old man?" Bella

ng himself a drink with trembling fingers. He tossed it off before he spoke a word. T

is head in the Chancellor's presence-had made some absurd attem

've had the biggest slice of luck that was ever dealt out to a human being. If only I can ge

n't mea

his forehead a

eclared, "but I've got it here in my pocket, got it in

t w

r ago, would have given a mi

was one of blank but

omething-just what the Chancellor wants you to print. You're

smile of certainty, his

copy of everything that passed and was resolved upon this afternoon between the Czar of Russia, the Emperor of Austria and the Emper

toward the door and back into his friend's face ag

to say that y

k the table w

earth to bring the conversation round to the things I wanted to know about. Then, all of a sudden, he turned to me and seemed to remember who I was and what I wanted. 'Ah!' he said, 'you are Dorward, the American journalist. I remember you now. Lock the door.' I obeyed him pretty quick, for I had noticed they were mighty uneasy outside, and I was afraid they'd be disturbing us every moment. 'Come and sit down,' he ordered. I did so at once. 'You're a sensible fellow,' he declared. 'To-day every one is worrying me. They think that I am not well. It is foolish. I am quite well. Who would not be well on such a day as this?' I told him that I had never seen him looking better in my life, and he nodded and seemed pleased. 'You have come to hear the truth about the meeting of my master with the Czar and the Emperor of Germany?' he asked. 'That's so,' I told him. 'America's more than a little interested in these things, and I want to know what to tell her.' Then he leaned across the table. 'My young friend,' he said, 'I like you. You are straightforward. You speak plainly and you do not worry me. It is good. You shall tell your country what it is that we have planned, what the things are that are coming. Yours is a great and wise country. When they know the truth, they will remember that Europe is a long way off and that the things which happen there are really no concern of theirs.' 'You are right,' I assured him,-'dead right. Treat us openly, that's all we ask.' 'Shall I not do that, my young friend?' he answered. 'Now look, I give you this.' He fumbled through all his

rew a lon

l!" he muttered. "How long is

r a quarter of an ho

has given it to you. Don't let us run any risks, Dorward. Tear it open. Let us know the truth, at any rate. If you h

steps back. Then

ot," he sa

riend in blank and unc

re not going to keep it to yourself? Yo

have to take her chance. I am not here as a philanthropist. I am an American journalist

ndous effort, maintai

rd declared. "I shall head for England. Pearce is there himself, and I tell you it will be just the greatest

oo quiet to be altogether natural. His

ight, you'll never be allowed to cross the frontier. By this time they know that the packet is missing; they know, too, that you are the only man who could have it, whether the Chancellor has told them the truth or not. Open it at once so that we get some good out of it. Th

n no laws and done no one any harm. If there's any slaughtering about, I guess

d,-he was looking into the m

is only a personal ambition-I stand for my country. Sha

declared fiercely. "This is my show, not

ng at the door. The two men looked at one another for a moment, speechless

way our chance,"

ders answered the summons, three men in plain clothes entered. Th

American journalist!" one exclaime

ny prevarication. The three men crossed the room quickly and Bellamy followed in the rear. He