Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-17
and pushed it across the~table, tgpof-
ing fhe uriesfion

and 6uttered The pages.
sc little. cousin. ai.d you 3tefan'.l
htfr? Truly SOU are a.-bad n. an6gcr:
Better have enjoyed what you could
have had from him these six years
you may not outlive him, my DanilO.
Here" he carelessly pushed back the
book. Il will not deprive you; take my
thanks"
Then why did you bring my here g"
Perhaps to contemplate the devot-
ed son who would ave the lady at the
expense OF his friend. Frankly. cousin,
1 expected the ruse to fall"
you knew it would succeed" Lee
sendra flashed contradiction. FIRE blax-
ing through the screen Of pride. 'sYou
tempted her into selling-you knew
that<I would give what abe implored
Of mo with every household word and
memory Of old affection, with every
call to the boy she had loved. You
kne~ I would free her from you. IL 4
shot myself the-next hour rather thin
face Count Stefan"
Michael nodded, still smiling.
TO be frank once more. cousin, I
rather counted on your doing that.
You. honorable people are. 80 irrelig-
'': well. / did not" said 1e.endr.,
CURLY. And I will not. II 1 have been
bought With a woman, as you told the
countess, I will answer for 1t and not
Take the towards road"
What? Delight told you!
The Countess ~Balsfc repeated to
her husband. as was : her duty ind
knew she would do 81 when you told
her the stripped ugliness of my ac-
tion." )
You are wrong. I told the pretty
American what l chose because I had
good cause to believe her tender gym
pathies mine. 1t seems she is like 9TH
er women; the present $lover out
weighs the absent
Lesendras wildcat quickness struck
the unfinished slur from the others
lipe. He struck only once. but the
force of the blow sent Michael Keeling
back until the wall stopped and sup
ported him. Neither man spoke. Mich
ael recovered himself drew out a
handkerchief and pressed the white
linen against his bleeding mouth: his
light-blue eyes groaFing apoque as
smoked glass.
Are you wise, cousin ?" he present
~ asked. his accent a menace.
IF l had been wise 1 would no be
here tonight" Lesendra retorted bit
terly.- What do o want of me? l
am not SO ignorant of o As to sup
pose I am brought here for no pur-
pose"
II have told you: to bargain for GER
tain letters"
What is you price,"
There was a pause. Michael studied
MS adversary, and Rupert Looked At
the two Seen together, the resem-
blance between the cousins. vanished
to a mere similarity of height and COL
oring. Michael had the advantage of
his arresting beauty. but he looked
older. more hardly reckless and less
debonair beside Danilo's open-browed
youth. And now there was a still more
marked difference made by the. shad-
ow creeping over the elders fAce; a
traction Of the light eyes that touched
cruelty into the expression instead of
craft.
tYou would not pay it. yet, COUSIN
said Michael softly, and again pressed
the handkerchief to his /cut mouth.
You mean that l have not got it,"
If it's money" Rupert vouchsafed
a tart Interpolation, Isl. amt quite re-
ducedto eating at the breadiine. Le-
mailer than anyone else except his
undertaken"
gesture.
you touch US. Mr.. Rupert Of New
York! We are overwhelmed. But the
price is not money, and Danile has it.
Come, will you buy. my ,Danilo? Stay,
| will throw in a make-weight! Will
you buy these letters, and with them
which clears Stefan's officer of. COM
plicity In a certain scheme Of espion-
age upon his chief? All, your eye kin
d1es-your color is up! Will you buy
Of me. cousin ?"
Yes" said Lesendra, his breath
coming unevenly. -
"And-pay?"
You have not heard the price,"
You told it to me in saying you
bad counted upon my suicide. Give the
papers to Rupert, send him to the
castle, and l. will stay here in YOU
hands-and Josef's."
Rupert moved sharply. But before
he could protest, Michael laughed out
in raillery.
Bravo. Don Danilo Quixote! Why
should I buy what I already have!
No, 4 am less murderous than you
think: my price is-infoImation. ]
want to know where Stefan BalsIc. haa
set his snares, and what Win happeI
when his second messenger comes
from. Vienna A few sentences, cousin
five minutes speech Of which no one
will ever hear-and you may carry
your own vindication home to Stefar
and v eNhappily and honored for six.
ty years to ome S
Lesendra regarded the other With
wonder rather than wrath or disap.
po:ntment.
"Haye you gone mad?" he asked
IA much plotting made you dull
Michael. that youX have brought me
across the mountains to answer this?'
MOT 80 fast, cousin. I said yor
would not buy-yet"
Nor eyer"
Not after g few hours with JOSEF
Lesendra's 6ue-black eyeS gliptet
movement which Michael co0ntefel
by 'snatching open the door beside
him. As ffsat q p~re-arrAnged signal
La stream OF, men poured III at eact
iof the rooms three entrances ant
hurled themselves upon the vfsakerb,
Rupert went down ffgt. hgitlne Tx
q . with mel who fefuoeodt6 Nnfurs
him, overpowered BY sheer. weight and
strensth. Lseendra frsA tvtes. thel
him and struck Ike Z man, With Z
decanter Seiseds from the table
Straight forward the o6tcer pitches
and lay At the feeES0 his enemies. Ah@
Eold-And-psan 1nlaid pistol GiipSsi
1r,nl his inert hand. ut
The sfrl screamed an excited sent.
ence. exulting like an Amason. Their
ran to Michael and kissed his hand
Himself unhArmsd. but with his afml
tng grip of two men, the furious Rup.
ct leaned forward In m endeavorltc
50 his friend through the ring
Ing him round.