Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-15
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W III ROBERT " SkAMBER5 IN WI

, service of the Turkish government"
The princess nodded.
Did you know it, Naia?"
Il began to suspect it recently"
May l ask how?"
The princess glanced at Rue and
smiled:
"Ruhannah's friend, Colonel Izzet
Bey, was very devoted to Minna
"To whom!" exclaimed Neeland. as
founded.
ITO Use Dumont. Minna Mint Is
her stage name" said the princess.
| Neeland turned and looked at Rue,
who, conscious of his excitement,
flushed brightly, yet never suspect
ing what he was about to say.
The princess said quietly:
Yes, tell her, Jim. 1t is better
she should know. Until now it has
not been necessary to mention the
Rue, surprised, still prettily flush
ed with expectancy, looked with
new curiosity from one to the other.
Neeland said:
Else Dumont, known on the stage
as Minna Mint, is the divorced wife
of Eddie Brandes."
At the mention Of a name so long
hidden away, buried in her memory,
and almost forgotten, the girl quiv-
cred and Strengthened up, as though
an electric shock had passed through
her body.
Then a burning color flooded her
| face as at the swift stroke Of lash,
and her gray eyes gltmmered with
the starting tears.
"You5I have to know it, darling"
sail the princess in a low voice.
There is no reason why you should
not; it no longer touches you. Don't
you know -that?"
"Y-yes-"Ruhannah's slowly droop
ing head was lifted again; held high;
and the wet brilliancy slowly dried
in her steady eyes.
Before 1 tell yoI," continued Nee
land, what happened to be through
Use Dumont, 1 must tell you what
occurred in the train on my way
cite, Princess Naia?"
"At your elbow in that silver box"
Rue Carew lighted 1t for him with
smile, but her hand still trem-
First" he said. tell me what par
ticular significance those papers in
the olive-wood box have. Then I can
tell you more intelligently what hap
pened to me since I went to Brook
hollow to find them"
"They are the German plans for
the fortification Of the mainland
commanding the Dardanelles, and
for the forts dominating the Gallip-
oil peninsula"
Eyes, I know that. But Of what
interest to. England or France or
eff there is to be war, can't you
understand the importance to US Of
those plans?" asked the princess in
low, quiet voice.
"TO-fJS' 2" rnn6afn6
Eyes, to us. I am Russian, am
Eyes. I now understand how
very Russia you are, princess. But
What is Turkey?"
"An empire"
mo. A German province"
"I did not know"
THAT is what the Ottoman empire
is today" continued the Princess
Mistchenka, "a Turkish province for
titled by Berlin, governed from Ber-
lin through a Germanized Turk, En-
yer Pasha; the army organized, drill
ed, equipped, Differed and paid by
the Kaiser Wilhelm; every internal
resource and revenue and develop
ment and projected development
mortgaged to Germany and under
German control; and the sultan a no.
body"
"I did not know It," repeated Nee
land.
"It is the truth, mon ami. 1t is in
evitable that Turkey fights if Ger
many goes to war. England, France,
Russia know it. Ask yourself, then.
how enormous to us the value Of
those plans-tentatiye, sketchy. per
haps, yet the inception and founda-
ton of those Germanmade and Ger
man-armed Qualifications which to-
day line the Dardanelles and the ad-
jacent waters within the sphere of
Ottoman influence!"
$50 that is why you wanted them"
he said, with an unhappy glance at
Rue. what idiotic impulse prompt
ed me to put them back in the box
I can't imagine. You saw me do it,
there in the taxicab."
Ruhannah said:
1.-THE chauffeur saw you, too. He
was looking at you in his steering
er entered my mind that anything
except idle curiosity possessed him"
Perhaps" said the princess to
Neeland, what you did with the pa
pers saved your life. Had that
chauffeur not seen you place them
in, the, box, he might have shot and
robbed you as you left the cab,
merely on the chance Of your hav
ing them on your person"
There was a silence; then Nee1and
said:
"This is a fine business! AS far
as can see murder seems to be the
essence of the contract"
at is often incidental to it," said
the Princess Mistchenka serenely.
But you and Ruhannah will soon
be out of this affair."
"I?" said the girl, surprised.
"I think So"
"Why. dear?"
"I think there is going to be war
And if there is. France will be con-
cerned. And that means that you
and Ruhannah, too, will have to
leave France"
But your" asked the girl. anx-
iously.
81 expect to remain. How long
can you stay here, Jim?"
Neeland cast an involuntary glance
at Rue as he replied:
~ intended to take the next steam
err. Why? Can I be Of any service
| to you, Princess Naia?"
The Princess Mistchenka let her
dark eyes rest on him for a second,
| then on Rue Carew.
! "I was thinking" she said, that