DANGER

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 13 (Supplement)

DANGER

CHAPTER XII (continued). "I Fear She Is Doomed." Popeau spoke with bitter sarcasm, but George Adams, though full of sympathy and even indignation at the way the noted ex-secret agent of Iα Surete had been treated, now, as always, regarded his views as to the dangers run by Bolba with something like inward amusement. He could not forget the first conversation ho had had with Hercules Popeau, when the Frenchman had made it clear that he was full of suspicions not only of the Germans, which after all was natural, but of the British and the Italians.

George Adams also remembered that Popeau liad appeared to believe that Paris was full of f assassins hired to knife or shoot his country's important guest.

"Hercules Popeau rose and said in a melancholy tone, "From now onwards I am once more a private citizen, and my first thought was to come and bid you farewell, and to convey my warm thanks for the courtesy you and your charming sister have shown me during these difficult and dangerous days.".. Before Georgo Adams could answer, there came a roar from the seething crowds in the vast square far down below." The two men rushed instinctively to the edge of the terrace, and there they saw advancing to their left, in the Rue do Rivoli, a cavalry squadron, huge men in shining silver breastplates and nodding plumes. Following on the squadron, and also shining brilliantly in the sun, was what appeared to be a gold chariot, in which sat a small man, dressed in evening dress, with a broad blue riband across his chest, while by his side loomed up a huge figure in a yellow and black uniform.

A smile glimmered across Popeau's set face. "That one of the ancient state carriages should be brought from Versailles, and used to-day was my suggestion," he observed with a chuckle. "1 hear that a ride in the gold coach enchants that horrible savage!" Adams felt somewhat surprised. Ilercules Popeau, up to this last moment, had always spoken with respect of King Bolba; but now that he was just an ordinary private .individual again, he had evidently thrown off all seeming of respect for the man for whoso fate he had been so solicitous.

"Ah!" ho exclaimed, "civilisation is an ugly thing, Mr. Adams. You do not see one of the old Romans or Greeks kow-towing to such a brute as that, just because ho had in his fist the power to sell a concession which may bring a civilised country much money —money which —alas! —as we know, means power. No, the old Romans would have tied Bolba to their chariot tails, and stolen his concession!" Following the gold coach came another fairy-like looking chariot. "The panels on Madame la Presidente's carriage," observed Popeau, "were painted by Watteau. It is pleasant that they are now seeing, if only for once in a hundred years, the light of day!" The procession was now passing across the Place de" la Concorde ami, as the open landau containing a marshal of France and the Comtessc de Fleury appeared, the crowds gave it an even more enthusiastic greeting than it had done to the royal personages which had preceded it.

Popeau and Adams watched in silence while the soldiers, the chariots and the carriages dashed up the Champs Klysecs to their right, while below them the sightseers began rapidly dispersing. Hercules Popeau held out his hand. "And now, nion ami, farewell!" George Adams took that powerful hand in a firm and kindly grasp. "We will meet again before I leave Paris. Lunch with me the day I go back to England?" But Popeau shook hie head. "No, let this be our farewell. But next time you are in Paris, aye and at any other time, if yon want help about any matter touching your good self, I hope vou will recall that I am your friend, and that I will do anything in my power for you." He waited a moment. "I still have a good deal of power left," and he smiled a grim smile. "There is not an individual in the Surete who would hesitate to do me, or any friend of mine, a good turn."

From a pocket in his quaint grey alpaca jacket, he produced a shabby bulging Russian leather wallet, boun>! in gold. "This was given me more yean? ago than I like to think of, when I was a very young man," he observed. "You will remember, maybe, that tho Czar and Czarina were for a time at Compiegne? Well, I was deputed to watch over the personal safety of the poor Empress of Russia, and on the last day of the Imperial visit the Emprese sent for me, and presented me with a miniature of herself, which I cherish as my choicest treasure, :ind then to my surprise she presented me also with this wallet, which, ehc explained, she had also brought from Russia."

Adams looked witli interest at the object which had once been held in the hands of the last Czarina of all the. Russian. Meanwhile tho Frenchman took a card out of tho wallet.

"Here is my private address—Hotel Parngoit—also my personal telephone number, 99-99-Clnny. Take this card and cherish it my friend, for my address, hy my own wish, is kept entirely eecrot. I'have not given .a card like that to six people in all since I retired from my official position. But lam more indoors tlian out, for I have none of tho curious. love, of fresh air which is so USlial nowadays, though in hot weather I keep my window always open. Aα to' exercise, I go a long walk each evening after dark, and that is all." He sighed, and a wave of sympathy carne over George Adams' generous heart. "I think you've hcen treated shamefully!" he exclaimed. "After all, what are a few hundred thousand francs to France ?" Popeau shook his head sadly. 'A great deal just now," he said seriously. "A T o, Ido not ohject to their being angry at my extravagance, what T object to is that they «eem not to realise that even now Bolbft is still in danger! What is more he will be in greater danger than'he was before, after the news of his having sold France the concession has become official."

"Why that?" exclaimed Adams. "Because it will be now to the interest of a great many people all over Europe that Bolba should disappear from this earth before the sale of hie concession is actually ratified!" Though George Adams did not in the leaet agree with this, to him, extraordinary View,.it did not at all affect his feeling of indignation at the way Hercules Popeau was being treated.

By MRS. BELLOC LOWNDES.

"The only thing I really regret," went on the Frenchman thoughtfully, "is that I can no longer watch over the safety of beautiful Queen Magia." His listener remained silent* It gave him a feeling of unendurable pain even to hear Magia's name mentioned. Popeau went on —"I fear that this most lovely creature is (loomed, as the English poet put it, to 'one crowded hour of glorious life,' and then —it makes me shudder —to perhaps fifty miserable years spent in a savage's harem!" Hercules Popeau's words pierced George Adams' heart. He told himself fiercely that that awful fate should not be the fate of his beloved.

Popeau turned and walked towards the door leading to the suite of rooms, and Adams hurried after him. "This is not good-bye, for we shall meet at the party given at the British Embassy to-night." Hercules Popeau shook his head. "No, my dear friend, we shall not meet there, for my presence to-night would be regarded as an insult by the worthy fellow —his name by the way is Fontenelle —to whom I have just handed over my arduous duties. I know he intends to bo there, for he told mo so, and I also know, and that, to mo is very distressing, that apart from the two ordinary detectives who are always in unobtrusive attendance, no special effort will bo made to secure the safety of either King Bolba or Queen Magia to-night."

"They will be quite safe at the British Embassy," said Adams in a confident tone.

Popeau went on as if he ,had not heard the remark: "There is something else which fills me with horror, ,, and there came over the speaker's face a look of such disgust and anger that the Englishman felt a sudden pang of alarm. "I have discovered an abominable thing , !" "Abominable ?" echoed Adams, and a sensation of acute alarm swept "over him. "Yes, abominable! Fontenelle's daughter is beinj; married the day after to-morrow, and I know, as a matter of fact, that he inteiuls to absent himself from hia official duties for twenty-four hours!"

Adams had expected something so infinitely different that he could hardly conceal a smile. "But surely," ho exclaimed, "the usual precautions will be taken?"

Popeau shrugged his shoulders. "Of course there will bo the precautions which are always taken when Royalty is staying in Paris. But did I leave the safety of Bolba and the fair Magia to others? Ask yourself that?" _ The Englishman smiled, broadly, this time. "I must confess," he exclaimed, "that vou guarded Bolba night and day. In foot I often wondered when you slept!"

CHAPTER XITT. "I Shall be Burnt Alive!" George Adams arrived late that evening at the British Embassy for he had been detained by one of the tiresome questions concerning the financial side of Bolba's European tour, which he had been assured would havp nothing to fin with his duties as A.D.O. But as Dr. Olnrke only knew English, and various African dialects, in every real difficulty, especially in regard to foreign currencies, lie was wont to turn to Bolba's A.D.C. Hastening through the delightful of reception rooms on the ground flonr of the palatial house which had on-e belonged to Niupolcon's favourite sister, the latecomer found them almost empty, for it was a very hot nicht, and Lord Avon's guests had all gathered together in the leafy garden. A large number of invitations had been issued, and the men in their uniforms and wearing their Orders, and the ladies in diaphanous evening frocks, which were the last word in fashion, composed a brilliant scene in the moonlight, which warred with festoons of electric light globes slung from one tree to another.

Anxiously Goorge Adams looked tliis way and. that, wondering where his sister and Queen Magia could he? Tie knew that by the curious native etiquette which ruled the life of Bolba's official Consort, sho was never seen in public with the King, excepting In » motor car or in a carriage. Indeed it had not been easy to persuade Bolhu that this was the invariable custom among European sovereigns. His Dusky Majesty now sat on a kind of improvised throne-chair, • which had been brought out from one of the salons of the. Embassy, but Queen Magia was nowhere to bo seen. Adams' search was made the more difficult because there were so many people there that he knew wall. Friends lie had not scon for a long time hailed him in eager tones, all agog to know something of his present curious post. That a young man who was not ev-en connected- with official life in any way should have become even unofficial A.D.C. to an important foreign potentate had stirred up resentment and surprise in a certain section of the London world.

At last, after an over-long conversation with an inquisitive lady, known to Adams as an enthusiastic admirer and entertainer of those royal personages who spend lives of enforced exile in France and England, .he suddenly espied the feminine group he had been looking for.

Standing.under a huge tree in a remote corner of the Embassy garden wnfi Helen tie Floury. She wore a black chiffon frock, and looked like tlie shadow of (he white-dad, slender, alniost child-like figure by licr side. Magia's beautiful dark hair was almost concealed as well as crowned by a. broad bandeau of diamonds.

By Queen Magia's side crouched the dwarf Ya-Ya. And it was Ya-Ya who saw the young man hefore either Magia or Helendid so. And as George Adams came across tho lawn, there flashed across the miniature' woman's yellow face a strange horribly malicious expression. Then she deliberately turned and stared upwards into her mistress' pale, set face. Would that face change when the English gentleman came close up to her? Ya-Ya wanted an answer to that wordless question. But as soon as Helen dc Floury saw her brother, distinguished from most of the men at the Ambassadorial party by the plainness of his evening clothes, she murmured something in French to Magia, hurried forward to meet him, then quickly drew him aside some way from.where she had just been standing. "I feel very much worried about the Queen," she "whispered. "t can't tell you how oddly she's just been talking! Saving that she wishes she could die here, in France, and talking of where they will bury her if she does die here." '•'When was thk? Before dinner, or since you've been in the garden?" he asked.

"That's the odd thing, George! She' got through the long dinner quite well. The Ambassador and Ambassadress were extremely nice to her, and Lady Avon said to mo afterwards that Lord Avon had been astonished to find howwell Queen Magia spoke English—as well as French. Of couree, I explained that she had been practically brought j up by French and English sisters, and I that that is why she is so unlike Orien-1 tal women—if Oriental one can. call| her." I

"What happened after dinner?" "Unfortunately she and Bolba were left alone for about three minutes —I mean by the Ambassador—and Bolba must have said something that frightened her, for all she k so brave!"

She stopped abruptly, for , a man, who was obviously one of the secret agents scattered about the great garden, had come close up to them. George Adams knew him through Popeau, and greeted him pleasantly. And a moment later the Frenchman walked away to watch more important quarry.

"We had better go in and join the Queen —don't you think so 1" said Helen. Queen Magia rose from the garden chair on which she had just sunk down. She murmured something t> the dwarf, and the little creature took hold of Helen de Fleury's hand and pointed to a far-off corner of the garden, where, under a brilliant light, gabbled two parrots which had lately been presented to the Ambassadress.

Helen was' not supposed to leave Queen Magia when she was in attendance. But she told herself now that her brothei-, if alone, might be able to discover why Magia had changed to so extraordinary a degree in the last !hnur. "If you will allow me to leave you, Madam, I will do and show Ya-Ya the parrots ?" she said deferentially, telling herself that, after all, after to-night, her brother would never have an opportunity of seeing Magia again.

The Queen bent her head, and then, as soon ae she and Adams were alone, she turned, and putting her hand on his arm, "I have something important to say to you," she whiepered.

Ae though she were guiding him, for she still kept that light touch on. his sleeve, she retreated farther into the shadow.

When they were close to the wall, and so isolated completely from the lighted-up centre of the garden of the Embassy, she turned and faced him. "This is the last time you and I will meet in life," she said quietly. "I mean as we are now, alone—and, I have a favour to ask of you." He took her hand in his; his sister had implied that Magia was in a high fever, but the hand he held in his now was cold, cold. On thie hot night it was as if he were holding a dead hand. Ho lifted it to hia lips.

(To he continued Saturday next.)