Richmond planet. [volume], August 01, 1908, Page 2, Image 2

About Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
THE PORT OF
MISSING MEN
*By ME*RET>ITH JVICHOLSOjS.
Author ol "Tbc House of s Thousand Candi???**
COPYRIGHT. 1007. BY THE BOBBJ-MIRHIU COMPANY
Chapter IH
DARK TIDINGS.
H !: .?tecond day thereafter
Shirley Claitorne went
into a Jeweler's on the
(Jraod (Juni to purchase
a trinket that had caught
while she waited for
who had gone off la their carriage to
the postoffi??e to sen?! some telegrams.
It ?vas a small shop and the time early
afternoon, whan f? H about
A man who had
looking at watches and seemed '
I ;??d In this o
bis lmpilries as to qualify ami
and knew that it was Al
e she reeogn .
.ickly and
was alx.ut .?n he
: b?-r. and
?
aren't
they? If *
.?.
- hat in band, suiil
Ing. He I
?f a ?
j.
*'I l::ire Just -.-d a lit t
membrane? m out
?
?.
appra
;
??re s good]
"G.:
knack at tbe
my father is s? uakes
me <!
s ?il earn
?
?
. wait at the G cu?
tome.**
?
??
?
' M;.
hon. H?
"These ?Is are alwa.
Ing. There are Innumerable things one
would bke to c^ine back for from mid
ocean, tariff or no tariff."
"Th? " said S:
"In time we shall be able '
our afterthoughts to it. Hut lost
can 1. Aft?
er I get I
things I should ilka to ses aga.
pbotogr
Armitage had l-eeu the eubj??et of so
much |eal ! b??r
self I
Ing to b ?a His face 1 :
?rrayer than she ?
scribed them for her bcothi
the day befen?. IIis manner was gruve
?rteous. .i t at all l>e
?hat he had f
Armitage was aerala tint a Jew,
shop was hardly the piar? for ??\?
.rsatlon with a young ?
knew, but he lin?
gered in the Joy of hearing I
lean girl's voice, a: ihe sahl ln
terestetl him b lie had seen
ber ?r*?t in l'uri?? a : the before
at an exhibition of battle pah
-- quits
alon?- 'High Tide at t'ettys
ti-.irg." the picture of the year, and he
bad noted the quick mounting of color
to her cheektt aa the epic
ment of the painting?Its ardor and flre
~-took hold of h*?r. Be saw ber again
In Florence, und it was from there that
be bad deliberately followed the Clai
borues.
His own plans were now quite unset?
tled by his interview with I
bel. He fully ! ?'hau.??net in
Geneva. The man had apparent:
on cordial terms with the Claittonile,
snd as he had seemed to be ma.
bis own time it was wholly possible
that be would appear before th??
bornes left Ceneva. It was no? the
second day after Von Stroebel's depar
aud Armitage begun to feel un?
easy, j?
He stood with Shirley quite near the
shop door. The carriage drove up
and I>ick Caliborne came up to them
et once and bowed to Armitage.
"There is great news. C??unt Fer?
dinand von Stroebel was murdered in
his railway carriage between here and
Vienna. They found him dead at Inns
br?ck this morning."
"Is It possible! Are you quite sure
he was murdered?"
It was Armitage who asked tbe ques?
tion. He spoke in a tone quite mat?
9 ?>
- ' "?? *"
-**! bop? you are a good smua?Ur, Min
CUUborfU."
ter of fact end colorless, so that Shir
ley looked at him In surprise, but ?he
saw that he wss very grave, and then
Instantly som? hidden feeling Hashed
in bis eyes.
"There is no doubt of It It was an
lean crime. Tbe count was an old
man and feeble wbeu we saw him tbe
other day. He wasn't fair gam? for
an assassin." said Clalborne.
read a better fate,** re?
marked Arrnit.
"He was a grand old man."* said
Shirley as they left the shop and walk
??d t<?wn-d the carriage. "Path? -
mired him greatly. It Is terrible to
think of his being ruur
he was a wise and useful
man." observed Armitage, stili grave.
.vas one of the great men of his
?? was not that of one who
discusses casually a bit of news of the
sat at ti)? ertone
what Armitage might m:
? shall p. \n the
"U.? ?shall s?
- at most.
>?. and
-
k and
?
?
as tl.
If I
.
ll.l carry It so
- ?
?
? h affi n g."
t In the least Be
't help bolus ? ?
?
for a
his r ? ranch. u. In
Mont ? of It In?
cidentally, as though ne were a:
?baying watches for cowboys.
?t leave ?:
I
'
as isn't a good I
.
suppose be
him. d
?
la DOW that he's .
.- young :
?
I
itions as to Its eri
futur. ice of ?Su
?
for him In th??
and found that he had goi.
1 return lu a !
It was ou the morning of the fourth
?age appeared su?!
at ?me bond as ?Mch and his -
wnlt?-?l for a carriage to can ?
their train He had just returned, auti
they met Py the narrowest margin. lie
walked with them to the door of the
<> K?jsa.
"We are running for tho King El
ward and hope for ? day In ?Leadoa
re we sail. Pcrhnps we shsll see
you one of these ?lays In America."
said Cmlborne, with some mal?
must Ik? confessed, for his sister's ben
eflt.
"That la possible. I em very
of Washington," responded Armitage
carelessly.
? '? ?f ?"?I'.irae you will look us up," p?-r
slsted Dick. *i shall be at Fort lfy?f
for awhile, and it will always be a
pleasure"?
Clalborne turned for a last word
with tbe porter about their baggage,
and Armitage stood talking to Shirley,
who had already ?entered the carriage
"Oh, is there any news of Count von
tStr.H-hel's assassin?" she asked, noting
the newspaper that Armitage held ii
his hand.
"Nothing. It's s very mysterious
and puzzling affair."
"It's horrible to think such a thing
possible. He wss s wonderful old man.
But very likely they will find the mur?
derer."
"Yes; undoubtedly.**
'?The secret police will scour Europe
in pursuit of the assassin," she ah
served.
"Yes," replied Armitage grsvely.
"The truth will be known before we;
sail, no doubt," said Shirley. "The as
ssssin may be here tn ?Geneva by this
Urn??."
"That is quite likely," said John Ar?
mitage, with unbroken gravity. "In
fact, I rather expect him here or I
should be lesving today myself."
He bowed and made way for the im?
patient Clalborne, who gave his hand
to Armitage hastily snd Jumped into
the carriage.
"Your Imitation ?cut glass drummer
hss nearly caused us to miss our train.
Thank the Lord, we've asen th? last of
tbat fellowG*
Shirley said nothing, bag gased oui
of the window with s wondering look
in her ?yes. And on tbe way to Uses.
pool she thought often of Armitage'*
last words. "I rather expect him bere
or I should be leaving today myself.'
be bad said.
She wss not sure whether, if it hs?1
not been for those words, she won :
have thought of him again at ail
remembered him as he stood framed In
tbe carriage door?his gravity, bis tin?
ease, tbe Impression he gave of great
physical strength and of resources of
cbsrscter and courage.
And so Shirley Claiborne left Geneva
not knowing the curious web tha?
had woven for her nor how t'.ose sarti
'?? spoken by Armitage at the car
rlage door were to link her to strange
adventures at the very threshold of he?
American home.
Chapter IV
JOII?? ARMITAGI A I
HE man whom John Ar
mlt??.. '.?d arrived
at th. Rosa
a few hours after tbe
Clailiorues' departure.
While he waited Mr.
Armitage employed his time to adran
He carefully scrutinized his
wardrobe, and after a process of eliml
?i and substitution he pack?
sat in two trunks and was
??e the Inn at ten minati
inlng tra
r various packets of
s ?nd letters, ami I
?
? ??paper re
the uiun!?
??arefully.
?T ilrs
?
fuss
Mr. John
I the las'.
?
was 1.
?
?
?
had no i. ?
imparting to any one. He accuu
a remarkable assortment of time ta
tic sailings against su
passage on three Bl
.
enea for
would go dir?
and Armitage was not mis*
this |>cr-sen lo?. t the
< rnes had lei?
lese hurry nft??r then; ?a the
.t was ? Mr
Arm ? was singularly
ulations as t
processes <?G
times, 1. be made
G whom J
'tage ' alone
.
ndh.rd.
| M. ? t inquire?! for his friends
I ?arati
??? ao
r bad this In:
?
'tables aud consult??.! steamer nd\<?r
I .'? lin Armitage In \
.nt of M
? :'s activities, and l?ookInge at
1 him s..
greatly that he reserved passa.
two additional steamers and ordered
the straps buckled aliout his trunks.
: had occurreil to him that he
might find it necessary to lea
in a hurry.
It wss not likely that M. Chan
being now under his eyes, wouhl ?
bini, and John Armitage, mak
ely dinner, learne?l fr.?m his
waiter that M. Chnuvenet. '
from his travels, was dining alone in
his rooms
At about fi o'clock, as Armitage turn?
ed the pages of Figaro In the smoking
room, Chauvenet appcnretl at th??
scrutinized the group within and ?
on. Armitage had carried bis coat, hai
and stick into the smoking room, to l.e
ready for possible emergencies, snd
when Chauvenet stepped out Into the
?tteet he follow ed.
It was unusually cold for tbe season.
| and a Une dr?zale filled the air. Chau?
venet struck odi
at once away
from tbe lake,
turned tat
Boulevard Hel?
v?tique, thence
imo the Petalo
vard Froissait
with its
of pensions He
walked rapidly
until be r.
a house that was
d lstlnguished
from its imme?
diate neighbors
only by it* un
lighted upper
He packed ht* windows. He
raimrnt. ???? ^ M]
In the wail, and the door was at ones
opened and Instantly closed.
Armitage, following at twenty yards
on the opposite side of the street,
paused abruptly at the sudden ending
of his chase. It was uot an hour for
loitering, for tbe Genevan gendarmerie
have rather good eyes, but Armitage
bad by no means satisfied bis curiosity
as to the nature of Chauvenet'? errand
He walked on to mak? sure he was
unobserved, crossed the street and
again passed the dark, silent house
which Chauvenet bad entered. He
noted the place csrsfully. It gave no
outward appearance of being occupied
He assumed from tbe general plan of
?the neighboring buildings that there
wss s courtysrd st the rear of tbe
darkened houm. accessible through ?
narrow psssageway st tbe side. As
he studied tbe situation ?he kept mov?
ing to avoid observation and presently.
st a moment when be was quite alone
In the street, walked rapidly to the
boose Cbauvenet bad entered.
'lernen In search of adventures
do well to avoid the coutinenta? wall
Mr. Armitage brushed tbe glass from
the top with bis hat It Jingled softly
within under cover of the rain drip
The plaster bad crumbled from tbe
bricks In spots, giving a foot Its op?
portunity, and Mr. Armitage drew him?
self to the top and dropped within.
The front door and window? stared at
him blankly, and be commute?! his
fortun*"s to the bricked psssag?
Tbe rain was now coming down In
earnest, and at the rear of tbe bouse
water had begun to drip noisily Into an
Iron spout Tbe electric lights from
neighboring streets made a kind of
twilight even in tbe darkens! court
and Armitage threaded bis way si
a network of clotheslines to tbe rear
wall and viewed the premises. lie
knew bis Geueva from many previous
visits. The quarter was undeniably
respectable, and there is, to be sure. n<>
reason why the blinds of a bouse
oe carefully draw ? at night?
fall at the pleasure of the oecu]
The a ser floor ?? tterly
?<?d. Only at one ; rial OB the
th!r?l floor was there any -sign of
" merest hint
Tbe lncr??aelng fall of rain did not
eneoi: set court
?? the do??,
and Arm ? tu ??' crossed the
and further M
- floor was dark and s
.?es w??rs bracketetl against the
wall at the se
and th.? slight " thltb
?? was aware tha:
? th??
??ngrossed
. time
ou w
I In a ino?
rigli re was a dark
against
e r?fsr r?x?ms of the se
were SB dark and quiet a
those below.
the third stor;. I door as well
aa ?several wli ive upon the
;y. snd be i it It wss
?ken corner <>r the ?loor -
that ? ' the ?lark.
?ntluu??d
of the p?
??ulte distinct
ar hy came the r
Lag to the ace eat <?f
a quarn-l in German between th??
nt be felt se?
cure snd lient down close to the door
snd .
? were talking, and evidently
.
portane e, for
they spoke with
I of dogged
?. ami
: ?
in the dialogue
? . ?
???
was In ?
of the
ruin ?,'U the bai?
ami its
?
ths spout inter
I to dull the
but presently ouo
of the speakers,
with su lnipa
.. rose, <.
ed the small
glass paaad
? ? ?t from a few luches.
obecrvatu.n by ? ?
lice? returned to his
seat, with an exclamation of ?
Armitage had dropp???l down the lad?
der half a dozen rounds as ho ?heard
etch aaap in the ?asue. ?fia ?
an Instant to make sure be ha :
eeaa, then crept hack to the bnl
and found tbat the slight opeuing
?? door made It possihlu for hliu to
see ss well as hear.
"It's stifling In this hole." said Chau
g deeply upon bis cigar?
ette and blowing a cloud of snmke
"If y??u pardon the informality I will
lay sside my ?a
li?? ?-nrefulty hung the garment upon
the back of his chair to hold its ?
then resume?! his seat His companion
?bag ul:u meanwhile with s certain
lntentnees.
"You take excellent care of youi
clothes, my dear Jules. I never have
been able to fold s coat without ruin?
ing 't ."
The rain was soaking Armitage thor?
oughly, hut Its persistent beat covered
any slight noises made by his own
movements, and he was now intent
ii{M?n the little room and Its occupants.
He otiserved the care with which the
msn kept close to his coat, and he pon?
dered the matter ss he bung upon tbe
balcony. If Cbauvenet was on bis way
to America It was possible that be
would carry with him tbe Important
paper whose loss bad caused so much
anxiety to tbe Austrian minister. If
so, where was it during his stay in
Geneva?
"The old man's death is only the first
step. We require a succession of
deaths."
"We require three, to be explicit, not
more or less. We should be fortunate
if the remaining two could be accom?
plished as easily as Stroebel's."
"He was a beast. He Is well dead.**
?That depends on tbe way you look
at it They seem really to be mourn?
ing the old beggar at Vienna. It is the
way of a people? They like to be ruled
by a savage hand. The people, as you
bave beard me say before, are fools."
Tbe last speaker wss a young msn
whom Armitage had never seen before
He wss a decided blond, with close
trimmed straw colored beard and
slightly curling bahr. Opposite him.
snd facing tbe door, est Cbauvenet
On the table between them wer* de?
canters snd liqueur glase se.
"I am going to America at once."
said Chsovenet holding his filled glass
toward s brass Ismp of an old type
tbat bung from the celling.
"it is probably Just ss well,*? ?aid
the other. "There's work to do there.
upon th* little room
and its occupant*.
We must not forget our more l?giti?
m?t?? business In the midst of I
plea s nut sid??
"The lield is easy. After our delight?
ful Continental capitals, when?, : ?
know, one lo sever quite sure ?if oue
self. It is pleasant to breath the ?
I of Washington." remarked
?.'bu
"Par r friend.
ight
ful s?? gifts I envy ?,??
?r making otl y."
There was a keen irony In the fel
tongue. and the edge <-f it erl?
abe scowl
Bt forward, with his fingers
i?n tl ?
*h of that. If you ?
will
Dfering ? ?ncee
in the rcgrettsble departure of la belle
Americsine If you had not b?
matters of BtatO *G?? would
lly have found lier
ire?l to see her
r native soi! A month in V.
ington may do mach for you. She is
fui and reesooeblj rieb. Bet
? horseman in ricsn
lie is an ass," ejaculated
I
errant now ?
? Uni. He was :
by ? emali bead apoo s tall
?? Snd 1?"G.? ?If
tee servant while
? from the
ntluued their talk
with ?g him.
Chauvenet and his friend fa
_
- to the servant,
th?? Mood, who assumed the role of
rvian dia
"1 think we were saying that the
Ity list lO certain ?llreetio:.
have : . ?nuluteil ? trifle before
we can do our young friend Francis
any g?H?<i Tea hai
. at
from old Btroeb?] Strengthens our hold
on Francis, but there is still that QSJaS
tion as to Kurt snd Frederick A
ear Fi
. qolte sure that his
dear father end L We
must reassure hla
:.'t be a fool. Durand. You never
seen, to understand that 0
America is a trifle larger
than a barin aid. And 1 don't I
those fellows are over there i :
probably lying in wait here somewhere
ready to take advantage of any oppor?
li they are all?.? i
man can hardly fall to lie impressed
with the fact that so few lives stand
between alai and"?
"The heights?the And the
I mau, whom Chauvenet called
Durand, lifted his tiny glass airily.
-. the heights," n-plled Chauve?
net a little dreamily.
It that declaration?that docu
? ou have never honored me
with a glimpse, but you have it put
suf??ly away, I dare say."
"Tu??re la no place?but one?that 1
dare risk. It is always within easy
rcKv li, my dear friend."
"You will do well to d??stroy that doc?
ument It is much better out of the
way."
"Your deficiencies in the matter of
wisdom are unfortunate. That |
constitutes our chief asset, my deaf
associate. So long as we have it we
are able to keep dear Francis in order.
Therefore we shall hold fast to it. re?
membering that we riaknd mach
..g it from tbe lamented Stroebel'e
archi \
"Do you say 'risked much?' My val?
uti Beck, that la all!" said the other.
"You aud Winkeirled are without grat
itu?l.
"You will do well," said Chauvenet.
"to keep an eye open in Vienna for tbe
unknown. If you hear murmurs In
Hungary one of these fine days!?
Nothing has happened for some time;
therefore much may happen."
He glanced at his watch.
"I have work in Farle before sailing
for New York. Shull we discu.?
matter of those Peruvian claims? That
is business. These ? other affairs are
more In the nature of delightful diver?
sions, my dear comrade."
Th.y drew nearer the tabi??, and Du?
rand produced a box of papers,
which he b?ut with serious attention. |
Armitage bad heard practically sll of
their dialogue snd, what was of equal
Interest, had been able to study the
faces aud learn the tones of voice of
the two conspirators. He was cramp?
ed from his position on the narrow bal?
cony and wet and chilled by the rain,
win. b was now slowly abating. He
had learned much that he wished to |
know and with an ease that astonished
him, and he was well content to with?
draw with gratitude for his good for-.
tune.
His legs were numb, and be clung
Close to the Tallin?; of the little ladder
for support ss he crept toward the
area. At tbe second story bis foot
slipped on tbe wet iron, smooth from
long use, and he stumbled down sev?
eral steps before be recovered himself.
He listened a moment, beard nothing
but the tinkle of tbe rain In tbe spout,
then continued his retreat.
As he stepped out upon the blick 1
courtyard be was seized from behind
by a pair of strong arms that clasped |
blm tight In s moment be wss thrown
scross the threshold of a door Into
an uollghted room, where his captor
promptly sat upon blm and proceeded
to strike a light
ChapterV
CIUABETTB CASE.
HE man clinched Arm*
tage about the body with
his legs while be struck s
match on a box be pro?
duced from his pocket
The suddenness with
whi? h he ha?l been flung
Into tbe kitchen had kuocked the
breath out of Armitage, and the huge
thighs of his captor pinned his arms
tight. The match spurted fire, and he
looked into the face of the servant
whom he had s<?on In the room ah?>v??.
His round ?head was covered with short
wirelike hair that grew low ?spOU his
narrow forehead. Armitage noted, too.
the man's bull-like ne? k. small sharp
eyes and bristling
ml flash of the match disclosed the
rough furniture of a kitchen. The
bri? k flooring and hie wet lnv?
id at Aniline s back.
The fellow growled an execration In
?Servian. Then with ponderous diffi?
culty asked a question la German.
"Who are you and w hat d?> yea want
Armitige shook his head and replied
in Eng
"I do not undestand."
man ?truck ? series of matches
that h<? might scrutlnfxs his captive*?
D ran his hands over Arml
to make sure ho had uo
arms. The ?big ?us clearly ?pan
?o find that he had caught a geu
? it lies
Bg In the area, and as t
was beyond his wits It only rem
u to communicate with his mas
ter
wever. was not so r.
Be bed of bis
Mng out and there
H In the way of boMing th??
?and st the same time :
th?? men who I to the
lo the house for
.rlty.
minutes pass???I ?Pirliig which
k his ma
and t a at of his prisoner, and
while Armitage ley perfect:.?
hit arms fast ? from the rough
art servant's legs
There was nothing to lie gs
knew
tbat ?the Servian would Hot risk I
?Ja the effort t . th? ?add
pair who wi'if bent over t!
at the top of the house. Tl
wss evidently a man of a?.:
I up." he commanded, still In
? man, and be r?*?? In the dark
?ad Jerked Armitage after blm. There
n?'nt of silence In which Ar
-e sh.K'k and stret?Ii???l himself,
an?l then the Servian struck a;
e to ? re?
! at Armitage'?
'
? will shoot," he said again in bla
ng Herman.
"Undoubtedly you will!** an?l some
tblng in tbe fellow's manner ?
Armitage to laugh. He hod l?een
?caught, and he did not at once s<?e any
;ssu<? out of his predicament but
his plight had Its preposterous side end
tse with which ?be h??l ?b?CB taken
at the very oir - quest t??
his humor. Then he sobered instantly
pn?i concentrated his wits upon the Im?
m?diats situation
The ?feed away, with ?
match upheld In one hand and the lev
eled revolver in th?? other, ?leaving Ar
rnltage la the middle of the kitchen.
"I am gi?ing to light a lamp, and If
you move I vii; ?bill you," BdmOfl
w, and Armitage hoard his
a raping over the brick floor of the
kitchen as he bached ?toward a toMe]
that stomi against the wall near th??
?outer ?
? ?od perfectly still. Th??
neigb!>orho<?l and the house lts?>lf were
quiet. The two men In the ?third story
were ?probably Mgfeoeod with the
I at which Armitage had left
. and his immediate affair was
"I'ou trttl go to that corner*
with tbe Servian alone. The fellow
continued to mumble his tnreats, but
Armitage had resolved to play tbe part
of an Englishman who understood no
ti?Tiiian, and he a?ldressed tbe man
sharply in English several times to sig?
nify that he did not understand.
The Servian half turned toward his
prlsmier, the revolver In his left hand,
while with the Angers of his right be
felt laboriously for a lamp that had ?bass
revealed by tbe fitful flashes of the
matches. It is not an easy mstter t?
light a lamp when you have only one
hand to work with, particularly .
jam are ohliged to keep an eye on a
mysterious prisoner of whose character
you are ignorant, and it was several
minutes before the Job was done.
' \ "U will go to that corner," and
the Servian translated for his prison?
er's benefit with a gesture of the re^
volver.
"Anything to please you, worthy fel?
low," replied Armitage, and he <
with amiable alacrity. Tbe man's ob
Je?t was to get blm as far from tbe
Inner door as possible while he called
help from above, which was, of course,
the wise thing from his point of view,
as Armitage recognlz???!.
Armitage stood with his back against
a rack of pots. Tbe table was st hit
left and beyond it the door opening
upon tbe court. A barred window wa?
st his right Opposite him was aaothei
door that communicated with the In
terior of the house and disclosed th?
lower steps of a rude stairway leadlns
upward. Tbe Servian now closed sn?
locked tbe outer kitchen door wltl
care.
Armitage bad lost bis hat in the
area; his light walking stick lay in th?
middle of the floor; his Inverness coat
hung wet and bedraggled alunit htm
bis shirt was crumpled ami soiled. But
bis air of good humor and his tame ac
ceptanee of capture seemed to increasf
tbe Servian's caution, and be backed
'??ward the inner door with hh
revolver still pointed at Armitage'?
TI?? began calling lustily up the nar
row stairwell In Servian, changing Ir
a moment to German. He BM
ludicrous figure, as he held his revoiv??i
at ann> l?-ngth. eraniug his neck Inte
the passage and howling until be wa?
?ad in the fa????. He pause?! to listen
then renewed his cries, while Armi
tage, with his back against the rack of
?sett-*?, studied the room and made bis
plans.
"There is ? thief here! I have caught
a thief G yelled the Servian, now exas?
perated by the silence above. Then, as
i a moment and turned to
make sure that his revolver still cov?
ered Armitage, there wes s s?
sound of steps ? bove, and a
Bawled angrily down tho stairway:
"/.mal. stop your noise snd tell me
what's the trouble."
It was the voice of Durand speaking
.r?. the Servian dialect, aud ZhibI opened
bis mouth to explain.
As the big follow roared bis reply
lege anatched from the rack ?
Heavy Iron bolline p??t. swung It high
by the ball with both hands and
Armitage ran htm hands through ths
fly with all his might at the Servian's
head, upturned in the ? ss of
. wling. On tbe iustant the re
roared loudly in the narrow
kit-hen. and Armitage seised the brass
lamp and tiling it from him upon th?
hearth, where it fell with a great clst
I Khoat exploding.
It waa Instantly pitch dark. Tbe
Pllflla? had gone down like a fei'.?
und Armitage, at the threshohl. leaped
over him Into the hall past the rear
down which t ?ere stum?
bling, cursing volubly ss they came.
Armitage had assumed the exi.-'
of a front stairway, aud now that he
was launched upou an anoxpOCtOd a?l
veiiture he was in a humor I
It f<r n n aa at furth??r risk.
He crept along a dark passage to the
front door, foi: | .irne?! th.
t.> provide himself with a ready exit,
then, as he beard t! MB a Ih? ve
stumble over the pr<?str:. n. he
bound???! up the front stairway, gained
tbe second floor, t third ami
readily found by its light tha nom
that be had observed earlier from the
outs
?v there was smothered confu?
sion and the crackling of matches as
1 and Chauvenet sought to grasp
the rsaaOaraeCted situation that ???nfront
ed them. The big servant. Armitage
knew, would hardly be able to clear
matter? for them at once, and he hur?
ried.y turned over the packets of pa?
per* that lay on the table They were
(Ialina of one kind and another against
several South and Central American
republics, chiefly for naval and mili?
tary supplies, and he mer?
their general character. They w ere. on
the face of It, certified accounts in the
usual manner of business. On the back
m printed with a *rnbher
stamp the words: "Vienna, Paris,
Washington. Chauvenet et Durand."
Armitage snatche?l up tbe ?oat which
Chauvenet had so carefully placed on
the back of his chair, ran bis hands
through the pockets, found them
empty, then ga there?! the gai
tightly In his hands, laughed a 11?
himself to feel the papers sewn into?
the lining and laughed again as be tore
the lining loose and drew forth a fiat
linen envelope brilliant with three
seals of red wax.
Steps -ounded below. A man was
running up the back stairs, and from
the kitchen rose sounds of mighty
groanlngs and cursings in tbe heavy
gutturals of the Servian, as he re?
gained his wits and sought to explain
his plight
Armitage picked up a chair, ran
? saly to the bead of tbe back
stairs and looked down upon Chauve
net, who was hurrying up with a flam?
ing candle held high above his bead.
its light showing anxiety snd fear
npon hie face. He was halfway up the
last flight, and Armitage stood in the
? ttruc* Jules ChauvcntV? 1*0*?
dsrk, watching him with a mixture of
curiosity and something, too, of bo