CHAPTER XXVIII.

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 71

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The editorial staff of the Mercury had rertainly done its work very well. No detail had been spared to make the report absolutely complete. Every (jody was reminded that recently there had been a great deal of friction in that corner of the Balkans known a& Astimia. It was well known that foi many years Russia had covoted that fair province. Up to now the crown of the King of Asturia had been quite safe. But with the advent of the pres&nt monarch things were entirely different. King Igor had very early in his career given evidence that he did not appreciate the full measure of responsibility. He was too fond of gaie-ty and pleasure ; he had no patriotism. His people were a stern, hard-living race, and thay did not appreciate the gaiety of the new Court.

The- Queen was all very well, but she was only the consort, after all. It too useless for her to be ever on the spot whilst the King was dissipating his fortune and spending the money ground from his people by extra taxation in London and Paris. And latterly eyes had been turned to Vienna, where dwelt Prince Alix, who was known to covet the throne. At any mompnt there might be a glaring tragedy, and Prince Alix might find himself with the crown. That Prince Alix was notoriously a friend of Russia mattered little at the present juncture.

Leelimere read all this as he hurried along Fleet street. He also read a lot of information that was true, and more that was false. Evidently the Mercury people cared for nothing beyond the sensation of the hour. But after ail this came the sting of the thing. The Bang of 'Asturia had that night gone down to the Mercury office and demanded audience of the editor. He had been very wild and violent, and the intimation that he was hopelessly intoxicated Mas not very carefully concealed. The King wished it to bo understood that he had dome with Asturia. He had no>t the slightest intention of going back to his capital any more. His abdication was signed, and doubtless by that tune a depuTfution was on its way to Vienna to offer the throne to Prince Alix. Altogether, it was perhaps die most sensational report that ever appeared even in an American paper It was certain to create a great commotion and set all the Courts of Europe by the ears.

"Well, of a r the amazing audacity!"' Lechmere muttered as he raced along. "Nothing more daring has ever been done in the history of political intrigue. I wonder if Hunt suspects the truth. Not that it would make any difference to him so long as he could shift the responsibility afterwards, as I daresay he will be propared with proofs that he was justified in what he did. There is only one way to get -even with this thing." Lechmere arrived at length at the office of the Daily Herald. The paper in question had very little taint of the modern spirit about it. There was no chance, for instance, that it would ever be published for less than a penny. The Herald hadno veiy great reputation for enterprise, but it was sound and safe, and everything therein would be accepted as true. No newspaper in the kingdom carried moro w'eigbt, no journel had a greater reputation for veracity.

The Herald had not gone to press yet. There was no great hurry, seeing thaS the feverish rush to capture circulation had never commended itself to the paper's proprietors. There- (vas a sense of decorum about the office that had been lacking in the -entourage of the Mercury. The place seemed more dignified ; there was no noise ; all the corridors had felted floors.

Lechmere knew that he would ■ have no difficulty in seeing the editor jf the Herald. In the first place, that gentleman was an old friend of his — indeed, Leclunere had contributed from time to time many articles on foivign polities. Mr Eveleigh was at liberty, and would see Mr Lechmere at once. The editor was lying back in an armchair smoking a cigar.

"I have just finished, my dear fellow," he said "I hope you have something 'good for me ! Nothing wrong ? You look actu-

ally excited — a most unusual thing for you." "I certainly have come along at a pretty good pace," Lechmere admitted. "A most extraordinary thing has happened. If this matter is allowed to pass there is no limit to the damage that it may do. Will you be so pood as to cast your ere on that. Evekigh?"

The editor of the Herald took the Mercury in his hand as if he had been contaminated. There was a smile of contempt on his fine face. "But the smile faded away, and an interesting gleam came into his eyes as he read. He tossed the paper aside at length.

"Nothing very wonderful," he said. '"Tha* is precisely how I should have expected tb& present ruler of Astuna to behave. It's a fine scoop for Hunt, and one after his own heart He would set the whole of Europe in a blaze to sell an extra 50.000 papers."

"Why not? He is an American, and his aim is to make money. He has tha excuse that he is not bound by any patriotic scruples. Do you believe that story?"' "It certainly has the impress of truth,"' Eveleigh - said thoughtfully. '"Hunt dare not hoax his public. The average Briton would never stand it. Besides, that's Hunt's own -writing. He is peifectly certain to (have taken the statement "down from t'is royal Kps "

"Ko doubt. Probably with the< aid of a (stenographer. There aie ho flies ou Hunt, to use a pet expression of his own. Let us assume for I 1m; sake of argument that Hunt fully believes that he has had the thing from the principal actoi hi the drama. But all the fcanie, ho d:dn"t. Tha

man who dictated that statement was no mine King of A&turia than I am.''

Eveleigh looked up brightly. Lechmere was not in the habit of making statements that he couldn't prove. "As a matter of fact, the King lias been at I/Oid Mrreh-Tven's all the evening," ha went ou. ''I left him there a little whiia ago. This thing has been deliberately got r.p by the gang of conspir.itois who £.ie working hero in the interests of Russia, and, incidentally, for their ov.n pockets. When the proper time con es I will name all iheso runspiratcrs to you. I can ever give you the name of the man who played the part for Hunt's benefit. They chose their people caiefully, knowing that only the Mercury out of all the London journals would publish that without first consulting the Foreign Secretary. Don't you see the game? Every paper in Paris and Vienna and St. Petersburg will get a copy of that interview in extenso. It \till create a perfect furore in Asturia >f the lie is not most promptly contradicted. You see "rthat I mean?"

"In the first place, that some clover actor iias bjen playing the King?" Eveleigh asked.

"Yes. It mos Countcs Raens's idea in tho first p'aoe. I am afnud .that some of our people inspired her with the suggestion. But that is neither here nor there. That lie lias to ba scotched, nnd you arc the man to do it. After ail said ami done, the journalistic authority abjoad is 'he Heiald. Therefore the Herald is goiiii; to print that wild story ot Euct's to-night and comment upon the audacity of the scheme. Also, you are gf'-ng to proclaim the fact that the real King ot Astmia was known to be at the residence of the Foreign Secretary. Lord Merehaven. at the time when he was supposed to ba betraying his private affairs to the rditoi of the Mercury. If I were not absolutely certain of my facts I would not ask you to do this, Eveleigh. I want you (o make a big thing of this. I want you to assume that Hunt has been hoaxed, and call for the prompt punishment of the criminals. Is there time?"

"Oh, there is plenty of lime," Eveleigh said thoughtfully. "2s T o trouble on that; score. And I think I can manage it. Sit down for a minute or two while I go and see mv chief of staff."

Lechmere sat down, fluttering over the pages of the Mercury. His re&tless eye ■wandered down the columns and along the crowded advertisements. Finally his gaze stopped at the agony column. One line thero arrested his attention. It was a jumbled 1 cypher, but the training that Leclunere had had in that kind of thing enabWl him to read it almost at a glance.

"I thought so," he said. "I felt abso Jutely certain of my man. So Peretori is m London! I might have guessed that from the first. Well, it seems to me thai I am in a position to hoist these people with their own petard. So long -as Peretori is not in earnest, well and good. 1 wonder is there is a telephone anywhere here?"

There was a telephone at the back of the editor's desk, and Lechmere promptly called up Scotland Yard in search of information After a pause the information came, which Lectomere carefully jotted l down in his pocket book. Eveleigh came back with the air of a busy man.

"I'm going to do it, Lechmere," he* said. '"No tha.nks needed : >i will be a good thing for us. And now I shall be glad if you will go, as I shall be pretty busy for the next hour. I think you will be safe to leave matters in my bands."