The Portland daily press., 1898-03-28
CHAPTER V.-LORD WARNHAM'S
ADMISSION.

"Anything further?" inquired the great
statesman in low mechanical tone, his
case fixed straight before him as he sat.
Nothing further. your lordshlp,
answered the telegraphist.
The Earl of Warnham sighed deeply,
his thin hands tWitching in nervous eX-
element be strove In vain to suppress.
Ask if Lord Maybury is in town,
he said, hoarsely. suddenly rousing him
self.
Again the instrument clicked and a
few minutes later the telegraph1se, turn
ing to the Foreign Minister, said:
1.-THE Premier is in town, your lord
Ship
lhe Earl glanced at his watch few
seconds in silence. then exclaimed:
Tell Gaysford to inform Lord Maybury
at once of the contents of this last dis
patch from ST. Petersburg, and say that
I will meet the Premier at $50 at the
Foreign Office"
The telegraphist touched the key, snd
in a few moments the Ministers orders
were obeyed. Then taking sheet OF note
paper and a pencil he wrotes in priavse
cipher a telegram, which he addressed to
her Majesty a5 Osborne. This, too, the
clerk dispatched at once over the wire,
followed by urgent messages to mem bers
of the Cabinet Council and to Lord
Kingsbury, Communicating Chief OF the
British Army, asking them to meet In
formally at six O'Clock that evening at the
Foreign Office.
When all these messages had been trans
mitted with a rapidity that was astonish-
ing, the telegraphist turned in his chair
and asked:
Anything more. your lordship?"
"No, nothing for the present, he an
swered. "Leave us. -
Then. when he had gone, the Earl rose
hands
olasped behind his back strobe up and
down the library in silent contemplation:
Suddenly he halted before me where l
stood, and abruptly asked:
"What did you say was the name OF
that friend who lunched with you yester-
day" ;,
"And his profession"
"He had none His father left him
with enough to live upon comfortably:
"Who was his father?'' he inquired
with sharp look of doubt.
"a landowner"
"Where?"
81 don't know"
The Earl slightly raised his shaggy
grey brows, then continued:
How long have you known this
friend?"
"Several years"
"You told me that he has died since
yesterday His Iaordship said lis not
that rather curious fact-if trueg'
"Truer' 1 cried. "You apparently
don bit me. A telegram to the police al
STAINS will confirm my statement"
Eyes, I never disguise my doubts,
Decides, y the Earl snapped, fixing his
grey eyes upon mine. II suspect very
Strongly that you have sold the secret &c
our enemies; you have. to put it plainly,
hetI,aye0 YOUR country.
~ deny itl'' replied, with fierce
anger. III care not for any of your
alleged proofs True, the man who wal
with me during the whole time L was
absent is dead, Nevertheless, am pre-
pared to meet and refute all the. accusa
tions YOU may bring against me-"
"Well, we shall see. We shall see,' ht
answered dryly, swapping his fingers, and
library from end to end with steps q
trife more hurried than before. WE
haye-nay, I personally been the
victim of dastardly spies: but Will MOI
rest until I clear up the mystery ano
Inenf he deserves. Think" he cried.
"Think what this means! England :
prestige is ruined, her power is chal
ieneed: and ere long the great armies OF
Russia and France win be swarmine
uron our shores In the fights at sea anc
the fights on land with modern arma
ments the results must be too terrible &c
contemplate The disaster that we must
face will, l fear, be crushing and com
plete l am not, 1 have never been, one
OF those over-confiden6 idiots who believe
our island impregnable; bat am old fash
Toned enough to incline towards Napole
on S opinion. We are apt TO rely upon
our naval strength, strength that may
or may not, be up to the standard o.
&c rn4t tan
what remains? England must be troddel
beneathsthe iron heel of the invader, and
the Russian eagle will float beside the
tricolour in Whitehall"
bat can diplomacy do nothing tt