Havoc | Page 9

door and
slipped away as quietly as I could - and here I am."
Bellamy drew a long breath.
"My God, but this is wonderful!" he muttered. "How long is it since
you left the Palace?"
"About ten minutes or a quarter of an hour," Dorward answered.
"They'll find it out at once," declared the other. "They'll miss the paper.
Perhaps he'll tell them himself that he has given it to you. Don't let us
run any risks, Dorward. Tear it open. Let us know the truth, at any rate.
If you have to part with the document, we can remember its contents.
Out with it, man, quick!. They may be here at any moment."
Dorward drew a few steps back. Then he shook his head.
"I guess not," he said firmly.

Bellamy regarded his friend in blank and uncomprehending
amazement.
"What do you mean?" he exclaimed. "You're not going to keep it to
yourself? You know what it means to me - to England?"
"Your old country can look after herself pretty well," Dorward declared.
"Anyhow, she'll have to take her chance. I am not here as a
philanthropist. I am an American journalist, and I'll part to nobody with
the biggest thing that's ever come into any man's bands."
Bellamy, with a tremendous effort, maintained his self-control.
"What are you going to do with it?" he asked quickly. "I tell you I'm off
out of the country to-night," Dorward declared. "I shall head for
England. Pearce is there himself, and I tell you it will be just the
greatest day of my life when I put this packet in his hand. We'll make
New York hum, I can promise you, and Europe too."
Bellamy's manner was perfectly quiet - too quiet to be altogether
natural. His hand was straying towards his pocket.
"Dorward," he said, speaking rapidly, and keeping his back to the door,
"you don't realize what you're up against. This sort of thing is new to
you. You haven't a dog's chance of leaving Vienna alive with that in
your pocket. If you trust yourself in the Orient Express to-night, you'll
never be allowed to cross the frontier. By this time they know that the
packet is missing; they know, too, that you are the only man who could
have it, whether the Chancellor has told them the truth or not. Open it
at once so that we get some good out of it. Then we'll go round to the
Embassy. We can slip out by the back way, perhaps. Remember I have
spent my life in the service, and I tell you that there's no other place in
the city where your life is worth a snap of the fingers but at your
Embassy or mine. Open the packet, man."
"I think not," Dorward answered firmly. "I am an American citizen. I
have broken no laws and done no one any harm. If there's any
slaughtering about, I guess they'll hesitate before they begin with

Arthur Dorward. . . . Don't be a fool, man!"
He took a quick step backward, - he was looking into the muzzle of
Bellamy's revolver.
"Dorward," the latter exclaimed, "I can't help it! Yours is only a
personal ambition - I stand for my country. Share the knowledge of that
packet with me or I shall shoot."
"Then shoot and be d--d to you!" Dorward declared fiercely. "This s
my show, not yours. You and your country can go to - "
He broke off without finishing his sentence. There was a thunderous
knocking at the door. The two men looked at one another for a moment,
speechless. Then Bellamy, with a smothered oath, replaced the revolver
in his pocket.
"You've thrown away our chance," he said bitterly.
The knocking was repeated. When Bellamy with a shrug of the
shoulders answered the summons, three men in plain clothes entered.
They saluted Bellamy, but their eyes were traveling around the room.
"We are seeking Herr Dorward, the American journalist!" one
exclaimed. "He was here but a moment ago."
Bellamy pointed to the inner door. He had had too much experience in
such matters to attempt any prevarication. The three men crossed the
room quickly and Bellamy followed in the rear. He heard a cry of
disappointment from the foremost as he opened the door. The inner
room was empty!

CHAPTER III
"OURS IS A STRANGE COURTSHIP"
Louise looked up eagerly as he entered.

"There is news!" she exclaimed. "I can see it in your face."
"Yes," Bellamy answered, "there is news! That is why I have come.
Where can we talk?"
She rose to her feet. Before them the open French windows led on to a
smooth green lawn. She took his arm.
"Come outside with me," she said. "I am shut