The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-06-16
The Red Mirage
A Story OF the French Legion in Algcrs
l. A.. r. WYLIE
NAl rights reserved. The Bobbs- Merrill Co }

(An rights reserved. The Bobbs-M Merrill Coz
| a Jew?-Very well-now I shall act
| like one"'
He began to pace the rom with
short, feverish steps. 81 am going TO
| tell you something no one has ever
heard before. Only three people know
| it, and they have held their tongues
your mother and Major MowbTay.
| No-dOn't interrupt. You can't silence
me with those damned eyes of yours
You've got to listen. You don't remem-
| ber your father, do you? He WAS in
India when you We're a child, and
your mother does not speak very often
| of him. You see how we'll | know
| things. But you are very proud of
hin-and rightly. He was brilliant
soldier and something of an inventor.
He invented a gun that. though it
would be twenty years old now, would
still rank head and shoulders above
| anything we have. 1t was unfortunate
| that he spent more than he had and
gambled with what he did not possess.
The British government was, as usual,
dilatory and parsimonious. Colonel
Farquhar offered his invention to a
foreign power. My father knew ev
erything. l was young subaltern at
| the time. My father felt it his duty
to inform the authorities. Previous to
this he and Colonel Farquhar had been
intimate. AS last act of friendship
he warned your father of his purpose,
Your father murdered him.
My father lived a few hours
SoWer went on deliberately. He was
Il Jew. but he was a great man. He
held your father in his power. He
could have had his pound of flesh. He
had mercy. He let your father go-on
three conditions. The first condition
was that he withdrew his offer to the
foreign power, the second that he re-
signed his commission, the third that
he left the country. These things he
did"
MY father died in Africa" Far
Quhar said.
$50 I have been told
There was a long silence Sower
Sludlcu lue SouASeI IIdh Oul VI illt
corner of his eyes. There was some
thing he did not fully understands
phase of humanity that did not fit in
with his carefully drawn up catalogue.
This red-hot temperament grown sud
denly cold frightened him. 1t was like
handling an unknown explosive.
Your father signed a confession in
front of witnesses You will under
stand that in view of the circum-
stances it was felt necessary to have
some hold over him. Here is the pa
per"
Farquhar accepted the neatly folded
document and took it nearer to the
light. He read 1t carefully without
any trace of emotion.
Il unders tand." He held the paper
thoughtful'y. as though weighing it.
"Of course it is obvious that this Is
you want?'
Il am in no need of money It is
your career or mine," he said. You
must resign. Half an hour since |
would have been satisfied with an
apology"
Farquhar nodded.
Il give you my word of honor that |
shall send in my papers tonight in re-
turn for this letter.
L accept your word. The letter is
in your hands"
Farquhar started slightly and then
smiled.
"Ah, l might have burned it. You
are a man of remarkable discernment
Well, our bargain is closed. l dare say
have to thank you for your long 81
lence in this matter. But virtue is its
own reward. Good night
Sower took up his hat from the
table He frowned at his own hand,
which shook
You are conkoundedly cool about #
ALL" he said ~One would think you
didn't care
The door closed. Farquhar went
back to his writing table. He did not
tear up the yellow. faded letter but
propped it against bronze candIestick
and sat there staring at it with blank
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