The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-06-03
CHAPTER xI.


French chauffeur, Fitzhugh was at
tacking his morning mail at twenty
minutes past ten. When running
through the fourth letter Of the heap
his secretary had opened and laid out
for him he paused suddenly, then sat
violently back in his chair.
"Now, how In Hades," wondered he,
"could forget that?"
He meant the first million. While
with Kathleen that morning the
thought OF it had occurred and re-oc-
Cured to him. but always at inoppor-
tune moments, and when fnally the
right time had arrived 1t slumbered in
the meshes Of his mind.
"I'll tell her on Wednesday," he con-
cluded; and promptly was swallowed
up In the rush OF the days business.
The boy handed him scrap cf pa
per on which was written with a lead
pencil:
~ must see you at once.-Esther."
"Tell her | can't see her" and he
crunched the paper between his fingers
and shot it angrilv out an open win
dow. Before the lad reached the door
he checked him, less harshly with !:
Explain to her, Tommy, that l am ex-
tremely busy. and ask her to call
again"
Dismissing the incident completely
from his mind he gathered up the
sheaf Of letters. An alteration arose
in the outer office. The door was flung
open. Esther entered.
Seeing the stenographer, she held
the door open.
81 want to see you alone, Daniel"
said Esther quietly.
Fitzhugh motioned to his employees
to go, and closed the door after him.
"Well? What is it?" He remained
standing near the door, the sheaf Of
letters clutched with an iron grip In
his right hand. He was striving hard
to control his mounting temper.
Unbidden. she sat down. He did not
resume his seat. There was an awk
ward pause.
I "This may be the last time." she be
! gan, choosing her words carefully
shat we shall see each other. an
| going away tonight. l came all th'
way from Paterson. thought woult
tell you-goodby."
She stood up so that she faced him
She looked at him fixedly. "Nlght be
fore last, Daniel In Paterson.
walked my room for hours. was try
ing to decide something, Daniel
Something very hard. A secret-a ter
rible secret-and wanted to tell you
But ! couldn't decide"
"Have you decided d?"-impatIently.
"Quite. l shouldn't tell you. l hav,
reasoned It out again and again. Yol
shouldn't know. But ] want you Il
know! And, Daniel"-reaching VI
suddenly, she rested her hands on hi
shoulders, and when her large, saC
eyes lifted to his 1t struck him afresl
how like martyr she seemed-"Dan
iel, have been chosen to remove oul
ambassador"
He tensed. with a quick intake o.
breath. "You mean-what d'yol
mean? You're not-you don't intend
ut is decreed he must die tomorrow
His living Is inimicu to the Cause
He is false to Russia"
"And you intend doing it?"
II will do it."
He seized her wrists, gripped then
till she WINGED. His voice was as stee
when he said: "You shall not Under
stand that once for all. You shall not
1t Is madness. Nothing less"
"You can't understand. 1 hardly ex
pected you to-"
He strode violently to the door Il
still somebody's knocking, then came
back to her.
"What price do you wanti Name
itw
She shook her head. There Is NJ
price,"
II say there is! Why else would YOU
be heref Speak upl What do yol
want"
She lowered her gaze, a little star
tied. Eyes, there Is one for whom
would renounce even the Cause, turn
traitor" She flung her arms out Il
him In q rush Of abandOn-"Oh, Dan
! lal vor, kuOw vOi, knnu 10