THE DAY; OR, THE PASSING OF A THRONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE DAY; OR, THE PASSING OF A THRONE.

BY FRED M. WHITE, Author of " The Nethor Millstone." " The Corner House," "The Slav© of Silence," " Craven Fortune," " The Scales of Justice," etc.. etc. (COPYRIGHT.) SYNOPSIS. ' Stuart Hallett ami Paul Rosslyn, of the Secret Service, pick up and decipher a mysterious wireless message, which reads as follows:—" The Mailed Fist is torn and bruised. Tho Steel Gauntlet is filled with its wearer's blood. The time has como to cut 't off." They take it to mean that some Gorman Socialist in London is trying to inform his countrymen of the failure of the German advance on Paris. Paul Rosslyn boos to call on Pierre Leroux (an Alsatian by birth, but British by naturalisation! and his daughter. Vera. Paul tells them of the wireless messages, and is alarmed to see how his knowledge of it affects them. After ho has left ho receives a message from Vera imploring him lo fortiet what he has heard that night. Deeply puzzled lis goes back to see hor. He tells her he lovos her, and she tells him she cannot marry him. as she is a German patriot to an extent ho little dreams ofProfessor Garzia, a Spanish musician, calls on Lady Loxton, who tolls him that Berlin has got wind of a new neToplono invented by Paul Rosslyn Both Gania and Lady Loxton are spies in tho service of tho German Government. CHAPTER VI. a CHECK ALL norm Lißi: a cat and as noiselessly, Garzia crept from the flat and made his way down tho flights of stairs. He did not ring for the lift, for he counted on the nightwatchman being asleep in his box, and considerately had no desire to disturb him. Ho smiled pleasantly to find the forecast correct, and ho slid off in the darkness without a soul being any the wiser. Even though the streets were empty, Garzia took no risk, and he used every patch of shadow as if it had been cover on a battlefield. He came at length to the par ago where he kept his car, a motor which lie bad excellent reasons for looking after himself. It was supposed to be a hobby of his, but at any rate it avoided a curious chauffeur and enabled Garzia to get about in all hours of the day and night without having to make a lot of more or loss plausible explanations. He closed the tightly-fitting door and switched on the light. Then he proceeded rapidly to don a full chauffeur's uniform and a cap that hid his dark hair. The addition of a pair of goggles changed him beyond all recognition. He chuckled as he regarded himself in the looking-glass; then he took up a spray of brilliant red paint, and in a few minutes had transformed his pale car into a crimson one. All this would wash off quite easily presently, and when the number-plate had been changed and fresh lamps added he felt ready to defy the keenest eye. Then he boldly started the car, and slid along noiselessly till Medhurst Gardens was reached. There was no occasion to give Marie Loxton the signal, for she was already waiting in the doorway for the arrival of tho car. She had made no attempt to disguise herself, for there was no occasion. If anybody met them on the road she would merely bo taken for a lady out on urgent business, who was being driven by her own chauffeur. They slid away almost noiselessly through the sleeping -city, Lady Loxton from time to time indicating the direction by a wave of her arm. Their destination was not moro than twenty miles, and this should be accomplished by four o'clock, when it would still be pitch dark. The rest was no great matter. It would not be a difficult thing to gain access to the hangar in which the aeroplane was lying, ana, with any luck, the prize would be safely housed in Garzia a garage before dawn. So they hurried along the silent roads, encountering nobody besides an occasional country policeman. The night was dark and black as the throat of a wolf, but Gaxzia slung along easily, for be was an accomplished driver. Lady Loxton laid her hand upon his arm presently, and the car stopped at the entrance to a narrow lane. " You had better back her in here," the woman whispered. "We are very near to our destination. I know that Rosslyn's workshops are in a field at the bottom of the lane, and the hangar can't be very far off. Shut down the engine and follow me." It was not easy work fumbling along tho Jane in the pitch darkness, but the journey was accomplished at length, and a white gate loomed like a ghost a little way ahead. Beyond was a range of buildings dark against the skyline, and towards these the two adventurers made their way. It all seemed to be plain sailing now, till something snapped under Garzia's foot, then a. gruff voice challenged near. It was a moment of something more than danger, and indeed it spelt exposure and disgrace. If tho man with the revolver held them up long enough for assistance to arrive, then their career would be at an end. Even tho ready-witted Garzia was at a loss for the moment. But not so the woman by his side. She grasped him tensely by tho arm, and hissed in his ear. "Drop," she said, "on your hands and knees at once and get behind the fellow. He is about five yards straight in front of me, and I saw his outline for a second against a door. Get behind him, and kill him when the time comes. Leave him to me." Garzia needed no second bidding. He dropped like a. shot rabbit on the wet grass, and proceeded to stalk his prey. He heard Mario Loiton utter a little cry of joy and relief, or, at any rate, so it seemed to tho sentinel standing there. It was quite clear that the guardian was j unaware of the fact that thero were two trespassers, and under the fond illusion that ho had only a woman to deal with. " Oh, I am so glad I have found somebody," said Marie Loxton in tones of relief. " I have never been so frightened in my life. I was on the way to see a friend of mine that was taken suddenly ill, and I was stupid enough to think that I could drive myself. I managed to Btcer my car into a ditch, and if you will be so kind—" There was no occasion to say any more, for the man standing there gave a gasp as he dropped senseless from a murderous blow on the back of the head. Garzia bent over him coolly. "He won't trouble anybody'for an hour or two," he said. " That was very smart of you, Marie. Now como along, for there is not a moment to be lost. Thero is the hangar, and here is my pocketlamp. Well, so much for the lock. Now shut the door while I find tho switch and turn on the light. Here we are, and—" The chuckling speech broke off suddenly, and a yell of rage came from Garzia's lips. For all this toil and all these risks were wasted. The hangar was empty. , . -Now what does all this mean? Garzia. hissed. "Thero isn't so much hero as a -box of matches. And from what I heard over the telephone to-night the aeroplane must have been here an hour or two ago. I'd give five years of my life to know where Rosslyn is just now. He is a lucky beggar, anyhow." Had Garzia only known! Hours before Rosslyn had retraced, his steps in tho direction of Cannon Street with the full intention of knowing the worst. Tho cool air of the night chilled the fever in his blood, and he saw his duty clearly before him. He resolutely put Vera out of his mind, he would forget her altogether. Ho had only ono object in view, and that was to discover the hidden mystery in a busy city street. Ho went cautiously up tho stairs presently. He was all ready, nor did he anticipate any kind of trouble. He would be able to find the switch and turn light. But all that was done for him in the twinkling of an eye. He had a fleeting vision of Leroux, and a big burly man whom tho former addressed as Ludwig. Then he was carried to tho floor, and a pair of handcuffs snapped upon his wrists.

CHAPTER VII.

THE DEAD OF NIGHT. It was futile to struggle, vain to regret, It was the old story over again, the story of Samson and Delilah in another form. Rosslyn cursed himself as he remembered the many little things he had told Vera Leroux from time to time, especially the information he had given her as to his wonderful new aeroplane. He was in the hands of unscrupulous Germans, who would not hesitate to destroy him if it suited their purpose. They would probably try and strike a bargain with him, and he waited with admirable patience to hear it. "Now listen to me," Leroux said. " You have been trapped. There is no blame attached to you— far wiser mind than yours would have failed to see tho bait. And you have precipitated matters yourself. - I had no idea that you were on the track till to-night, or I should have toasted my cheese in another fashion. Now it is necessary to approach you in a different way. Ah, things are not so bad as they seem. If you will give ino your word of honour to say nothing of this discovery of yours you are free to depart. If you aro willing to trust mo and my friend hero for seven days—" Rosslyn laughed bitterly. "Ah, precisely," Leroux smiled. "If I were in your place I should probably take the same view. It is too late to tell you the truth, besides you would not have believed me if I did. We want you, and mure especially that wonderful biplane of yours—the marvellous machine that takes up no more room than a big sea chest, the aerial bird" that rises from tho ground like a swallow. Also the engine that makes no more noise than the drone- of a beo. And wo get our own way thus.*'

Leroux raised his hands, and tho man called Ludwig came forward. He carried something that looked like a shining needle, the point of which he thrust in Rosslyn's arm. The latter drew a deep breath, thero was a click in his throat, then he swayed gently forward and fell, to all appearance dead, nt Leroux's feet. Tho latter laid him out on the floor tenderly enough, and proceeded to remove the handcuffs.

" There is no other way, Ludwig," he said, as lie busied himself in stripping his unconscious prisoner. "We should nevor have convinced him, and time is precious. Here, hand me those bandages and sheets- This is where you come in."

It needed but a minute or two to transform Rosslyn into tho presentment of a man wounded to the point of death. His hands were bandaged across his chest, hi? head was enveloped iu a cloth which seemed to be soaked with blood, a few deft touches of a paint brush, and his face assumed the whiteness of marble. Then the burly Ludwig took up the body as if it had been no moro than a feather weight and carried it down to the street. The road was empty.

Immediately opposite tho doorwav stood a huge car flying the Red Cross flag. A littlo way further down the street was a light motor-ambulance which appeared to be piled high with stretchers. Leroux gave a grunt of satisfaction when he saw it.

"Quick." he whispered hoarsely. " there's no lime to be lost. You worked that business very cleverly, my friend. Apparently tho forged instructions came off all rijbr, nnd that is the biplane behind. Good. It's now half-past one, and it will not be light before seven. We must be in Yarmouth safely hidden in the house of our friend long before them. Now then."

The two cars slid awav into the darkness, and through the streets of London without attracting attention or exciting suspicion. It would have been all the same if they had. for no preparation had been neglected. Leroux had his storv pat to the last word, documentary evidence properly signed and vouched to confirm it. If he was stopped later on, then ho was merelv conveying a wounded soßier who had just had a dangerous operation l>crformed upon him back to bis own homo in Norfolk. He knew perfectly well that it would be at least eight-and-forty hours before Rosslvn opened his eves again, or even gave the faintest sign of life. At the same time lie was pilotof life. At the same time he was piloting an ambulance as far as the hosnital which had recently been established at King's Lynn- The whole delicately laid scheme planned < tit so carefully and nourished so skilfully for nearly tnree years was not eoing to break down now. With what patience Leroux had waited for his chanco! The two cars slid on hour after hour through that chill November night; there was no challenge, and no delay. Long before daybreak the cars passed under an archwav into a stableyard. and thero they lay till darkness Ml again, It was a few minutes past six when tho cars touched the coast at a lonely spot some five miles north of Yarmouth. It was here that they approached tho zone of actual danger, The sea lay some sixty feet below at, the foot of a sheer cliff. Then* they pulled up listening intently till the silence was broken by what appeared to be a poaching cat snarling over a Squealing rabbit. Leroux drew a breath of relief "It's all right." he whispered. " Coast quito clear. Get the invalid out and start up the engine and tip the car into tho sea. It's a pity, but we mustn't take anv risks- . . Good. Now tho same with the other one. . . And that's all right." With infinite rare and some risk Rosslyn's unconscious body was lowered by ropes into a motor-boat at tho foot of the cliff, and the packed acroplano swiftly followed. The precious engino camo last. Half the task was accomplished now, and Leroux resigned himself into tho bands of the burly Ludwig, who was a past master in the art of driving any craft with motor engines. This was where ho came in. He proceeded to rig up an ingenious combination of motorboat and aeroplane, using Rosslyn's wonderful invention for this purpose, and working it therefore from the bows and stern at the same time. He made no mistake; it was evident that his calculation was working out to the fraction of an inch. Ho gave a grunt of satisfaction. "Absolutely right," ho muttered. "By this contrivance we can touch fifty an hour without the slightest danger? And the mail has yet to be born who knows tho course better than I. We, with any luck, should be in Wilhelmshaven by three o'clock, and Korner's launch wiil bo on tho look-out for us. Here's luck to us all-" Without the glimmer of a light or the shadow of hesitation, Ludwig took the wheel and steered for tho open sea. He seemed to have tho eyes of a cat and a perfect confidence; indeed, ho made no idlo boast when ho spoke of his knowledge, and ho knew, too, that it was a thousand to one against meeting anything more dangerous than a fishingsmack or a tramp steamer. Hour after hour the, silent machine worked like a thing of life, a bow wave swirled on either side of the little boat, and yet on the smooth sea hardly a drop of water was shipped. The two men sat there motionless and silent, alert and watchful for any threatened danger. From time to time they could witch the glimmer of lights in tho distance, hut nothing came within hailing distance, and presently Ludwig's keen eyes could make out on tho horizon-what appeared to be a bank i of clouds, but which he knew to bo tho coast of Germany. Then the boat slowed down, the aeroplane-engine was taken down, and the whole packed away once more in the semblance- of a big pilo of stretchers. For the first time Ludwig showed a light thrice in rapid succession, and cut off his engine. It wag about an hour later before a 6ea bird cried overhead apparently, and then out of tho velvety darkness a steam launch appeared. A guttural voice challenged the motor-boat cautiously. "It is all right," Ludwig said. "We have the body of his imperial highness on board. No, he is not dead yet. Here, give mo a hand." Tho thing was done. The motor-boat was at the bottom of the sea, and in a room in the citadel Ludwig and Leroux sat talking to Heir von Korner, commanding tho garrison. And on a truckle bed lay tho body of Rosslyn, still lost to consciousness- " Ho will wako and make history yot," Leroux smiled.

CHAPTER VIII.

ON GERMAN SOIL. Colonel von Korner's haggard, anxious face relaxed for a moment. He looked like a man crushed and broken down by the weight of some great burden. His moustache dropped, he had none of the selfassured swagger that is almost the birthright of a German cavalry officer. His uniform was grimy and soiled, ho might have been sleeping in it for weeks, which indeed was the truth. For the history of the war was no sealed book to him. The great Over Lord might deem it policy to conceal from a deluded .people the long chapter of failure and re'verae which had dogged tho German army from the start. He might pose before the population in the heart of his capital as their champion, and pretend that the sword had not shattered in his grasp, but those in authority knew the truth, and how terrible a retribution was at hand. And von Korner was one of the enlightened type of patriot, who had never cherished any delusions. He had known from tho first what it meant to defy the might of the Triple Entente, what it meant to flaunt defiance in tho face of the British fleet. He knew how near famine and revolution were, he knew that the right man in Berlin could start a rebellion which would drag the JJohenzollern throne from its pedestal and break it in the dust. Ho knew that the German army had gone sullenly to the front with socialism eating into its very vitals. He knew this because he was a socialist himself, a pure-minded and brave patriot who was prepared to fight, not for the Potsdam clique or the war gang in tho Friedriehstrasse, but for tho coming and inevitable German Republic.

All this ho told Leroux and Ludwig as they sat there in that plainly furnished room. But Leroux knew it already, had known it for the last three years. It was to strike a blow for the real freedom of the German pooplp that these men were gathered there to-night.

"So far all has been well," Leroux explained. "As I have just told you, I have had to use a certain amount of violence, indeed without, it Rosslyn would never have consented to join us. But he will not be so bitter against me when he knows the truth. Now listen to me, Citizen Korner. As I always told you, there is no enmity between the British and German peoples. Wo are bound together too closely by ties of blood and money for that. The destruction of Germany would ruin hundreds of thousands of Englishmen—it would be a two-edged sword, reaching half across Europe. I tell you the English aro a great people, and they will help us to bo free. Ah, it is the Kaiser and those he has gathered about him that the English hate and detest. They say that the mad dog of Europe has for twenty years been a menace to the civilisation arffl commerce of the world. It is he they would destroy, he and his ridiculous navy. Once they are out of the way, and you will see a friendship, between Teuton and AngloSaxon such as has not been witnessed since the overthrow of Napoleon. But I waste time. Ludwig, my friend, the antidote if you please."

Half an hour later Rosslyn struggled to his feet, and looked about him in halfblind amazement. He was like a man tired to death yet awakened after a few moments from deep slumber. He threw off his stupor presently, he was conscious of no racking headache, nothing beyond a fierce desire to eat and drink. Ho was in tho hands of the foe, but there was no reason why ho should not make the best of life so long as itVas left to him. With a certain cynical indifference ho accepted von Korner's offer of a cigar.

"Would you mind telling mo where I am ?" he asked.

" You are in the fortress of Wilhelmshaven," Leroux explained. "It doesn't matter how you got here, though I've no doubt you could give a pretty good guess. But you are here, and so is that wonderful aeroplane and engine of yours. Now let mo explain. You regard mo as a German spy who has got the better of you. In a way I am a German spy. But I happen to be a trusted servant of the Democratic Federation. Now we have our followers everywhere. They are even in the Palace of Potsdam, in the office of BethmannHolwegg, acting with von winner without his knowing it, of course and listening to the plans of von der Goltz; we are in workshops of Krupps by tho hundred. And we knew threa years ago that this war would take place just at harvest time in nineteen hundred and fourteen. It was then that. I came to London after six years in Paris. And for three years my London business was no more than a blind. So, my dear Rosslyn, it was small wonder that you were deceived. To a certain extent you forced my hand, and when you raided my littlo establishment it was too late for explanations. So I had to resort to force, Do you believe me now?"

" It is a plausible story," Rosslyn said guardedly.

" Then so far, so good," Leroux went on. " Tho three of us here arc the typo of socialist who would save their country from further useless bloodshed. And we are gcing to strike a blow. It is necessary to strike a blow through the heart of the nation, for it is from the heart that the arteries are fed. Berlin has been cruelly deceived. They know nothing of all these reverses, they have not yet realised that Germany is in a ring of steel, in a kind of chamber of horrors, the walls of which aro gradually closing. They do not know. They do not know that we are no more than a gigantic beleagured fortress, which must fall in tho end from sheer exhaustion. Now we are going to tell Berlin tho truth. Wo have all our documents ready, vouched fur by the heads of our federation, and it should be for you and your aeroplane to fly from hero to Berlin and drop those leaflets by the thousand from the sky over the capital. Most of tho good seed will fall on fertile ground, most of the inhabitants of Berlin are Socialists. There will be a tremendous reaction, a great wave of public indignation, arms will spring from everywhere, and the few troops around the imperial palace will bo overpowered. Within eight-and-forty hours the Kaiser and his army council will be prisoners, and tho Provisional Government formed. The flame will spread like wildfire. Now, sir, will you join with us and permit mo to be your passenger?" Rosslyn saw it all in a flash. These men wero in grim earnest, and ho could see no wrong in helping them. It was a chance to strike a olow for the flag, a chanco hitherto only to dream of. "Then you can count me in," he cried. "I am ready at any moment. Long life and prosperity to the German Republic." CHAPTER IX. THE TRUSTFUL BRITAIN. Billy Montagu strolled into his club and dropped into an armchair in the smoking-room with a discontented sigh. Ho regarded himself as being one of Fortune's victims, but there wero thousands of his own typo all over the country suffering in the same way. Billy was a man of family, an old Etonian who had seen a great deal of service with Paget's Horse during the Boer War. " It's very rough upon me," he told his friends. "I Know I am over fifty, but I am as hard as nails and I am the equal to any man half my ago at anything outdoors. And yet I can't get a job because I got a bullet wound in my foot and I am not so spry as some of them. I tell you this idleness will drive me to drink." Montagu was still harping upon his favourite themo when the little knot in the smoking-room was added to by the appearance of Stuart Hallett. He did not look quite so calm and unconcerned as usual, for he was troubled in his mind over the strange disappearance of Rosslvn and his aeroplane. Two or three clays had elapsed, and it was now Sunday evening, and yet no sign of Rosslyn had been seen. Nobody knew this as yet, but it would be necessary to disclose the fact before very long. So Stuart was un easy in his mind. "Well, how goes it, you lucky beggar ?" Montagu asked cheerfully. " Very fine to be fully occupied like you are. I say, old chap, can't you givo us any sort of a job ? Look at Pascoe yonder. He is positively- starving for work." (To be continued on Wednesday next.)