Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-04

b-G-gA4 ~ -= g. 81
n Have Don: a.. u Swear It."
tinued to str nitiless blows into
which she put -, Try, her terror,
her frayed anc aged nerves.
The girl on from whimper-
ing, fell to I. 10 - I'd, with great
noiseless sobs q E2.l and bewilder.
ment. When at last the blows ceased,
she lay still.
The countess prodded her with her
foot. "Get up" she commanded.
But she was startled when she saw
the girls face. 1t was she who was
the fool. The welt would tell its own
story, and the other servants would
talk. 1t was already a deep purple,
and swollen. Both women were
trembling. The countess, still holding
the crop, sat down.
"Now!" she said. 'You will tell me
ito whom you gave certain small book
OF which you know"
: II, madameY ia ~
"You."
'But wha Z? Ihave given moth.
2 madame. nr 1t"
Then you adj. ted some one to
this room?"
mo one, madame, except" She
hesitated.
"Well2"
'"There came this afternoon the men
who clean madame's windows. No one
else, madame"
She put her hand to he ~hcnk, and
looked furtively to see gers
were stained with blood. ess,
muttering, fell to furioC OF
the room. So that was So.
The girl was telling the She
was too stupid to lie. The the COM
mittee of ten indeed knew every.
.thirg-had known that she would be
e had known of the window clean
e; ad known of the safe, and her
possession Of the code.
She dismissed the girl and put away
the riding crop, then she smoothed the
disorder of her hair and dress. The
court physician, calling a half hour
later, found her reading on a chaise
Tongue in her boudoir, looking pale and
handsome, and spent what he cOnsid-
cred pleasant half hour with her.
Then at last he was gone, and she
went about her heayy-hearted prepare.
tons for the night. From a corner of
her wardrobe she drew q long peas
ants cape, such q cape as Minna
might wear. Over her head, ,astead
g hat she threw gray veil. q care
less disguise, but all that was neces-
sary. The sentries through and about
the palace were not unaccustomed to
such shrouded figures slipping out
from its gloom to light, dnd perhaps to
love.
Before she left, she looked about
the room. What assurance had she
that this very excursion was not a
trap, and that in her absence the vault
would not be looted again? 1t con.
tanned now something infinitely val
liable and incriminating-the roll of
film. She glanced about, and seeing a
silver vase of roses, hurriedly emptied
the water out, wrapped the film in
oiled paper, and dropped it down
among the stems.
The Street of the Wise Virgins was
not near the palace. Even by walking
briskly she was in danger of being
late. The wind kept her back, too.
Then, at last, the Street of the Wise
Virgins and the tiacre, standing at the
curb, with driver wrapped in rugs
against the cold of the February night,
and his hat pulled down over his eyes.
: The countess stopped beside him.
.You are expecting a passel 9rT'
Eyes, madame"
With her hand on the door, the
countess realized that the f1acre was
already occupied. AS she peered into
its darkened interior, the shadow re-
solved itself into eloaked and masked
figure. She shrank back,
ENTER, madame" said a voice,
The figure appalled, her. 1t was not
sufficient to know that behind the
horrifying mask which covered the en-
tire face and head, there was a hui
man figure, human pulses that beat,
human eyes that appraised her. She
hesitated,
"Qpickly," said the voice.
She got in, shrinking into a corner
of the carriage. Her lips were dry,