The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-09-06
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cried despairingly. And stephen Grant
looking Into the troubled face before
him. thought what boy Geoff was, In
spite of his hye-and-twenty years.
Godfrey Hurst was junior secretary
TO the Queens favorite ambassador al
Florence, and a favorite with all about
him.
At the public school where they had
been together Godfrey had been Ste
phen's fag. and the healthful influence
that the elder had over the younger
was never wholly shaken off. So that
Geoffrey Hurst, the budding diploma
list, listened 10 stephens opinion with
as much respect as he had done In the
old days when as a small boy he had
BACKED his boots and cooked his break
fast.
As the two men sat together In the
actors bachelor quarters flor Stephen
was an actor OF some promlse) they
presented striking contrast. Geof-
frey's frock coat fitted his tall figure TO
perfection, while Stephens well-worn
f velvet jacket had a truly Bohemian air
f that was in keeping with the careless
ease of his surroundings. After while
F stephen offered cigar case to his
+ friend, but Godfrey shook his head; he
had not the heart to smoke.
"A cigar helps me to think Stephen
said rs he carefully cut the end of a
+ Havana and applied light: then, be-
Il a H., "A al.A
+ ~: When did you first know that this
mission would he given your
THE day before yesterday the chief
sent for me. Godfrey answered. He
said he had some important documents
TO send 10 the foreign office. aud had
determined 10 iutrust them to me. He
+ spoke very kindly OF the way had
/ served him. and also of the respect he
entertained for my father, altogether
f making me feel that choosing me as
+ tinctlon. How little dreamed Of the
f pitiable result that was TO follow"
When did you first encounter Ham
+ nond?' stephen questioned.
when ! went on board the steamer
At Calais. had not set eyes upon him
since the time we We're both staying
F 1t that house in Yorkshire and ! ex-
+ posed him for his cheating at cards. |
+ quite thought then he would owe me
IN etsrnal grudge for It
stephen frowned. Il had forgotten
+ he episode he said, "and that, added
to what we both knew of him IN the
old days, renders it the more incompre-
nensible that you should have given
him your confidence"
THAT is true enough, Godfrey said.
sadly. but should not have been so
EASILY duped had the passage across the
Channel been II good one You know
what confoundedly bad sailor am.
and the sea was fearfully choppy. l
was completely knocked over, and
Hammond appeared most considerate.
advising me to lie down, and, when
had done so. bringing me brandy, and
then went to sleep
'Well?" stephen said, interrogative-
ly.
W I'll. " men L UNIV htht Oh hNNh
and found we were close upon Dover
harbor. | felt shattered; my head was
swimming. Hammond paid little heed
TO me. and as soon as the boat touched
the pier, hurried off without waiting
for me 10 accompany him. 1t was then
that | realized that my letter-case was
gone"
There We're not many papers, them
You had no dispatch boxY'
NO; merely few letters Enclosed In
a small leather case. When | first dis
covered my loss was stunned; then IL
flashed upon me that | was George
Hammond's yictim-that he had taken
the papers from me while l slept. The
train was still waiting when | reached
the platform, and ! caught sight of him
at one of the carriage windows. don't
know what said in my excitement as
demanded my pocketbook. He laugh
ed, assuring me he knew nothing of 1t.
| caught at the door Of the carriage
and would have torn 1t open, but he
leaned from the window and pushed
me, so that l staggered back, and
heard him say to the people about that
| was drunk! Then | was roughly han
died by the porters, and the train
steamed out of the station"
when you came to your senses you
made your way hereT' Stephen said.
Yes; my first thought was to come
to you. l knew you would help me IL
you could"
Heavens knows l would, dear boy;
but the question is, what can be done 2"
Something must be done, Stephen,
or l shall go mad My honor. my fu-
ture, and-heaven help me.-my whole
life's happiness are at stalker
Stephen watched him critically.
81 expected that" he said. $50 your
ambition has led you to great heights.
and you have dared to set your heart
upon an ambassadors daughter?"
For a moment very tender express
sion filed Geoffrey's eyes. then he said
bitterly:
You are right; my ambition over
leaped itself. / have been living In a
FOOLS paradise, and, heaven knows, the
awakening is hard"
''The best thing might be to put the
matter into the hands Of the police"
Stephen suggested, calmly.
81 cannot bring myself to it." Geof-
frey said. sit would be making public
what l have promised should be ga
cred"
Stephen knocked the ash of his cigar
as he said thoughtfully:
81 wonder II Hammond would de-