Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-03-28
CHAPTER X.-continue6.

-S- /
A glance about showed her that her
code tasoK was gone. In the tray
above, her jewels remained untouched;
Der pearl collar, the diamond knlck-
k.acks the archduchess had given her
Oh successive Christmases, eveD a
s12ndfal Of gold coins. all were safe
enough But the code book was gone.
Their. indeed did the countess look
death In the tace-and found it ter
rft1.e- Fer q moment she could not SD |
rtuch as stand without support. 1t
WAS then that she saw q paper folded
ander her Jewels and took it out with
Shaking fingers. In fine. copperplate
script she read:
Masiar ss-Tonight at one o'clock a closed
0scre will await you in the Street Of the
Wise Virgins. near the church. You will
10 in IL, without fail. to wherever 1t takes
you-
tasgaed1 The Committee OF Ten.
The committee OF ten, This thing
had happened to her. Then it was
true that the half mythical committee
Of tea existed, that this terror OF Ii
vonIa was u real terror, which had her
hy the throat. For there was no es-
cape. None. Now indeed she knew
that rutnor spoke the truth, and that
the t~errurists were everywhere. In
daylight they had entered her Dom.
They had known Of the safe. known
al the code. Known how much else?
wild ideas of flight crossed her
mind, TO be as instantly abandoned for
their futility. Where could she go
that they would not follow her?
When she had reacted from her first
shock she fell to bordering the mat.
Ger, pro and con. What could they
wxrt of her? II she was an enemy to
the country, SO were they. But even
that Ted nowhere. for after all, the
t~errorists were not enemies to Livonia.
They claimed indeed to be its frieRds.
to hold In their hands Its future and
fts betterment. Enemies Of the royal
house they were, Of course.
She was nearly distracted by that
time. She was u brave woman. ply.
Ideally and mentally Of hard fiber, but
the very lame signed to the paper set
her nerves to twitching. 1t was the
committee Of ten which had murdered
Prince Hubert and his young wife the
,eeumittee Of ten which had exploded
q bomb In the very palace itself. and
S1iNed old Breidau. Of the kings oun
Ill: the committee Of ten which had
burned the government house, and had
led the mob In the student riots q
.ye3r or 80 before.
In this dread presence. then, she
would find herself that night! For
he would SO. There was nc way out.
The countess rang for her maid.
She was cool enough now, and white.
with n cruel line about her mouth that
Minna knew well. She went to the
door into the corridor. and locked 1t,
Then she turned on the maid. ~
am ready for you, now"
Madame will retlrew
~You little fool! You know what
I an ready forw
The maid stood still. Her wide
5<,vine eyes, filled with alarm, watched
tho countess as she moved swiftly
actDs the room to her wardrobe
WheA she turned about again, she held
h her hand q thin black riding crop
lf,nnA's rudy color faded. She knew
the Loscheks. knew their furics.
Madame" she cried. and fell OF
Aes knees. "What have I donea Oh
what have I doneT'
THAT il what you will tell me-" said
the countess, and brought down thu
esup. A livid stripe across the GRIT
face turned slowly to red.
II have done nothing. I swear 1t
Mother at pity, help me! I have done
ao<hing."
The crop descended again. this time
90 one Of the great sleeves OF her
Dea0nt costume. SO thin II was, 80
brutal the blow. that II cut Into the