Part 9 (2/2)

”Sturatzberg is having a bad effect upon your moral sense At least ill try persuasion first,” and it was difficult to tell froht had entered his head or not After a ram sent to Sir Charles Martin? Just say, 'Please write, Cloverton' He will understand”

The extent of the Ambassador's interest in him would have surprised Ellerey considerably had he known of it After his intervieith Lord Cloverton he had half-expected that he would seek to question him further, or, if he had any reason to suppose he was in his way,to dismiss him from the army He certainly did not do the one, and Ellerey had no reason to think he had attempted to do the other At Court the Ahtly as he passed him, and the flicker of a smile had been on his face for athe rooh he wished him to remember what he had said about a lovers' quarrel Ellerey had made his peace with the Countess as speedily as possible He was likely to make so many enemies that he could not afford to lose a friend, and he felt that this woman was a friend He had duly huiven, and even when she questioned him about his adventure in the Altstrasse, he refused to speak of it lest he should again offend He succeeded, as he hoped to do, in raising her curiosity

”But if this woman so resembledmore about her,” she said

”It was dark, Countess, but she seemed to be pretty That ine for a moment that it could have been you”

Ellerey knew that such an explanation would not content her Would it satisfy any woman? He had only to wait and she would ply him with further questions, and, if she were not the woman, would not rest until she had discovered who the other woman was She would probably help hi run, her curiosity leading her to play the part of a useful ally

The days passed and no e ca of De Froilette The Frenchman was not at Court, and Ellerey did not o to visit hireed that he should not do so

After consideration Ellerey had taken Stefan into his confidence He believed the rough soldier had so of his adventure in the Altstrasse, and of the ht be called upon at any moment to perform Such men as Ellerey wished to enlist in the enterprise were not easy to find There were plenty of adventurous spirits ready for any service so they ell paid, but such men were quite likely to desert him at the criticalso

”Now, Stefan, can we find the men ant?” Ellerey asked

”A dozen of thehtfully ”Twelve trusty coe order in a world where it's safest to trust nobody”

”There is adventure, there is good pay, two attractions to the soldier of fortune”

”Yes, Captain; but the soldier of fortune in Sturatzberg is a scurvy sort of rascal He's not over fond of his trade when there's any danger in it But I'll sound one or two I know of, and you can see what you think of them And mark this, Captain, don't pay them too e is enough to begin with”

The choosing of the men became Stefan's work, but only half a dozen had been determined on when Ellerey received an unexpected letter from Sir Charles Martin

It was a pleasant letter of friendshi+p, such a letter as brings forcibly to the senses of the lish lane, and the faer about an English home Toward the end Sir Charles turned to a painful subject, but wrote hopefully ”Let e you,” he said, ”to return hoin to slowly prove that you are innocent While the affair was fresh in people's e, but that tihly placed has expressed his complete belief in you Co over this letter and the reentleman to see you, Captain”

Ellerey rose hastily The one or two brother officers who visited him stood on no such ceremony as this He bowed in silence as Lord Cloverton came in Neither of them spoke until Stefan had closed the door

”You will pardon the intrusion, Captain Ellerey”

”I am honored, my lord,” said Ellerey as he placed a chair for his visitor

”I am still interested in you, you see,” said the Ambassador, ”but have not considered it wise to draw attention to ourselves at Court

Asupposed to speak a word that has not weighty matter behind it Some people will find a ' You and I are both Englishmen, and to be seen often in intimate conversation would start a small army of rumors on the march”

Ellerey bowed He intended to let the A at me, Captain Ellerey?”

Ellerey did so, and for the space of thirty seconds the two azed into each other's eyes