Part 72 (1/2)
”Perhaps more, even, than you, duchesse,” he replied ”I should like to be your friend You need one--you know that”
She rose abruptly to her feet
”For to-night it is enough,” she declared, wrapping her fur cloak around her ”You may talk to me to-morrow, Baron I must think If you desire really to be my friend, there is, perhaps, one service which I ht, no!”
Peter stood aside and allowed her to step past hiress he had racious As soon as she was out of sight, he returned to the couch where she had been sitting She had taken away the rams, but she had left upon the floor several copies of the New York Herald
He took theh The last one he found particularly interesting, so much so that he folded it up, placed it in his coat pocket, and went off to look for Sogrange, whoame of ”Up Jenkins!” Peter sank upon the cushi+oned seat by his side
”You were right,” he ree smiled
”I trust,” he said, ”that the duchesse is not proving faithless?”
”So far,” Peter replied, ”I have kept my end up Tomorroill be the test Bernadine had filled her with caution She thinks that I know everything--whatever everything may be Unless I can discover a little ly aard day for reat deal of valuable inforht,to happen”
On the threshold of the saloon, ushered in by one of the stewards, a tall, powerful-lookinglooking around as though in search of some one The steward pointed out, with an une The man approached and took the next table
”Steward,” he directed, ”bring lass of Vermouth and soe touched his foot under the table and whispered a word of warning The doh for a game Then he cale
”It has been my misfortune, Marquis,” he said, ”never to have h our mutual friends are ht to claim a certain amount of consideration from you and your associates You know e replied ”I am charmed Permit me to present lanced a little nervously around
”You will per in England that I have per under the name of Mr Jareed ”In themember of the Double-Four,” the newcomer declared ”My friend the Count von Hern finds menace to certain plans of ours in your presence upon this steamer Unknown to him, I come to you openly I claim your aid, not your ene said ”You clailanced around the saloon and lowered his voice
”I clai House of Brangaza and the restoration to power in Spain of e was silent for severalforward in his place, deeply interested Decidedly, this American trip seemed destined to lead towards events!
”Our active aid towards such an end,” Sogrange said at last, ”is impossible The Society of the Double-Four does not interfere in the domestic policy of other nations for the sake of individual members”
”Then let me ask you why I find you upon this steamer?” Mr Fanshawe demanded, in a tone of suppressed excitee that you and your friend the Baron de Grost cross the Atlantic this particular week, on the same steamer as myself, as Mr Sirdeller, and--and the duchesse? One does not believe in such coincidences! One is driven to conclude that it is your intention to interfere”
”The affair ale replied, sreat interests involved in thise features and bearded face his expression was the expression of a peevish and passionate child He controlled himself with an effort
”Marquis,” he said, ”this is necessary--I say that it is necessary that we conclude an alliance”