The Argosy, October 1906 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

“ One reason fer our great success,’ continued Sebaste, ‘ -erecy with which every negotiation is conducted. The initiates know each other solely by password and counter- sign. membership. The Head Couricil lays out a campaign, allots to each his part in it, and places him under the orders~ of his country’s legate. No written word is passed. All funds are paid di- rect to the Head Council, and by hand. The Council in return pays to each his share. “We may not even know who is legate _ to any land but our own. The legates are appointed from Vienna and come to . us bearing no testimonial, no credentials ; in fact, no sign of authority whatsoever, except the high emblem of authority; an emblem that is known and revered by every member of the Brotherhood. “Perhaps you have seen Mr. ban wear a scarlet scarab scarf-pin? ‘The scarab is our emblem. The beetle ‘signifying secrecy, industry, and endless tenacity ; the scarlet signifying gold and- the royal hue of wealth. It is death for any save an accredited legate to wear it. 2? It may be imaemee how delightfully comfortable this last bit of information made me. For weeks, it seemed, I had been unconsciously courting assassina- Aion. Had the “Man from Vienna” -” turned up in the interim I should doubt- less at once have been made the mark for a score of stilettos. ““ However,’ went on Sebaste, “ there is no chance of such a thing. For there are only a few such scarabs made; only one for each legate. And whenever a legate dies his scarab is returned at once to headquarters and conferred on his successor. “We may not meet publicly, -Brethren of the Vienna Order. fore, there are, in or near each large we city, one or more secret meeting-places — where, at a signal, we gather for import- ant business. Each of these places bears the painted image of the scarlet scarab. I have the honor to be chief officer of the Brotherhood in Naples. And my second in command is the Duke of Ferata. Both of us are under the ; orders of Mr. D’Auban. f THE ‘SCARLET SCARAB. -* ‘is the perfect — There are no written rolls of — derstands all that a private ‘member of -the Brotherhood may know.” a low fellow of that type could scarcely answering, fumbled, and dropped it. there at Solfatara got to do with this — shootin’-match of yours? — D’Au- | “me in Italian, firm or deny that report,” There- — only then I remembered that I had said = to me, as ae as Sekible “Mr. ees bes = ing previously taken the oath of implicit | obedience under pain of death, now un- | I, at least, == a a. Whether he did or not, understood all except the bandit- -guide Murena’s share in the matter. Surely a be of use in this infamous marriage bureau. — = - Il drew out my cigarette-case before “Sayer growled Billy, breaking the — = silence for the first time, in obedience to the signal, “ what’s that dago geezer out That Murena = ae guy. Where does he come in?” ~~ = ‘Oh, he is not one of us. But we find it mutually convenient to aiiliae with certain of the more ambitious sort of banditti. Murena is leader of a band of men who eke out a living as guides, porters, and so forth, in order to hide their various real trades. He is bound by oath to obey our legate in certain © matters, in return for legal protection and similar favors. He and others.” He rose to go. Re “ By the way, sir, * he said, addressing — Se = is. it indiscreet to Tepext = Sie a rumor which has gained credence in Ses the Naples branch of the Brotherhood — os and to ask if it is true?” Without ‘awaiting a reply, he added: “T hear the Council have decided to send a legate to America—in fact, have already conferred the scarab on’ ‘one— and that it is a woman who has been. selected. Is—— “YT am not at liberty either to con-— I replied - stiffly ; just as I had been wont to ad- = dress stray reporters who had wandered into my factory to inquire concerning the — = prospects of a strike, adding, in memory of what he had recently said: “ The ap- . = pointment of such a legate would of — course be unknown except to the” Ameri- = = can branch.” == Offended, he bowed curtly and left the room. And, ass that I was, it was not a word about Ferata nor sought » to (EC) micbooks.cor (Se