The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-15
''The Dark
STAR

First" he said, "telf me what
particular significance these pa.
pers. in the olIVe-Wood box hava
gently what happened to me since I
went to Brool<hollow to md Them b
They are the German plans fer
the fertilization OF the mainland
commanding the Dardanelles, and
for the forts dominating the Gar
lipoli peninsula"
yes. I know that. But OF what
interest to England or France or
Russia"
Valuable In Case % War.
'Tf there is to be war, can't you
understand the Importance to us OF
those plans?" asked the Princess In
a low, quiet voice.
'To-'us'?" he repeated.
not?"
Yes. I now understand how very
Russian you are, Princess. But
what has Turkey
What is Turkey"
"An empire
NO. A Germaun province"
Il did not know"
That is what the Ottoman En-
pire is today" continued the Prin-
cess MiStchenka, "a Turkish prov
ince fortified by Berlin. governed
from Berlin through a Germanizsd
Turk. Enver Pasha; the army or
ganized. drilled, equipped, offcered,
and paid by Kaiser Wilhelm; every
internal resource and revenue and
development and PROJECTED develop
&c. T.aruna,vr - ~
der German control; and the Sultan
a nobody
II did not know it." repeated Nee
land.
1T is the truth, mon ami. It Is In
evitable that Turkey fights II Ger
many goes to war. England, France
Russia know it Ask yourself. then.
how enormous to as the value OF
those plans-tentative sketchy.
perhaps, yet the inception ana
foundation OF those German-nade
and German-armed fortifications
which today line the Dardanelles
and the adjacent waters within the
sphere of Ottoman influence"
$50 that is why you wanted them
he said, with an unhappy glance AZ
Rue. What idiotic impulse prompt
ed me to put them back in the box l
can't imagine. You saw me do ~
there in the taxicab.
Ruhannah said:
Motive Net Suspected.
SThe chauffeur saw you, too. He
was looking at you in his steering
rnfTrori I saw his face. But Il never
entered my mind that anything ez-
cept idle curiosity possessed him
Perhaps" said the Princess 20
Neelaud. what you did with the
papers saved your life. Had that
chauffeur not seen you place them
in the box. he might have shot ana
robbed YOU as you left the CAB,
merely on the chance of your haT-
ing them on your person
There was a silence; then NeeIano
said:
as can see murder seems 10 De
the essence of the contraet-
at is often incidental to IT, sara
the Princess Mistchenla, serenely'
But you and Ruhannah VIII so0n
be out Of this affair. =
'T?" said the girl, SURPRISED
81 think So"
at think there is going to be war.
And IL there is, France will be con-
cerned. And that means that you
and Ruhannah, too, VIII nave 70
But you?" asked the girl. an1-
iously. I-..,
you stay here, JIM:
Neeland cast an involuntary Sianes
At Rue as he replied:
81. intended to take the next
steamer. Why? Can be or any
service to YOU. Princess Naia?
The Princess Mistchenka let her
dark eyes rest on him for secohoi
then on Rue Carew.
At was thinking" she said, thar
Won might take Ruhannah back
with YOU il war is declared
To America fer Safety.
GrBack to America exclaimed the
rIrI 'sBut where am to go in
America? What am to do there
II didn't think ] was quite ready
to earn my my own living
ing anxiously at the Princess NaiA
do you think so, dear?
The Princess said:
Il wanted you to remain And
YOU must not worry, darling some
day I shall want you back. But
if there is to be war IN Europe you
cannot remain here"
why not?''
IN the first place, only useful
people would be wanted IN Paris
-
"But, Naia, darling! Couldn't I
be useful to your" The girl jump
ed I'D from the sofa and came and
knelt down by the Princess Mist
chenka. looking up into her face
The Princess laid aside her cigar
cite and put both hands on RueB
shoulders. looking her gravely' ten
derby in the eyes
Dear" she said, IT want james
Neeland to hear this, too. For It -
partly a confession.
when 1 first saw you, Rue, I
was merely sorry for you. and will
ing to oblige Jim Neeland by keep
ing an eye on you until you were
settled somewhere here in Paris.
Before we landed liked you
And. because I saw wonderful pos
sibilities in the little country girl
who shared by stateroom, 1 dellb-
erately made up my mind to develop
Won. make use of your excellent
mind. YOUR quick intelligence. your
amazing capacity for absorbing
everything that is best, and your
very unusual attractions for my
own purposes. meant-to train
you-educatc you-to aid me-.
There was a silence; the girl
looked uD at her. flushed. intent
perpIexed; the Princess MistchenkAs
her hands on the girls shoulders.
looked at her out OF grave ana