The Fate of a Crown

had ridden to a neighboring farmhouse and procured bandages and some olive oil and Figgot,

I drank a glass of wine and then lay quietly upon the cot until the arr

y refreshed after partaking of a substantial luncheon

was plainly dressed in black, quiet and unobtrusive in manner, and had iron-gray hair and beard, both closely cropped. I saw at once he was not a Brazilian, and made up my mind he

atures. He might have been fifty or sixty years of age; but there was no guide in determining this except his gray hai

s. Perhaps the telegrams had explained all that was necessary. Anywa

h several passages we walked, and then our conductor led us into a small chamber, bare except for a half-dozen iron cots that s

while we crowded around it. To my horror I saw the form of Madam Izabel lying dea

thus they brought her from the train that arrived this

d over the cot, and drew the woman

er had been com

hand, drew the sheet over the b

man, I was about to follow our guide when I found myself confronting a personage who stood

called himself de Guarde on boa

ngly. "And are you still keeping a faithful record in that sweet diary of

s," said I,

e my guest, you know. Will it not please you to enjoy my society once

you mean?"

, Robert Harcliffe, in

charge?

e smiling Valcour. "Afterward

e man, in a soft voice. "The gentleman is a

his eyes fell as he encountered the ot

itch? Then I will take the

arly so. He seemed to see nothing; he looked at neither Valcour nor myself. But there was something about

3disappoint you, Senhor Valcour. But since this man is a prisoner of the police-a state

t oppressed him. And then I saw a curious thing happen. The eyelids of Mazanovitch for an instant unclosed, and in that instant

not deceived me, for Valcour turned away with a sullen frown upon his brow, and the Ca

carriage and were driven

could not help staring at the closed eyes of Mazanovitch, but the others, I noticed, avoided lookin

hese the carriage stopped. Mazanovitch opened the front door with a latchkey, and us

little man speak. Then he reclined in a cushioned chair, p

he vault and the ring which unlock

of Police, and of Paola's orders to him and Marco to escort me t

comment and afterward sat for many

d, points conclusively to one reassuring fact; that the ring has been recovered by one of our band, and so the Cause is no longer endangered. Th

but instead of replying both gazed quest

shall know the truth within fifteen minutes." I glanced at a great clock ticking against the wall. "Before your arrival," he resumed, "I had taken steps to communicate with e

ted, a

have know

the cigar from his

neral Fonseca, the patriot, and S