The Port of Missing Men
his back Wherein he puts alms fo
e gives me no pleasure," growle
amiability; but for a renowned diplomat, you are remarkably frank. When I called on you i
the table between them stood an open despatch box, and about it lay a number of packets of papers which the old gentleman, with characteristic caution, had remo
f peculiar delicacy. The agents had failed in their mission, and Von Stroebel was not tolerant of failure. Perhaps if he had known that within a week the tapers would burn about his bier in Saint Stephen's Cat
return to Vienna on the following day. The young man whom he now entertained in his apartments received his whole attent
an's carte de visite,
ita
ame alias you were using
et it?" demande
" replied the young man. "Besides, it's English, and I pa
ly creditable; but it's
ess of his thought. The hands he clasped on the table were those of age, an
quite well," sai
ll. I am an old man, and I have
of government. I have read-only to-day, in the Contemporary Review-an admirable tribute to your sagacity in
for his thoughts were far away, as the vag
-one comes to Geneva at th
th sudden energy. "If the papers you gave me
at, what should I
ents-for events! If you ex
an's earnest manner, asked if he mi
at. I was not born for the waiting list. You see, I h
s own hands together mo
e searc
lanced about-"is it positively tru
ly no doubt of it," said Armitage,
ersistent. We hear it frequently in Vienna; I have heard it since y
e truth. He died in a Canadian lumber camp. We were in the nort
was nothing else he di
oeb
packet I
d man
e. It is of great importance, indeed, to Francis, his worthless son, or
te dead, never quite alive-and his son Frederick Augustus lur
n earth in a position t
Arm
uld give me t
death of the Archduke Karl, and of his son Frederick Augustus. Those pap
I must have them!"
g with that document I gave you in Paris. It is safer in America t
e to control his agitation; but fear had never been reckoned
olen from under my very nose only a month ago! That's what I'm here for-my agents are after the thief, and I came to Geneva to
this case he watched Armitage warily. He clearly expected some outburst of indignation from the young man, and he was unfeignedly reli
" he observed calmly; "whom
aned upon the
miable
ing. Francis would not know a
e is the devil!" b
the very reason that it contains that awful indictment of her. I have been uncomfortable ever since I gave it to you; and I cam
it, and Rambaud and Franci
ambaud. The nam
who aims high-a broker in secrets, a scandal-peddler. He's a bad lot, I tell you. I've had my best men after
d Armitage. "If your agents have failed at th
of the situation ir
cis and his friends, Winkelried and Rambaud, are not chasers of fireflies, I would have you know.
von Stroebel stared at
nd he rested one of his hands upon the despatch box
he young ma
. Karl was a genius, therefore he could not be king. He threw away about five hundred years of work that had been done for hi
ed with his rough burr; an
ienna and set yourself up like a
ld die in Vienna in a week. Moreover, I am dead, and it is wel
eace; but he is forever turning up in some mischief. And what can you do about it? Can we kick him out of the army without a scandal? Don't you
nodded an
he old statesman glared at him he said in Ge
or action, and not for discussion. That packet was s
nd the old prime minister slipped from German to F
d his chief, Winkelried, could make a king of Francis, the brokerage-the commi
al press has given much space to him
He is the most daring
glass of brandy from a silve
he threw open a leather portfolio and drew from it a small photograph which he
!" he ex
he is something else. I will furnis
you care to give me; but it may amuse you to
he old man, who never evinced
e him here with
died it attentively, while he waited for Armitage
eached here yesterday; and Rambaud, alias Chauven
rrect name. I must inform
h to arr
advertise my business by having him arrested here. If I could catch him once in Vienna I should know what to do with him! He and Winkelried got hold of our plans in that Bu
ing young American gi
Armitage sharply, while Arm
sterous marriage. Go back where you be
waiting is not my forte. That's what I like about America;
ine!" rumbled Von St
. Who knows but that John Armitage might become famous among them-in politics, in finance! But for the deplorable accident of fo
a fool. You are youn
the reluctance of
, with all
rets. Something may happen-who can tell? Events-ev
of events," laughed Armitage; then he changed his tone. "To be sure, th
Don't mention those scavengers to me! Bah! The very thought of them makes m
o America with him. He took care that I should get what was left when he died-and, I am almost afraid to tell you that I have actua
t. "In due course it will be t
American newspaper
as busy with his own thoughts; then the count
st rate. Do you spe
n English tutor, and maybe I did not tell you in that inter
you do that for?"
rchduke died. That was three years ago. I am twenty-eight, as you may remember. I am detaining you; I h
back and make a man of yourself. You might go far-very
rom tumbling down like a stack of bricks-it does not appeal to me. You have spent a laborious life in defending a silly medieval tradition of government. You are using all the apparatus
frowned an
e like that. It
ings, who would drop through the gallows or go to planting turnips without
he old man grimly. "I shall perha
the royal palaces. If I were coming back to Europe I should go in fo
d persuade them to proclaim democ
nd, I should bec
. Much as you have grieved me, I sh
ost document, appear in Vienna and announce myself Frederick Augustus, the son of the Archduke Karl! I knew both men intimately. You may remember that Frederick and I were born in the same month. I, too, am Frederick Augustus! We passed commonly in America as brothers. Many of the personal effects of Karl and Augustus a
effort to find words with which to break in upon this impious declaratio
mad. You will do well to go back to A
nd his manner c
you. Please pardon me! Let us be
te. The chasm
ch box as though by habit. It represented power, majesty and t
ack and forth over the box caressingly. Suddenly he bent
one service-to uphold one idea. You have spoken of that wor
no one can gainsay tha
re or how you perform it. I am not so near gone as you may think. I know well enough that they are waiting for me to die; but I am in no hurry to afford my enemies that pleasure. But stop this babble of yo
for the Empire?" murmure
nand von St
not see you again." As he took Armitage's hand he scrutinized him once more with particular care; there
said abruptly, and waved h