THE "EAGLES"

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 208, 15 November 1909, Page 3

THE "EAGLES"

I iit.." -

A SEH3AT!D::AL STSY Cr LOVE AND ADVEUTUiIE.

I ily I'A''l. T i I ■ 'i * ;t. ■ "t

I'A Ii 1 "Ami you n[>;»ar to ha v.. noticed ft with votir eves .shut. Of course, she was supposed by the other |>a:»*P»gcrs to hove exhibited her rrt-d -n----tials. hut the police had for too much sense to make a show of it. They only wanted to See the corner of it : n public examination would spoil the whole thing. In fact, what y«m supposed to l»e papers were not papers ai all. Hid you see'anything remarkable about the palms of her h.wl* ? " v. t tl. now f come lo think of it I ■ I;.I notice that one of her glovis '•t'i.i rather clumsily, or cl*e she n tarrying' something in it lil»e Mi girls at home carry their pn-

llxnrtlj, you thick-headed AngloSaxon • And if you had looked cluser you would have seen exhibited In the little oval opening above just sufficient to satisfy onv official. It was on that sh«j went through, end not on the papers you sup|»osed her to l»e proffering them."* "All this Is very interesting ; but I how does it help us ? " "Help us f You bill let'head«>d John Hull ? Don't you see that the woman would never travel without thin same token ? She will always hnve It on her in case of accidents, and then? is therefore. In this very house and at this very* moment, that which will <«v Flora Von Grahaun safely out of Russia." "Flora to impersonate the countess ! Impossible f " Although I had forgiven the woman I shrank from the sacrilege. 1 could not even in such an extrcmity ask Flora to assume her character. *

j "IVar me. shall we ever gvt brains i into the heads of you people at all ? I !>•> you suppose there is not more than one woman in the Secret Ser- ; vu,-«> ? Wake up. man. and don't j *tnnd there arguing and wondering if tt's right, like a curate at a fair. You explain—no. you'd muddle it. I will explain." With that he took Flora in hand, and to my relief and his exultation she saw the .point a great deal sooner than t did. Naturally, however, she declined at first to leave her fa "tier lying there. I "Trust me." snid Tony, emim-ins-i Orally. "I'll see that he gels the l<retttest wake"— lie pulled himself up suddenly. This was not a very vomfortinj; assurance to Ihe theological product of a combination of John Knox and Martin Luther, but he was off again as reassuring as ev»r. "I will see that everything is done decently and in order. Indeed, the dear old gentleman's bones shall rest with his ancestors, or I will forfeit my "life in ihe undertaking. Xow •rvening is coining on and it is just liiiio to act. You mu*t lie off tonight by the night mail across the Continent, and get to sea as quickly as you can—on an Kngiish l>oal for choice. That is Ihe one thing IIu» tort's moribund country is of use for You »re safe in her keeping when *>» i are on the water. Now we'll you in this room for awhile, and you will search fOr Ihe thing ,V>u want. Come along, flultert. an..! make an eltort to look reflectable."

I washed myself and borrowed a h"K»' fur coat which Tony unearthed from one ol the cupboards.

ThiK- wo.* one tlrawlwii-lln- nu>n»".v- Th» coin I hail given lo Ihi* driv«-r of my llrw>bk) had exhausted my rv*«»urr>'». In furl, t muemlier"l «•»" I hat my prinripnl ren*on in cms to n»y hotel ttn.H in tiialu' ar-lAnffih-iil* (or a of mo»>*v " "If* n»» gfood. T,»i,v/' | xaiil, -rirtktnc 111% httirl- "t »hal| liav«' to to the Kiiil>b.«i.»v ln'fnr.' I ninrl." You'll «lo nothing nf Ihc s.irf. You'll Ihi> «h»lc thing if • '»i ilo. You mustn't #«m<> it <>ingli' jn i rn»le." " Hut I haven't any money." that's the inuHt artistic M ing I've heard you *ny for a long i iu-. A* I nev«*r have nnv money i I have the greatest contempt tor >mi comfortable lieing* who arc in ««irh vulgar |<o.w»4iiiii of fund* : but. Intlail. In this particular urc it is a l>ll of misfortune. Ilut. niom-y or no roonrv. *c have got to p-« you off within the next hour," At thi?* instant flora came out of the next room. She heltl in her hand a littl«* silver rrraf. liearing the Royal arms, with some hierogly|>hie> ensraved ti|>on it. Jt wax like a half t roun. and was imliedded in a dainty little raw. "This is the only thing I could liml." she said. "Ami llnd enough it I*," replied Tony. "Take It out of Its case, show it hut for half a second to any official in Huamlii . and'you are fretto go and do exactly as you |»li-n-se.

We've tried to make counterfeit.*, liut we've never succeeded : foi. faith, the thing Is so well guarai*d that I've never laid hands* on the real thing before. Now we've got no far. Hubert, we're not going to Mo|> for a paltry bit of money." "I've got a little in my My father always made me carry enough to take me back home," Mtirt Flora, (piietly. ThfH was cheery, but not chi-erful enough for me. 1 did not choose that Flora should go alone, even

arinetl as she was ; there were dangers ahead to be encountered. Tony saw my difficulty find promptly came to the rescue. "What will take one into the wi/£i< of South Germany will take two' to Berlin." he said, "and once you .tare there you will lie able lo raise more. At all events get out of Ifussia. whatever you do. and trust to IjKk afterwards. Make for Kngland— thr pair of you. if you can. It is a dirty little country enough, but it's nbout os good a place as you can" to—barring Ireland." With more time and under different ..•iron instance Flora and I would hav.- In-.-n embarrassed. Tbe situaf, >n was still extremely awkward, n'ul what had taken plac6 at the of the countess had .left us in n wry ftuffleult way for showing other the mere formalities of fellowpa.saeogvrs.

I or.- k:t ".v this as well as I did, .1 j ; • had s'Mtsi; enough not to givf ' to think. I: hurried us out of the house in now darkening night, and never us—chattering on all sorts of . ts until wc stood on the foot- ■ ."I of the night mail from St. I'." rshurg. Heavily cloaked Flora escaped ob--tv at ion until we were artually in !h-- carriage. A 15 - nx-eved officer on 'he platform noticed that she was without luggage, an occurrence so unusual in a lady with apparent rank and position on a through train (hat be stepped forward as though to question her. I never regarded as a strategist. but 1 supp<i.*e woman's wit guides her in ino.t things. Gently resting her cliei k on her gloved hand die displayed through the o|H-ning in the glove the corner of the token die h.id taken from the countess. I lo not suppose anyone saw it but the police officer and myself, lie »:dy looked at it for just an instant nd then wheeled about without a »vord. Flora covered her face with i r said nothing until we were well started on our journey. "I have engaged a sleeping com-

>artnient for you." I said, rather jwkwnrdl.v. I hardly knew now whether lo- treat her as a fellowI passenger only. or to endeavour to 1 rvcnll our old-time friendship. Sh<- smiled wearily as she thanked me and moved off. leaving me to while away ihe times as best my misery would let me. What a lifelime it had been since I came to St Petersburg and what had the future in store for me ? Sleep was impossible for me, and illle occurred to vary the weary stionolony of Ihe journey to Merlin. As f hawliil Flora out of the train, j Hii.*picion crossed my mind that the treated llii.s as the end of our journey. I knew she had friends in Ihe German capital, and it was only natural she should go to them. As 'or luvhelf there was only one thing for it : I must go fo the British Embassy ami make a clean breast of It. was well enough received there, and with my position and credentials "lad no difficulty in securing plenty :>f money lo lake us both to England "And I think," one of my. chiefs ."emarked lome with an indulgent imilc, "the service after your stirring adventures, can well serve you for a liltie while. Continental work is just a little exciting at the moment, and a young man with your special knowledge will be more useful at home." They never say 100 much to you in the diplomatic service. I knew I was to lie kept out of harm's way, and out of the way of doing harm. Fliis was not Ihe best thing that npglit ha.h:»|., - "neH imd-r some circumstances. bul my main thought at the moment was Flora. The service might go to the dogs, so that 1 had time and opportunity to guard her. Taking a good comfortable night to sleep over it. I made my way next day to the house where Flora «as a guest, well knowing that I should 1m? sure of at least a welcome from her hosls, who were mutual friends of my family. Flora was winsome and friendly, but no more. Her maidenly modesty instead of resj»onding to the apical of the countess, was only shocked by the thought that I knew ihe countess had discussed me with |ier. So much I perceived from her manner, all hough a» she received me with her friends, the conversation liecnme general- Not till I was a- | Iwiut to leave did I venture to ask how she proposed to continue her journey.

"Our friends have ljeen good enough to suggest that 1 should remain here for a luw days," she said, "ami then I pro|»ose travelling home." "Home?" I riitcalitl mechanically "Yi-s. huiiK—llolllo to my father's hiiu*"-." I *tiinililcd iitai into the slrwt with my brain in a whirl. Was this Ic Ik* 1 hi* end of it nil After Ihe trials and danger* »i- had endured, after Klorn> pa.vivi! to the ruiini'-vi. were to part here in the middle of Knro|fc'\ she ht go Iter wa> I to go mill" ? And how could I prevent it ? Iter own destiny was it her own hands. I went back (o mv hold, wailed till evening, ami then tried hard to lose my*elf in a C!ernmn o|M>rn : but everything pointed to one conclusion. every singer sang the same mex«»!ig<r«—l was a baffled man. Pnle had delivered me out ot my physical dangers only to taunt me with this last cruel gilic. The following morning I turned up again al the Kmbnssy i|i a vague wirl of notion that there might b> rhance he xonio letters there for me. On ihe Very steps of the place I ran (•gainst my cousin Tony spruced up with (|Uiie Continental smartness. He had been Inquiring for me, and px|h*i«l to And me gone. "Sure you're slow for a young mar wo you nre. Why arc you not in Kngland ? "For the same reason as you arc U«»t in Itussia —because I am in Berlin," I replied sulkily. Tho genial Irishman looked me up and down, and getting his shaver lipa into a note of exclamation whistled softly. "There is something wrong here," he said. '•Now, tell me the whole truth and as sure as there's geniu.<in the Green Island, I'll get you out of It. I've seen you through far toe many things to let the fun spoil at this stage. Hut lirjit let me tell you what has happened in St. Peters-

I»urg. I «all«l on a scientific persor who for<*gnthered fa life with old Von (irnhautt. and I put the case to liiiu with as much (toetrj* as I could nliout the native soil. He didn't quite; appreciate the native soil, beinff a man of scirnro and not of sentiment ; hut he did see the chance for a pretty little" experiment. Id about twenty-four hours he had got the dear old boy comfortably tucked up. as comfortably as any mummy at the British Museum, and I've gol him in a box that not a single soul could suspect. There was Monic trouble about getting him out of the country. We didn't know whether

to treat him as merchandise, or a* precious stones, or what ; but anyhow. we've gol him to-day aboard o boat that's going to I> , ith, and I'n? Just slipping along then- to meet him. so that he may l»c buried likt a Christian." ' My dear fellow, his liom< is in South Germany." "W" ; but h 1 • w do > mi suppose we would have got ovvr the frontier

past the rtiFlr.r.is ? In LciMi he will all right, wlvt h-.-r dut iahk-or not rhe\ d never .send rcspvctaljle l*oncs back to be buried in thefiu heathen parts. Hesides if he's not u Scotchman, ho 11 have to go to rest in Scotland." "He's a Herman, I tell you, but of Sco 11 ish descent." "Ihats good enough for me. If nes got Scottish blood in li'in, Irish blood in him, h'.'* 11 cousent to rest in any oilv.-r country." "And the counters v " '"That's the most, exciting part of the story. When I'd got Von Granatin safely off, I just left the place to be raided by the police, making sure to put one or two .suspicious -ircumstantes in their way. Th<\v found the dead woman with th<- stiletto beside her, and th.-y I rack. <1 of: to that little blackguard, lu> llis-pie who will never trouble joii any iiior._low they've- got tln-ir linj;.-r on him. I I thought it was possible i|„.y like to hear my evidi-nce. whir!-

would only delay the proceedings. s-, I just scooted Off to an outs::!.- station, and 1 boarded the midr.ighi nail, and here I am on the top oi ihe morning. And now for your own •story. What are you doing hanging About here, anyway ? " e "Mora insists on going back lo ier father's house." ".Vnd you—what do yo:i insist? 3 "re. you re a slow, faint-hearted jort of lover anyway. You're a decent map In a light,* too. A fellow who can use a foil ought to be more successful with women." "Oh, it's easy to talk like that. Tony, but you can't carry a woman off by main force in these degenerate days."

"Faith, and it would be a reflection an (he intellect of mankind if you :ou!d. Hut if you'd a grain of Celtic grains in your head you'd know you -•an force a woman into believing vour own sweet way is hers. Miss \on Grahaun has not got to be in Scotland for the sake of prop.-r respect to the land of her ancestors, and you've got to take her to England. Or, faith, no. as I seem to nave you both in leading-strings, like the wayward children that you ire, I'll take her myself, so I will."

With that he was off, and left mc standing on the steps of the Embassy. • • • • Wc stood on the deck of a neat fittle boat that glided over the Xorth Sea. It was a quiet voyage—too Jjuiet to be interesting, so Tony said as he left us at the bow of the ship to go below for a cigar. The other passengers were listening to an impromptu concert in the quaint little deck drawing-room at the top of the stairs. It was too cold an evening for the average traveller ; but Flora had littl<i heart for music, and I felt I must have air. Wrapped in a fur coat I sat there w.-'rhing her prettv profile in the moonlight, an.! :>n<e or twice asked her if I should fetch her another wrap. She shook her head sadly ; her cloak was protection enough against the north breeze, and she looked in front of her into the Jim distance through which we were •wiftly, silently, ploughing. "We are nearing land and freedom

—the land j-our father loved so well, Flora, and where his bones will rest. Can you return to your lonely German home while he lies there ?*" She opened her lips as though to speak, but turned her face away, and I saw a tear glisten in her soft l»lue eves. Her hand was resting on ttao taflTrall, and I slowly grasp.vd it In mine. She did not resent it ; sh<slid not return the pressure ; she sat there weeping still, looking silently at the foaming waves as the prow of the vessel cast them aside. I thought T understood what was passing in her mind, and I did not seek to molest her thoughts. Still, I held her hand in mine, ami my heart began to beat faster as she gently turiu'd her head towards me. And then, at last. I found my tongue. "Flora, there is a weird, a tragic

story of u foolish young man who .sought adventure, and only too la'--discovered the consequence of hi., folly. It would help to pass the time if I were to tell you how it happened, ami how he discovered that he had endangered the life of a woman whose only hope of safetv restcd with prompt and self-sacrific-ing action by him." Suppressing names I then recounted briefly what had happeivd to me in Paris and what brought me to the

forest with the Countess lilavoski As I tried to miminiize my own dangers I saw her look at me oner' or

twice with an admiration that set my blood dancing through my veins, and gathering eloquence as I went along, I left the countess and her ■fortunes out of my tale, and told of tho sufferings of a man who was misunderstood, to whom life was hopeless, and whose punishment was greater than he could bear. Still holding her hand as I talked, felt her dainty fingers gradually grasping mine with responsive sympathy.

"Hut let us talk of ourselves,"' I said, moving closer to her. "Flora, when you have paid your last tribute of respect to your father, when you stand alone in the world by his open grave, in the land of his sires, which way will you turn ' There is home waiting for you in Knglaml, a man who loves you. will live for you, whose life without you will be a hideous blank. Will you go with him or will you 'retrace your step*, and in other lands seek our a home which he may not share ? " Her face was still avert <*d. In it T ould see her trembling lips an answer. T felt like a suppliant who thinks he has not suflkient Impleaded his cause, and cannot rest his chances on the hazard of a calm response.

"Flora," I crietl, drawing lire arm round my neck. and cluspipfr h<-r desperately in my own. "wlviv will you make your home ? "

Her head f• •11 stihmissivon my shoulder, and she whispered .softly in tny ear : "In England—wit h you ! " THE KNL>.