The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-05-06
ON THE KING's ERRAND
(Continued from Page seven)


 which his fat face almost devoured. The car, I suppose was then a quar- ter of a mile away. I got out of the carriage deliberately, and picked up a big stone from the roadside. Then as soon as the glow of the approach Ing headlights fell upon me I march ed deliberately down to the bank of the river, and stood there, the stone in my hand.
 To be sure my heart was in my mouth, and had not the slightest idea what was going to happen to me. The scene was lonely; I was in<one of the widest countries in Europe: and l knew that for next to nothing at all these secret agents would throw me into the pool if such a proceed Ing suited their purpose. Neverthe- less l had to risk 1t; and so I stood there, every nerve at a tension. until heard a harsh voice cry Halt" and instantly two men in mufti sprang rom the car and came running towards me. At that instant I threw the stone into the river, and as it sp4ashed Heavily I turned to the strangers with a laugh.
 Good evening, gentlemen" I said;
 this Is g. pretty place is 1t not?' Meln Herr," was the answer of the taller of them, "it is our unpleasant outy to ask you to accompany us to the post-house.
 We will then give you our reasons" made no demur, and we drove on couple of miles to a village whose name did not ascertain. Here was one Of those military posts which Austria had scattered so freely about her acquired provinces. The two men, obviously from the Secret Ser vice of Vienna, were poIiteness itself but their puAose v~ never for a moment concealed
 You are suspected" they said. "of carrying certain documents which have not been censored, and must ,Ie submitted to us. We must ask you to produce them.
 Profuse Apologies. assured them that I carried no such documents, neither on my per son nor in my luggage-a true state ment, as you know. To enaphasjze 1t at once helped them to bring my baggage into the post-house, and willingly opened it there. The situa- ton was indeed ridiculous, and I sup pose that a writer of farce would also have found 1t humorous. But can not say that I enjoyed it particularly. and l was convinced that something very serious might happen to me if any mischance attended me.
 Again and again these two grim vlsaged Austrians went through my bags and looked at every document enthusiastically there were few opened my razor case, shook out my shoes' searched me where I stood were particularly interested in the 0afa 1 a 1iT1iv ,a, l and even tapped the heels of my boots and pierced the lining of my hat. In the end they threw up their hands, so to speak, and confessed themselves defeated. I in my turn 1 was all frankness.
 'Gentlemen," l said, "I know quite well why you have done all this You think I am carrying a letter ! out of SeraJevo from - and I l mentioned the very diplomatist whose messenger I was. But, gentlemen. |" l added, that is not my habit when I am enjoying the hospitality of q foreign capital, and you may tell him from me that he must carry his own letters"
 Well, they were taken absolutely aback. The thing seemed so simple: the very effrontery of the declaration Oe"I4uSIeu them. l am sure that ] they were convinced absolutely that ] a mistake had been made, and with 1 profuse apologies they at length said l that I might continue my journey. 1 Five miles further on, at a dark
 turn of the road, I abstracted the l precious document from the chaff of ! oats and amid which it lay and put 1t 1 again in the Sleeve of my coat. I was 1 at Metkoyitch at six in the morning 2 1 and upoR the Austrian Lloyd steamer | at nine. No further attempt was | made to meddIe with me-indeed. I was shown every courtesy as though | to atone for the outrage to which I 1 had been subjected; and I may add l that four days later was in London. l To this journey and the success l which attended it I attribute the fac- i that, imemdiately war broke out, I 1 was asked to attach myself to the dip l lomatic service, and have been en- 1 trusted with many missions some of 1 them not less exciting nor eventfuI ! than the one which Is here related. | (TO Be Continued.)