New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-01-03
even now the caretaker raised furtive'

even uOW Tue CoEetukeE GulScu AuIIivC
ly from his rug.
Nevertheless, the countess wa
minded to experiment, to be certain
For non Is so suspicious, she knew
as q who fears suspicion. None SO
guilty as the guilty. During the fore
noon she walked through the woods
going bnskly. with vigorous. mountain
bred feet. No crackle of underbrush
disturbed her. Swift turnlngs revealed
no lurking figures skulking behind the
trunks Of trees. But where an ancient
stone bridge crossed a mountain
stream. she came on the huge driver
of the night before refiectively fish
ing.
He saluted her gravely. and the
countess paused and looked at him.
"You have caught no fish, my friendT'
she said.
mo. madame. But M plays about
my hook"
She turned back. Eyes everywhere.
and arms. great hairy arms. And feet
that, for all their size, must step
lightly!
On the second day she made a des-
perate resolve. and Enthusiastically
put 1t into execution at once. She
sent for the caretaker. When he came.
uneasy, for the LOscheks were justly
feared In the countryside, and even
the thing of which he knew gave him
small courage, she lost no time in
evasion.
"Go." she said. land bring here your
accomplish"
my accomplish, madame! l do
not"
"You heard me-" she said.
He turned, half sullen, half terrified,
and paused. (which do you refer to.
madame?"
She had seer only the one. Then
there were others. Who could tell
how many others?
1.-THE one who drove here"
So he went, leaving her to desperate
reflection. When he returned, 1t was
to usher in the heavy figure Of the
spy.
(which Of you is In authority" she
demanded.
II, madame" 1t was the spy who
spoke.
She dismissed the caretaker with a
gesture.
"Have you any discretion over met
Or must you refer matters to those
who sent your
II must refer to them"
"How long will 1t take to send a
message and receive a replyT
He considered. "Untll tomorrow
night, madame"
Another day gone, then, and nothing
determined!
"Now. l%isten," she said. "and listen
ssrefully. l have come here to decide
q sastain question. Whether you know
what that question is OF not, does not
matter. But before I decide 1t l must
take a certain journey. wish to make
that journey. 1t is into Karnia."
She watched him. 1T is impossible.
My Instructions"
II am not asking your permission.
I wish to send a letter to the commit
tee. They, and they alone, will de-
termine this thing. VIII you send the
letter."
When he h~esitated, perplexed. she
got up and moved to her writing table.
" shall write the letter." she said
haughtily. "See that 1t is sent. When
/ report at the end Of the time that I
have sent such q letter. you a Judge
better than l the result II 1t has not
been received"
He was still dubious, but she wrote
the letter and gave 1t to him, her face
proud and s~cornful. But she was not
easy. for all that, and she watched
from her balcony to see If any messen-
ger left the castle and descended the
mountain road. She was rewarded, an
hour later, by seeing a figure leave the
old gateway and start afoot toward the
village, a pale faced man with color
less hair. A part Of the hidden guard
that surrounded her, she knew, and
somehow familiar. But, although she
racked her brains, she could not re-
member where she had seen him.
That day, toward evening, the huge
man presented himself. He brought no
letter, but an oral message. "Permis-
cto, L. Ut,,op pooIovonv hn coih ST