Show I r I BY HE ilY fP EY lX I CHAPTER XIII Continued I To all purposes S I T was a caged prIg pris prisoner I onor oner The risk I kind had run to spy on onI I them thorn would bo be b to no purpose c unless I II I could surprise thorn at nt their nights I I work I raged at my m impotence Then I thought of ot tho the window Perhaps there was WD a balcony bakony There was no blind at the window but wooden shutters that fastened with a n catch I r pushed open the French windows Yes there thore was tho the balcony and to my m joy JO I saw that It extended the length of the suite And now a n new now difficulty difficult stared mo moIn moIn In the face At any an moment they might enter the bedroom and when whon I had bad gained the balcony outside the i salon 6 would shutters huU rs prevent my In see sec seeIng Ing ng within As Ju to the first risk I must take tae It Il The door had bad jammed before It would Jam again Tho The noise made in opening It would give mo me somo warn warning warning warnIng ing ingI I I gained the tho balcony there wore tint hut I could see readily through tho Interstices It was the apartment we had first entered and It bore bolo unmistakable signs elms of having bean been minutely ran sacked A large larg empire desk had been mood open Papers had been heen abstract abstracted t cd ed from tho drawers and pigeonholes thoy lay In confusion In more than ono place the carpet had been torn lorn up at the edges As AR A I peered cautiously within Dr was vms lowering the tho Venetian blind of another window Evidently they were searching the room with the knowledge that an article of value was hidden bidden there I heard Madame do de cry out excitedly excited 1 A packet concealed he be between het tween t cen tho the slats of a Venetian blind Lad hind fallen to tho the floor Without a doubt It was waB wa for foi fo this packet of papers that they the had been searching Madame do de arnier tore toro the tho envelope In feverish haste She scanned the contents of the papers papers with Intense eagerness Dr looking over her shoulder As they the read their faces expressed disappointment disappointment and chagrin Dr Stara questioned Madame do repeat repeatedly repeatedly edly edl She put aside his fierce Inquiries with Impatience And now I made a second discovery I thought I 1 understood the meaning of at this extraordinary plot In coming to the hotel at Vitznau I had guessed long since that I bore a sufficiently striking resemblance to Sir Mortimer Brett to deceive at least the first cas casual casual ual nal glance Otherwise why wh the amaze amazement ment mont of tho the Br and Madame de do in first seeing me How elso could I 1 explain tho the events of oC the night They The had drugged me or at attempted attempted attempted tempted to do so that I 1 might be oblivious to Inconvenient l inquiries or greetings The Tho hat and cloak of o Sir Mortimer mer which Dr Stana had pro procured procured procured cured in some manner were unusual enough In character to be readily rec roe J b tho the servants of tho hotel Sir Mortimer was known to bo be ill and my lay m condition would no sus suspicion suspicion Iclon All the facts as I swiftly reviewed them fitted neatly The inference was unmistakable I This was tho the suite of Sir Mortimer Brett They had come for Cor the packet I I of ot papers they thoy were now reading The presence of at Sir Mortimer Brett with th m had guinea them ready read ulon to his rooms And P that they had found tho the papers Had I r my purpose Was the tIle Invitation to Madame de do chateau t ruse cleverly planned aim sini ply p to bring me mo to this this hotel ho el as Sir SirI Mortimer t I In that case I r must be alert that they did not slip through my ray hands bands leaving me hero horo in Sir Mortimers rooms to explain my predicament on J the tho morrow as best beat I might I Or was this the prelude to other ad adventures adVentures ventures even more exciting Was Vas the game only just jURt begun sun Still I watched them intently while these perplexing questions s demanded an answer They The had finished the pa papers vera pers now Dr was seated In I sullen gloom Madame do I glided to and fro In angry indecision on A loud knock kno k on the door opening Into the hall hail startled me mo almost as 35 much m ch as themselves Madame de Var Yare nier thrust the papers Into the bosom I of oC her dress dross then theu while Dr Stana at ata ata I i a II sign from her answered the thc sum summons mons mona oho Rhe he I hastily j 4 restored the room to outward signs of oC order What Is it Who is there Stana t demanded In an agitated voice olce It Is IB Hem Henn the concierge I replied I the Intruder I f Tomorrow tomorrow But Dut there is an English gentleman who bo says that ho be must see his Excel honey lency Ion 0 I It would bo ho difficult to Lo say sar whether this startling request alarmed them more than lb n It did myself m self I listened breathless Dr presence of mind seemed to have quite deserted de him He drew a revolver from Crom his hiG pocket Madame do made a contemptuous sign expressive of his folly He thrust it into his coat again renewed rOD owed his expostulations to tho con But lint the man was nt At last at nt a signal from Madame de he lie was admitted to the room The presence of oC Madame de do startled him Im For the first time lime she spoke My 1 dear man he discreet Behold me a woman and at this hour of oC the night In a n apartment Is not that lint a reason renson that you exercise your discretion It was cleverly done her tion and distraction She SIlO made ronde her appeal dramatically her hands clasped In her anxiety Madam Is mistaken mi al cn If she sho thinks I Iam Iam Iam am not discreet protested tho little littleman littleman man If lf It were possible I would shield madam madum But he lie stands without In Iu the hall ball this tills stubborn Englishman Madam can Sa save e her reputation only by retreating to tho the bedroom Have Hae Ha c no fear I shall not nol betray belmy madam It was time timo for me to beat a hasty retreat But BuL my Ui curiosity still sUII hold held lH ld me Havo Hao I not told 1 you ou fiercely fierce In Interrupted Interrupted Dr that it Is jot dot othis his Excellency who is here hero with madam It Is a Mr lr Haddon and madam Is Js his nurse and 1 I am ann his Ida I l I IL II J L I LI 54 ij t I Your Excellency He Said Sald physician Toll tIns this stubborn English Englishman Englishman man that imbecile Monsieur will please be reasonable f I I cannot help using my m eyes Use them yourself If IC you will des dez desperately replied Stara But at least you ou need not toll tell this Englishman the truth It Is impossible to deceive him persisted the concierge All day lay he has been waiting for his Excellency A quarter of an au hour ago he was wasI as smoking I In tho the garden below He has seen the time light shining through the shutters of his apartment He knows that it is the apartment of his Excellency You can tell him that you ou have hare placed Mr Haddon in rooms for Cor forthe the time night only persuaded Dr Stana I producing his pocketbook No monsieur replied the con sorrowfully his eyes oyes on the tle tide notes held toward him it Is 16 impossible ble He will tell the manager and 1 I shall lose loso my place Go to this Englishman mEet Inter Interrupted Madame do demand his lila business Say Sar that his Excellency Is it III very Yer ill There have ha l been hays days that ho he has not His ills physician and his hh hI nurse have grave fears fearl for fOI his life liCe If f ho is 15 aroused To Io awaken him himi la is perhaps to 0 bring on again a crisis of o the tho nerves But as soon as he lie awakes awa tes we wo will vill summon tho the English Englishman man manI I 1 go the tho servant assented reluctantly antly But Bul it will bo be useless 1 I dared not await the result of oC his errand orrand I returned deliberately to my m bed bcd deliberately so that I might not lose my breath I 1 1 was in a terrible predicament To rescue myself from fromi it I must make mako known my toy true trite Identity without an nn Instants delay The Tho knowledge that I certainly should bould not be believed made mado me No I 1 bad gone too far lo to retreat now if Ifray my ray strait proved absolutely absolute desperate and a confession conCession was inevitable I should ho he believed as readily later as a now In tho the meantime chance might favor mo me and my ruso bo ho not nol wholly In vain aln CHAPTER XIV The Kings Kinga Messenger A minute passed and tho the bedroom door was wa again opened Madame do he and Dr conversed in hurried whispers he the th electric light shining full on my m face f co I moved about boul restlessly but did not open my eyes Presently tho the woman seated herself at atm my m bedside Dr left loft the room the door being slightly ajar ajarI I J could not resist the tM temptation to half hair open olen my lii eyes Madame do Ic Var nier was praying fervently regarding with passionate adoration a jeweled cross dOSS held before belore her hieF eyes A peremptory tory tor knock knoel at Ul door of the drawing room opening on the corridor put an abrupt end to these devotions which seemed to me so Incongruous She clasped her hands she listened rigid with anxiety It may bo ho Imagined that I 1 myself m el listened listen ell scarcely less anxious anxIous anxious ious It was the concierge again Here Hero is the tho J card carl Ho He says sas he is a n kings messenger He brings Important dispatches lie He Iu lu that were his Excellency at the tho thol point l of oC death he must none nono the loss less I place these dispatches In his hands to tonight tonight tonight night But Bul as his physician ph I forbid it replied Dr Di Stara with w th de determination determination determination termination And entreated the woman sliding gliding to La tho the door can cnn you ou not nol make mako him understand how disagreeable ble It would QuId be bo for mo to he be surprised In iii these rooms and that It would annoy Sir ir Mortimer lorUmer beyond bc ond measure It is useless madam Have I T not told him that embarrassing circum stanc make malte it t impossible that his Your Excellency I I I Excellency be officially recognized to tonight tonight tonight night 7 And still ho Insists Inquired Star va angrily As only the stubborn English can Insist He Is 15 outside tho the door at this moment He has sent me mo to you Oll not notto notto notto to ask permission but to announce annon e his coming He refuses to go away until ho lie has seen scon his Excellency If It the door Is not opened In five fire minutes he will call the manager of tho the hotel hotot His name I am urn giving you ou his card Captain Reginald Forbes Forles read Madame de do Yell Well wo will admit this Captain Forbes I listened to this dialogue with a trepidation that thal deprived me mo of power to think or ci act That fatal Indecision which on certainly one occasion had already brought its it tragic penalty again seized me Tho The crisis Impend Impending ing lug might leave In Its wako wake conse consequences consequences consequences too grave to bo be thought of might leave leao me mc a man disgraced and amid liable Haule to the extreme penalty of or tho the law And yet I lay la still In a n night nightmare nightmare mare of indecision and antI inaction It was the same samo numbness of will that thaL had hind paralyzed mo timo on tho time Pass heaven grant that the tho conse consequences consequences now hOW he be not Hot as OS disastrous dl I heard the click of oC a revolver Then Captain Forbes was admitted lo to the salon sal on Where Is Sir Sit Mortimer Brett Brott he demanded harshly I must see him without further delay May I ask asic who I you ou are sir The physician of his Excellency replied bowing Ho lie was no longer attempting to Lo deny that lint I was as asSir Sir Mortimer Brett Sir Mortimer is seriously ill iii I refuse to permit him to be lie disturbed I have brought him hore to hoping that the theold theold theold old surroundings may induce him to sleep sleet It is a nervous disorder that has prostrated Sir Mortimer He Ho has hns suffered terribly from Insomnia There are moments when he lIe Is 15 delirious To bring him sleep leop it ft was necessary to give him an nn opiate you understand If I C he Is awakened ho lie may bo be sane sano or 01 he may deny his very ery cr Identity Which Is his room Captain Forbes Forbe I 1 forbid It IL It It Is impossible 1 warn you Madame de do opened the door of or the bedroom quietly If U the gentleman man Insists on awaIt awak awaking ing In Sir Mortimer r we are arc powerless sho said gently But Dul at least let lot him not be excited moro more than necessary sir I shall endeavor to follow your in instructions Instructions n madam said Forbes stiffly stirn Ho He strode to my mr bedside I could imagine with what breathless anxiety tho the adventurers watched him Was Tas Tasho ho intimate with Sir Mor Moi Mortimer timer Brett rell to denounce me instantly as an Impostor Your Excellency he lie said gently Your Excellency I The Immediate danger of oC discovery was as past At least he had not de IC detected detected the deception so 80 far He called mo me again ho lie shook my shoulder re respectfully I opened my mr eyes What is It 1 I demanded bewildered I T am horrified today when I think of tho thio facility that was mine in playing I this game of intrigue I looked Ian lan languidly from rom Captain Forbes to Madame de he who bad had resumed her scat seat at nt the bedside Tho The question was ad addressed addressed addressed dressed to ller her herShe ier She tool took my m hand This Is Captain Forbes a kings messenger He has hnis brought you dispatches of o Importance Importance import tance t once Ah Ahi A h yes es I said wearily and looked at him with dull eyes e cs I am ani sorry to arouse you OU sir Contempt for the tho man struggled with respect for his office But my orders at the Foreign Office to give you rou these papers at tho the earliest possible moment The business is un enL May Mav I suggest that you rend thorn them at once My I eyes e es unconsciously turned to Madame de V for 01 guidance Sho She stroked my m hand gently Do you OU not seo that he Is In no condition to be bo disturbed tonight 1 sho she asked Indignantly For the first time Captain Forbes hesitated He Ie placed one sunburned hand on his hiG breast as If to guard Jeal Jealously tho the dispatches he lie bore That he should hesitate at all seemed to mo me Incredible But Dut Captain Forbes seemed a fair fah example of that type of ot Englishman who performs his duty with tho the stubbornness and obstinacy of a n fool as ns well as a hero Chance often orten determines which of the two characters he shall assume It Ills Is true rime he had not the remotest suspicion that I was not Sir Mortimer But surel surely ho must see sea that I 1 was In the power of o thesa adventurers All my m fears reached a climax when looking steadily at me a mo moment moment ment he turned lo to the others I J must speak to Sir Mortimer alone I saw Stana grasp the revolver con concealed concealed coaled beneath his coat Madame de silenced the protests on his lips with a meaning glance She real realized realized the uselessness of further ance a ce You Vou will not him more than necessary she entreated e anxiously And you must not be surprised to find his mind still confused as 15 a result of tho the opiate I shall spare him as fat far as possible ble Ide Forbes replied d with some stern sternness sternness sternness ness Drawing himself erect his arms folded he waited until the tho door had closed behind them My first impulse was to lo put an end to this farce But B again aln I hesitated I They The were listening outside that door every suspicion was alert the slight slightest est dst st cause would fan an the suspicion to toa toa toa a |