CHAPTER IX

IN WARSAW

PON leaving the quarters of Count Piper, Charlie re-

turned to the camp, and after discussing the matter

with Major Jervoise proceeded with him to the colonel’s
but.

“Well, you look brighter this morning, Carstairs. Are
you better pleased now you have thought the matter over?”

“Yes, sir. What you said last night has been quite con-
firmed by Count Piper, and the matter does not really
seem so difficult. J am merely, as a foreigner in the em-
ployment of the King of Sweden, to talk with foreigners
in Warsaw, to assure them that the king is sincere in his
desire to avoid war with Poland, and will gladly make a
lasting peace between the two countries, to urge upon them
to show themselves favourable to his project for securing
such a peace, by forcing Augustus to resign the crown, and
to use what influence they can in that direction, both upon
their fellow-traders and upon the Poles.”

“There is nothing very difficult about that,” Colonel
Jamieson said cheerfully, “as it happens to be quite true;
and there can be no real question as to the true interest of
Poland, and especially of the trading classes in the great
towns, from whom heavy contributions towards the ex-
penses of war are always exacted by their own rulers, and

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