The Argosy, October 1906 — page 89: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

me esnGnded + Gregg in this affair of ours. Now that “the duke has. arrived, there is ‘no longer = reason for delay. Our next step can be 2 taken. And, count, it is decreed = are to take it.” : He sprang up, all eagerness. “You may be disappointed,” I said, “in the apparent pettiness of your first mission. But, believe me, it is a most im- portant one. Also, the order emanates from the highest quarters of all; and it is for neither = us to dispute such or- ders.” He nodded respectful assent. I was getting on swimmingly; for I had care- fully composed and rehearsed each sen- _ tence. ‘As I said, the seiet is imperative,”* I : resumed. “ While we may not under- stand its full purport, we can at least obey it. In fact, it was for that purpose that I was commanded to bring Mr. Gregg here.” “T do not quite follow you, sir.” : “TY was instructed” (I did not add é that the instructions came from myself) oe “to bring Mr. Gregg to Naples for reasons that cannot be named here. has been set aside for ‘special work. I was to wait until an exigency arose, which now has risen, and then to request - you to give him certain information.” ~ "Certain information?” he echoed, . puzzled. ~ ———s * Yes. For some excellent reason you have been deputed to explain to him from first to last the nature of our league. —its plans, its work, its great object. Believe me, this task. has been conferred on you as a token of honor.” He stared at me in open amazement. ay ery strange!” he muttered. “ You are sure there is no mistake?” = “Count Sebaste,” I replied, with a haughty sternness that did me _ vast credit “if I were the sort of man who made mistakes should I be wearing tot ee or I drew my coat aside and revealed the == ae scarab which I had stuck on the ‘inner lapel of my evening waistcoat. Se He was convinced; even deeply eS aa Yet he made one further oe Sree — THE SCARLET SCARAB. | eee 463 “as to the status of my friend - that you He —extraneous thing. — -mystic order. a) ym “ If it - were Pron ee oneal impatient- ae = = ly, ‘‘should your superiors have given _ the order and made it peremptory?” ae His last objection vanished. Se ‘Tt is part of our oath to obey blind- 3 ee ly,’ he acquiesced. ‘“ He has been _ sworn, of course?” . eS “His discretion has been sealed, 2 Ss answered in perfect truth. “‘ He obeys Es blindly and only requires the details. — You may speak freely. He is vouched * for!” <= ‘‘ So be it!”’ assented Sebaste. re a heii Ay pK , fi AY, rie ? S 4 - Turning to the statue-like Gregg. he oS a to talk in English. oe I LEARN MARVELOUS THINGS. ee ‘Mr. GREGG,” said Sebaste, “T am 2 deputed to explain to you the nature and _ eg great purpose of the order into which, as se I understand, you have already been See ‘initiated. - That you sought membership — ae and fulfilled our severe requirements be- fore fully learning the nature of your ee act, is to my mind most unusual. But it ee doubtless does credit to your faith nm your Sponsors ; and 1 now it only remains for me to fulfil my own share in the = Mb Fe by oh work by obeying the commands trans- mitted and indorsed by Mr. D’ Auban, the order’s legate to Italy.” The preamble was stiff and verbose; but the man’s earnest dignity lent a sol- _ emn tinge to it. . It impressed Billy. Despite his mo- tionless features I could see that. It would have impressed me, too, were I not too excited to be impressed by any — I barely grasped the fact that I was Italian legate of this y ALLL Py | a AWE J p ; ae! “The Brotherhood of Vienna,” ~re= sumed Sebaste, ‘ ‘is an association with __ branches in every country in the world. Instituted forty years ago by three bril- — liant young Austrians, it now embraces a membership of more than one thousand, — and with resources reaching far into the millions. We number Russian grand _ dukes and Sardinian peasants in our ranks. Our headquarters, as you know, _ are at Vienna, and each country has its own branch, ruled by a sub-president, or legate, who receives his orders Se i" , pe Uy ‘ P : , M Jarre Pie se ap ih Ps et i} f 1 Ply , ay ' Fy! FAN . ‘ j Tren ee pif Many Phar we, ah i eae eA een Mat: CNA TH 4 aM Wet NPP Ae ONY Va enn TS AT i} bed Yo iin Whe ty PHAN - comic oy DO)