Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-17
CHAPTER w
Secret Information

AN AMBASSADOR has been wittily
"A described as an honest man sent Ia
"lie" abroad for the commonwealth. He
is supposed to be familiar with all the
scandal and intrigue of the court u
which he is accredited, to be possessed
Of countless discriminating secrets and te
steer his way amid the maze, disturbing
no ghost or skeleton of family or gov.
crnment, preserving the while calm
punctilio and an exterior of fathomlesa
simplicity. The ambassador of modern
Europe is at once a Chesterfield.
Machiavelli and Nidocq. He must bf
a lamb lion and ferret. He mubt
condescend to act as messenger boy tc
his prime minister, he must conduct 3
business office and fashionable restau.
rant and successfully run a detective bu'
reau. fxi
Something of the ambitions of Frant
Ferdinand and his wife mad been knowl
to the Right Honorable Sir Herbert
Southgate the Archduke's visit with hii
wife to the court of st. James was sig.
nificant, and their stay at Potsdanl. duti-
fully recorded at Berlin, had showx
something of the nature of the rap
prochement between Archduke and KaiA
ser. The, visit of the Kaiser to the
Archduke's hunting lodge at Eckartzat
on the Danube had set tongues wag.
ging, and private information had served
to warn Sir Herbert that an under
|
visit to the roses of konopisht had moi
deceived the Ambassador for it wal
known that pact Of some sort ha4
been made. but the revelations of Mn
RenwiCk had been of nature to appalll
For several months the surface of the,
diplomatic pool had been ominouslJ
placid. Few ripples We're seething now
stirred to their very lees by plot and
the Ambassador were alarming. Ha4
the attack upon Hugh Renwick failed
to advise him that, the military party
| possessed full knowledge of the CounteA
have discovered 1t. There was an un
dercurrent of intrigue in various higt,
Offices which advised him that communt
cations of the greatest Importance vert
were best served by studied inno
cence and unconcern. and his public ape
pearances, both social and official. gavt
no sign of his intimate knowledge oi
approaching calamity. ~.
The first surface indication of thu
| turmoil was polite note from the MIN
istry. stating that his second secretary
Hugh Renwick was persona nom grat1
questing his recall This indicated q
definite purpose neither to ignore moi
condone, and in itself was surprising
admission of the facts.
| The Ambassador by note expressed his
high opinion of the abilities of his, ,secre
tary and requested the Ministry's rea-
sons for their decision. They merely re.
peated their former request Without eHs
with smile, which had a world q.
meaning, offered Renwick his passports
But Renwick had no desire or inten
ton to leave Vienna He merely re
ventured into deep political currents h
was now sure, for though he moved witt
great, care, he was aware of being fol-
| l1n nj q in q riln
street in broad daylight He made ne
complaint to the authorities, but only
moved with greater discretion. sure thai
the interests that desired his elimination
were not among the Austrians. From
the point of view of the Austrian Gov
ernment he was merely discredite<
| Englishman, and therefore a person OF
no Importance. That the Countess Ma.
rshka had apparently also reached th1'
same conclusion was evident for though
he called several times at the apartment
| of the Baroness RacowitZ he was not
| admitted.
With theories of his own as to ths
probable effect of the Countess Strahnis
bombshell, Renwick began some investt.
/, cations which he conducted with great
tact and secrecy The Forthcoming visit:
of the Archduke Franz to Sarajevo had:
One morning after a night conferences
with Sir Herbert he took the train fol-
Belgrade. When he returned few dayt,
later tst;,,u he was again eloseted with r.
he went direct to the apartment Of thl
Baroness Racowitz. succeeding by r.
handsome bribe to the servant at tn
door in sending a note to the Counto4.
| Marishka. which read as follows: ~ "a
Countess Marishka Strahni: r'
| A friend of yours is in grave dangot
chiefly through your Agency. pray. thef
you will see me, IL only for momen1
In doing so you will secure for IourSo<
an opportunity of doing servicA whlcI
HUGH RENwIcK.
When the servant returned, some mo
| ments later Renwick was shown into IL
| drawing room, with the word that tn
| Countess Strahni would see him. She ~.
peared almost immediately, her face q
little pallid. her manner restrained. he.
accents frigidly polite But the darG
/ eyes We're luminous the brows wer'
drawn inward and her voice trembIo6'
slightly as she spoke his name. IS,
| Herr Renwlck. i can hardly oelieW
that you would impose SO difficult 4
situation were II not that somethinn =
Importance has occurred" - ~
4 1T has. Countess Strahni." he
greyelX: then paused, u beg 1haE