Part 6 (1/2)

_May 3._ In the Bazaar at Tchardak yesterday two men tried to stab me. I got their daggers, but they escaped in the confusion. Murad called to express horror and regret. Yes; regret that I had not been murdered.

_May 5._ I have written to my Government that my usefulness here seems to be ended; that my life is in hourly danger; that I desire to be more thoroughly informed concerning the relations between Berlin and the Yildiz Palace.

_May 6._ I am in disgrace. My Government is furious because my correspondence with Enver Bey has been stolen. The Porte has complained about me to Berlin; Berlin disowns me, disclaims all knowledge of my political activities outside of my engineering work.

This is what failure to carry out secret instructions invariably brings--desertion by the Government from which such instructions are received. In diplomacy, failure is a crime never forgiven.

Abandoned by my Government I am now little better than an outlaw here. Two courses remain open to me--to go back in disgrace and live obscurely for the remainder of my life, or to risk my life by hanging on desperately here with an almost hopeless possibility before me of accomplis.h.i.+ng something to serve my Government and rehabilitate myself.

The matter of the stolen plans is being taken up by our Amba.s.sador at the Sublime Porte. The British Emba.s.sy is suspected. What folly! I possess a third set of plans. Our Emba.s.sy ought to send to Trebizond for them. I don't know what to do.

_May 12._ A letter I wrote May 10 to the German Emba.s.sy has been stolen. I am now greatly worried about the third set of plans. It seems safest to include the box containing them among the baggage of the American missionary, the Reverend Wilbour Carew; and, too, for me to seek shelter with him.

As I am now afraid that an enemy may impersonate an official of the German Emba.s.sy, I have the missionary's promise that he will retain and conceal the contents of my box until I instruct him otherwise. I am practically in hiding at his house, and in actual fear of my life.

_May 15._ The missionary and his wife and baby travel to Gallipoli, where an American school for girls is about to be opened.

Today, in a cafe, I noticed that the flies, swarming on the edge of my coffee cup, fell into the saucer dead. I did not taste my coffee.

_May 16._ Last night a shot was fired through my door. I have decided to travel to Gallipoli with the missionary.

_May 18._ My groom stole and ate an orange from my breakfast tray.

He is dead.

_May 20._ The Reverend Mr. Carew and his wife are most kind and sympathetic. They are good people, simple, kindly, brave, faithful, and fearlessly devoted to G.o.d's service in this vile land of treachery and lies.

_May 21._ I have confessed to the Reverend Mr. Carew as I would confess to a priest in holy orders. I have told him all under pledge of secrecy. I told him also that the sanctuary he offers might be violated with evil consequences to him; and that I would travel as far as Gallipoli with him and then leave. But the kind, courageous missionary and his wife insist that I remain under the protection which he says the flag of his country affords me. If I could only get my third set of plans out of the country!

_May 22._ Today my coffee was again poisoned. I don't know what prevented me from tasting it--some vague premonition. A pariah dog ate the bread I soaked in it, and died before he could yelp.

It looks to me as though my end were inevitable. Today I gave my bronze figure of Erlik, the Yellow Devil, to Mrs. Carew to keep as a dowry for her little daughter, now a baby in arms. If it is hollow, as I feel sure, there are certain to be one or two jewels in it. And the figure itself might bring five hundred marks at an antiquary's.

_May 30._ Arrived at the Gallipoli mission. Three Turkish ironclads lying close insh.o.r.e. A British cruiser, the _Cobra_, and an American cruiser, the _Oneida_, appeared about sunset and anch.o.r.ed near the ironclads. The bugles on deck were plainly audible. If a German wars.h.i.+p appears I shall carry my box on board. My only chance to rehabilitate myself is to get the third set of plans to Berlin.

_June 1._ In the middle of the religious exercises with which the new school is being inaugurated, cries of ”Allah” come from a great crowd which has gathered. From my window where I am writing I can see how insolent the att.i.tude of this Mohammedan riffraff is becoming. They spit upon the ground--a pebble is tossed at a convert--a sudden shout of ”Allah”--pus.h.i.+ng and jostling--a lighted torch blazes! I take my whip of rhinoceros hide and go down into the court to put a stop to this insolence----

Her father slowly closed the book.

”Daddy! Is that where poor Herr Wilner died?”

”Yes, dear.”

After a silence his wife said thoughtfully:

”I have always considered it very strange that the German Government did not send for Herr Wilner's papers.”

”Probably they did, Mary. And very probably Murad Bey told them that the papers had been destroyed.”