsieur! And now! if you will b2
good enough To excuse me-"
He turned to the door
"But-eh-where are you going?"
"Mademoiselle," Lanyard said, paus.
ing on the threshold-"that is, the
young lady who will accompany us-is
waiting anxiously in the garden out
yonder | go to find and reassure her
and-with monsieurs permission--to
bring her into the library, where we
will await monsieur when he has fin
ished telephoning and-ah-repaired
the deficiencies in his attire, which
one trusts he will forgive ones men.
tioning!"
He bowed again, impudently, gayly
and-when the minister of war looked
up again sheepishly from contempla.
ton of his naked shanks-had van,l
ished.
In high feather Lanyard was makinel
his way down to door at the rear on
the house which gave upon tho gai>l
denim his new social status of govl
ornamental protege disdaining any SUCH
a commonplace avenue as the conserl
vatory window whose fastening he had
forced on entering And, boldly pnl
boiling the door. he ran out into the
night to rejoin his beloved. like a new
man walking to new life.
But she was no more there-the
bench was vacant. the garden desert.
ed. the gateway yawning to the street.
With the low, curt cry of one stag,
gered by a brutal blow froN trusted