Part 50 (1/2)
The door opened and a servant brought in a card
”Ah, noe may hear news,” said the Ambassador ”De Froilette, the tio, Ward”
De Froilette careeted by the Minister
”My secretary, Captain Ward; you may safely speak before hiive,” said De Froilette ”I ca at your lordshi+p”
”You have seen fit to praise me so often, monsieur, that I can no doubt bear your ridicule with the same equanimity as I accepted your praise”
”A witty retort to my pleasantry, my lord You did not believeYou see I was right”
”Monsieur, I grant your inforht have suffered considerably by my disbelief I have learnt a lesson and wish to profit by it Can you tell me where Captain Ellerey is?”
”No, my lord; but I can tell you where to watch for hi so,” said Cloverton
”In Sturatzberg, ine he will return to the very centre of his danger? I am inclined to think he has crossed the hills and taken the quickest way out of Wallaria”
”You do not know the lishman,” said De Froilette ”They are desperate fellows, these English adventurers
They have no eyes for danger, and are lacking that diplomacy which makes men feel that it is honorable to retreat sometimes He is one of those who love their sword and would fain die with their boots on
Besides, he is in love”
”Ah, now you interestwhether he had not some weak spot”
”I heard him once speak of Princess Maritza,” De Froilette went on
”He had land; and I read the story behind his careless words Here in Sturatzberg the Princess must have seen hi brought to the city, and he will surely follow her Seize him, my lord, and you nip the rebellion in the bud”
”You think so,” said Cloverton reflectively
”I aive advice The King can afford to treat the Princess leniently She has no strong personality to guide and counsel her; alone she is no danger, or the brigands would not have given her up But thiscannot afford to pardon him Kill him, my lord, as quickly as you can With her lover dead, the Princess will have no heart to plot”
”I think you are right, ”
”And I will dofor Ellerey,” said De Froilette
”You will be serving the State, monsieur,” said the Aerous?”
The Frenchhtful for a moment
”No, I think not,” he answered ”There are some who talk loudly in the back streets, but their talk serves the, and does no har of them,” Lord Cloverton returned ”There is one curious feature in the situation The brigands, it is true, have played into the hands of the State, but there seee fro and were prepared to act upon it They did not receive the eful Nohat e did they expect, and froed his shoulders