Part 11 (1/2)
”But why did he coe of sothe office of spy As I had no inforive, he has returned little wiser than he came When am I to be fully trusted, monsieur?”
”You are fully trusted now, Captain Ellerey, but the ti has not arrived It approaches, however Until thewas ready we could not proceed Look atmy part, and I come to you and say, Be ready At any ,” said Ellerey
”Not to-night, perhaps, nor to- the Frenchman's secretive method, Ellerey was convinced that the time was at hand Were it not, De Froilette would hardly have risked seeking hi; he had been so careful to avoid all appearance of intimacy with him Ellerey was not inclined to place implicit trust in De Froilette He did not pretend to a keen insight into other men's characters, but he conceived that De Froilette would not be likely to lose sight of his own interests, no ht be tendered Ellerey was not even convinced that the Frenchman's support of the Queen's scheiving just so much help as would presently enable him to thwart her and reap benefit for himself Whatever the mission hich he was about to undertake, Ellerey intended to do his utmost to carry it to success; and if De Froilette by chance stood in his way, it was not likely to be merely a question of words between the, a successful student of character, it must be said for Monsieur De Froilette that he fully trusted Captain Ellerey, in so far that he believed he would do whatever task was set him better, probably, than most men would That he would be a match for such men as Lord Cloverton, with the weapons Lord Cloverton would use, he did not expect, and that the Ambassador had visited Ellerey troubled him not a little That Lord Cloverton could possibly suspect the true state of things he did not for a moment believe; but every hour's delay noould be in the Ambassador's favor, and the sooner the bloas struck the better--thewas ready, and it was now that De Froilette's anxiety was greatest He was too complete a schenificant thing which served to ruin great enterprises built up with so ain he had tested every point in his plans, and had not succeeded in finding any weak spot There seeency he was not prepared to , al of insecurity, oppressed hi about the door saluted hihbors, and had an excellent name for charity He had , and since he had confessed to disliking unprofitable friends, it must be assumed that he looked to reap some reward from them in the future He was not the man to pay merely for respect and smiles
He went to his roo after dinner, the room to which the Queen had come A pile of unopened letters was upon the desk, for Monsieur De Froilette employed no secretary, and he turned over these letters without opening the for Francois
”Well, Francois?” he said as the man entered He always asked the question in the same manner when he had been absent for any ti hi one, full details of the happenings during the master's absence, not of those in the house only, but of those in the city as well To-day, however, there was no long answer Francois seemed fully aware of the essential point
”Monsieur, the Princess, she has left England!”
”My good Francois, you are uninteresting That happened weeks ago The Princess is cruising to the British Colonies It is known, indeed was arranged, by the British Governht--it was; but the Princess found a substitute for that voyage She did not go She slipped away quietly, and no one knew” De Froilette's face was suddenly pale He did not speak, but Francois read the question in his eyes
”It is so, ”
CHAPTER VI
FRINA MAVRODIN'S GUEST
For some time Monsieur De Froilette reency he had not provided for
”Where is she?” he asked suddenly
”Alas, monsieur, I do not know,” Francois answered ”She has powerful friends in Sturatzberg, and they conceal her well I saw her for one splatz She was alone, and entered a shop there I followed her, but she was gone I called n that has so long been used by her partisans to secure an answer It had no effect I was told that I was mistaken, that no such lady as I had described had entered Do you not understand, ed?”
De Froilette understood only too well At his very door were eneerous because they had been partially adiven the so That was past and beyond reparation, but this arch sche a e
”I will dress, Francois,” he said presently ”I had not intended to go to Court to-night, but this news compels me”
”And how shall we find the Princess, monsieur?”
”We will not trouble We will set others to do that Matters will be for our benefit in the end, Francois Quickly, I must dress”
De Froilette dined alone and dismissed the man aited upon him as soon as possible A portrait of Queen Elena stood on a side table, and he got up and placed it beside hihtfully as he sipped his wine
”If we succeed,” he h place and distinction to be won This English's life is as other men's, dependent on the hazard of a die If I read her sht I shall have my reward And if we fail?”--he paused to consider the course of events in such a case--”who knows? My reward ht come the easier There would be few shelters open to her Only in defeat through Princess Maritza's influence is there danger to me
Success or failure otherwise, what does it ed, but men reach the summits
Why should I fail? The road to power azed into the eyes of the portrait, finding an answer in them This man of action was a drea, De Froilette inquired whether Lord Cloverton had arrived, and being answered in the negative, re a feords to this acquaintance and to that, bowing a well-turned co another's pleasantry with an answering jest He was in excellent good hu up the steps, pausing half a dozen tireet acquaintances He, too, was in excellent humor; but then he seldom allowed people to see him otherwise