Show THE MISCHIEF MAKER r By E. E Phillips Oppenheim Copyright 1912 by Little Drown Co r I I 1 r BOOK TWO CHAPTER VI Falkenberg Fails Pails Herr Freudenber was dressed for forthe tho the evening c with his usual fastidious neatness Ho had bad the air nir air of a u man who bad had been en encased for many ni nights ht in some arduous occupation There were dark rims under his eyes the linos lines his hia forehead wore deeper N Nev Nevertheless ev- ev upon he be smiled with something of his old his old gayety a as ho he accepted the chair which Julien J placed laced for him I My Mr dear Sir Julien ho said Mid I 1 h havo vo come a good many hundred miles at a most inconvenient moment for br the sake of a brief conversation with you ou Julien raised fah his eyebrows You surprise me ho lie exclaimed U I I had bad no idea that the tho mission you spoke of was so urgent Nor is it Herr re rc plied As a matter of fact fad it scarce carce it did exist Cist it was Jy exists at all or if t created simply as a 1 means of removing removing within the reach of ing in your fr from m 1 I practical poll politics tics for ome sonic months mouths have foresi foresight ht you ou sec see Sir I saw what was comin coming Permit me rue to tell you that I do not like your O lr letter in Le Grand Grind Journal yesterday esterday a letter r which I 1 understand app appeared also in inthe inthe 10 the London Post Post I 1 am sorry said Still to be perfectly frank it wasn't written with a n view dew of pleasing or displeasing displeasing dis dis- pleasing you It t was written in a 1 strenuous attempt to preserve e the friendship between France and Eng Eng- land It is to be followed I 1 presume by others Herr bor asked It is the tho first o of a series Julien admitted II You Herr Freudenberg remarked remarked re rc marked glancing Iancin at his fin finger er nails for fora forn a n moment that it is most diabolically clever 71 You HYou flatter me mc murmured Not at all I have havo spoken the tho truth I r am nm here hero to kno know what price you Jou will take to suppress the remainder of the series Julien I 1 will take he lie replied tho the exact amount of the last war indemnity which winch was paid to you you you-by h France Herr Freudenberg o smil smiled d. d A A mere trifle to the war indemnity we shall be asking from England b before foro very cry lon long I II Zy am not avaricious Julien de do dared II Those Th se arc my tUV terms Herr si signed bed My My friend frien ho said it would b be b better if jf 3 rou talked of this matter rea There are other ways of securing securing se se- curing the e of those letters letters lotters let lot than by purchase C I Precise Precisely Julien answered Cl but but butI I Paris aris in iii its beaten thoroughfares at any rate is a 3 law las abiding abidin cit city I don dont don't t fa fancy 1 that I I shall cou conic o to muc much grief bore bere A br brave e man mau Herr reuden remarked II seldom believes that ho will coniC to grief a If It it tho the blow falls nevertheless it isRi is at Ri least considerate of you Oll that you bring brinit me warning Cl p Herr inter lO poked cd List Listen List ii Sir I J ask usk you YOLI to lo consi consider er this matter as is a reasonable reason reason- able alIC person velson We Wp dont don't want war Wo We don't dont lOll t mean to have havo war But the desire de do- sire ire of my ministers my ministers my own desirer desire desire- r really aJl is to inflict a crushing diplomatic humiliation upon the pre present ent ro govern govern- rn inept of Great Grat Britain It t is compo composed ed of incompetent and objectionable per per- tons orts r We desire tl to humiliate them l' l ret let ct whom is it that we ve find taking up the tho cudgels on their b behalf You Yott You You- the thc man whom they dro c out ont the man whom tr front jealousy they ousted j I Irom rem their tanks Wh WIn Why you OIt th should uld bo be with u us not against I i tI Jf J e J have no grudge rud e whatever against my party Bolides Bo 1 am Un aI iu Englishman and und a n patriot The rhe articles will be writ- writ s ot of my rily tun and anU 1 I shall do m mv fly best best- t. t to point out I exactly the means aUl l by hy which this pr present pros pres 8 1 I cut ent coolness s b between our two countries I I has lias been e engineered I i 1 I will give gin you YUtI Herr offered a a million francs franca nut to write those e articles I J poi pointed n to the door You lou are arc becoming offensive c Herr ro rose e slowly to his There here Thereas was as a little I glitter gUter in his c eyes cs 1 have hao gone ouo out of m my way wI he with most declared to to be friendly you obstinate of Englishmen That now is finished You shall not write those ar tides You YOI You threaten met I 1 do f There a arc e times Julien Julen remarked when I know whether quietly when t to take you ou 01 seriously There Thore is IS surely a little of the burlesque about such auch a statement Horr Freudenberg shrugged ed his shoulders shoulders ders slightly I You a You think so SOi Nevertheless Ne s no noman nora ra marl man whom I f o ha ever er threatened basdon has bas which I have don the thing thing against warned yarned him hint Julien turned towards arcs to-arcs the door to open ope Julen l it Herr with footsteps footsteps foot foot- steps i. i like u a i cat came caine up behind him Suddenly be he threw his lon long sinewy sinew arms arias around the the others other's neck Taken utterly unprepared Julien Julen was power power- less Herr lerr Freudenberg freudenberg swung him round upon his back and knelt upon his chest This he said eaid taid calmly U distresses 8 me This extremely Yet what am am I to t do dot dol Ho whistled softly t The door coor opened came in with wih suspicious sus sus- opened vicious alacrity There wa was scarcely any an need of words In a moment Julien Julien's Ju Ju- Ju I lien liens lien's legs and arms were bound and anda lens len's a n ga gac les le's thrust between his teeth Herr Freudenberg gal moved before the door and aul listened has bas reported to me he be remarked that that you keep no man trant ser tr- cant ant An Any intrusion hero herc beret therefore is scarcely to be feared You Iou will wi permit per per- mit ale mot motHe mel melle He le took one of tho the tumblers from the tray rinsed it out with wih soda water and aud poured the contents of or a small email smal phi phial l into it it Then ho he came and stood over o Julien Julen My My h- h obstinate Englishman he proceeded this I this tumbler contains the waters waters' of for forgetfulness Let me assure assure as as- sure you upon my honor that the liquid is harmless Its It one effect is to re ro du duce o those who take it to t such sueh a state sate that for the space of a week or two their mental faculties faulie are impaired You will wi drink this in a few fow minutes You win will awake feeling w weak ak languid indisposed for exercise incapable ot of oi mental of effort fort The rhe doctor will wi prescribe pre prescribe scribe a. a tonic tonie you will wi go o away out mt ut it wi will be months before you arc are able to t set Bet t yourself t to tp any task requiring the full ful use of your faculties At the end ond of that time I t trust that you will wi ha have e found wisdom Will Wi 11 swallow the draught Julion Julien shook hook his bis head viol violently nt Herr Fre denber sighed hed I 1 hoping ho he continued II that that you vou would duM not force me to mention the alternative c J I should dislike oxe exceed exceed- ed- ed indy having to inflict any more 1 lasting last last- t- t lag ing injury upon you yon but bitt ut von vou stand in my inn path and I ermit no ono one to do co that that Drink and iu in in a month or two all al will wi be lie as it is ig now Refuse and andI ant I shall sh l leave to deal with nith wih you and aud l let t me warn you 3 that his hit ni methods are arc not so c centle as mule mine mile Moro oro men amen than ono om no who have haye been foolish have lla di disappeared in Paris If hf I vou von move moe a step stop this way n 8 calm voice said from front the other ay end of the room I I shall shoot hoot Herr turned his hea head bead whose WhOM ner-e ner nerves were Joss Jess under tinder control rave vae a little cry Lady Anno Anne was standing upon tho the threshold of tho the doorway between tho tIm two rooms and in her very steady hand was WS grasped d a small revolver The tomen two t o men were speechless I It I has haM taken me some time to find this Lad went and Lady Anne Annc on Ud this lou longer cr still to find the cartridges es 1 I Ido do not understand in ho lie least what has happened hut T J am nm perfectly S so- so rions when I toll tell you ou that T I T shall shaH shoot either cither of you VOI two if you vou 0 move mo a stop step toward to ard me into tho the herr looked revolver re looked at Lady Lad Anno and made her a n little litto bow how Mademoiselle li In 1 sa said il who you yon may Inay he T TrIo do 10 not know Sir Hir Ju lien Hen however howen r is to bo ho congratulated congratulated con con- COl that ho he hp po possesses esses already po so 10 friend charming and a with wih tho the entree to hi his bedroom J Lady dy Anne Anno lifted tho the revolver rc a afew afew afew few inches iuchs and fired fred The bullet bullet- struck the wall barely a foot over oyer wal Herr Fren head A faint puff miff of blue smoke fl floated up toward tho the ceiling I I I do not not- like impertinence I she sho remarked If I you 3 on have havo ha e any more such sch speeches ta make make make- Mademoiselle lade I J have none Herr Freudenberg interrupted bowing 1 the contra to Allow me inc on contrary you yell mv 11 apologies an and to express my admiration for your bearing I must mut alas acknowledge myself for the moment mo mo- ment uncut vanquished J I si sl II ll leave leavo you ou to release our dear fri friend ud Sir Julien But if you are arc wise mademoiselle if you are arc are really realy his friend you YOl will wi advise ad ad- vise visO vis him to obey the injunction which I have havo sought to 1 lay a upon him today A little litte affair like this which goes wrong is nothing I have hao a doz dozen n means of enforcing my words not one DY of which has ever failed I 1 do not know who you arc LadAnne Lady Lad Anne said calmly or what it is against which you vou are warning Sir Julien Julen but I am perfectly certain certin o of one oue thin thing He an will wi do what is right and und what he conceives to be his bis dut duty without fear or threats from front you or anyone Herr Freudenber bowed low Es Es- term en who had been glancing more than once uneasily toward the tho revolver was already alread at the tho door Mademoiselle Herr Freudenberg declared bravery is a splendid gift discretion a finer Sir Julien Julen knows who I 1 am and ana ho be knows that I 1 have yet ct to io admit myself vanquished in anY scheme in which I J en engage n-e. n Ho will wil use his judgment Meanwhile made- made He bowed low turned and left the ther r room om Lady Lad LadAnne Anne listened to his retreating re To- trea treating footsteps Then hen she crossed the thc tUI room quickly and bent hent over Julien Julen Are Arc rom you ou hurt she sho asked breath breath- lessly n He lie shook his head She fumbled for fora a few fc- minutes with ith the gag ag and removed re re- re- re moved it it- Not a bit bi he assured her I Dont Don't put the revolver cr down yet vet but fetch fech me a knife You'll Youl f find d ono one on the tho mantelpiece in the bedroom She Shu di did as ho lie told her ber In a few fow minutes he lie was free Ho lie stood up gasping gasping Tho TIto Tho fellow came up behind me me mc he lie explained while I was walking to I It t the e door Anne what a brick hrick you ou oua a arc cl at I Tie lie Tc held out his hand She took it lau laughing frankly 1 My hinA y lear dear s she hc exclaimed I what c el elso o could any ole do I heard I the row TOW and shall and nd- nd shall ban 1 l admit it itT peeped itT p 1 peeped through the keyhole 1 I couldn't see seo anything so o I I opened the tho door softly oft and anel heard something of what was waR going go- go go going ing in- on 01 This bis old revolver was 35 lying JOin JO- JO on IOn your dressing r table tahle but hut I had a an an awful hunt hunt for the cartridges gc Whoever er were those men Tulen stalled When I tell tel you JOu ho ha said you Ol will wi think that I 1 am mad Yet Yet this is the truth The man au with with whom YOU vou talked wa was Prince von yon Falkenberg What the German minister Juilien Tulen nodded It I seems incredible doesn't it it Falkenborg is a man nian possessed of one idea idea to to upset the tite tle relations between een beh France rance and En England land For that purpose e eho ho he has been paying secret lS visits S to Paris for tho last year car HA Ho has corrupted corrupted cor eor the press her here Ho Tie has wormed his way into the tho confidence of one or two of the ministers Tho The thing i ia is isa isa a perfect mania with ith him binL Ho has taken it into his head that the articles which Kendricks h has Hi made mado me promise e eto to write and the te fir first t one of which appeared in Lo L Grand Journal yesterday yester day the day tho one you read at dinner time ime are arc are going goin to be he exploited as af an exposure exposure ex ex- ex of his meth methods d For that reason rea rca son he lie camo canto ostensibly to confirm mm rn an offer which he mails made me mc some seine tre tithe time ago aco alo When I refused ho he offered mo mo me a large lage sum of money money anything anything to got got rid of me sue and to stop top m mv my writing these articles Of or course I declined and there you are Lady Lad LadAnne Anne b began an to laugh once more Well she sho said Raid I f suppose Im I'm Imn n not t lr dreaming It I sounds like a page out of an opera opera That Tat man who was was here whom I threatened to shoot was really Prince Falkenberg 1 Theres Therol no doubt whatever about it Julien Julen assured d her The very first ni night ht I was in Paris Pars he sent ent nt for lor Anne ho went turning me rae on once more toward her I II haven't thanked you half enough What a a nerve you ou have mave You were splendid I Dont talk rubbish Julien Julen she prote protested I The Te stroke of luck was that I happened to be here It I must have been quite a surprise surrie for him to see seo an apparently nty respectable young youn oui woman step o out t. t of your bedroom I Iam am 10 to fear Julien Julen that tbt I am compromised Anyhow ear mother would say so sol I Between a ourselves Julien Julen ro ro 1 marked I d nt think that Falkenberg Falken- Falken berg will wl mention menton the tho Just wait while whilo I put on another c collar Har and well we'll wol go to t that music music hall ball bal She glanced lanced at the tho clock I think you shall take me ne home in in- ster stead Ho Ira looked at her quickly This affair line has lne u upset set you youl rouf I My My dear Julen she said dryly dryly what an absurd idea Of course couro i I Iam am quite us used d to those these little affairs to fo seeing you Jie He ie bound and amid and gagged and ind pointing a revolver ht at that unpleasant- unpleasant looking prince with wih a n horrible fear foar it P- P side sido me tile all al the tho time Hmo that if I did aim at anything I 1 shouldn't t hit Jut It Nevertheless Nevertheless Never Never- 1 think Ill I'll go o homo home if you youdon ou don dont don't t mind mild They ce descended the tho stairs and he rhe called caled a 1 little ho he J I 1 suppose o it would sound silly ventured after a n time timo if jf t X la said an anything anything any any- thin thing morn about thanking you vent Ridiculous she Hut But what that are arc you you YOl going to dol Are re you jou ou going to the he police Ho lie 10 |