The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-03-25
PROLOGUE

q my policy IT yuH VIII Hut agree
tn IL 1 must reconstruct or re-
sign
For 20 seconds TIE premIar Lafd
AlphiuHton. stood vita hla malsa
tir figure framed Iu the black OAK
90 the doorway. then. shaking his
name HE an angry lion, hs turned
and was gone
After an interval % awe-struek
silence the other ministers followed
him out or the room all bat the
three Who had been the cause af
this unruhcaueI effect The tall
man with the stopping shoulders
and the yellow buAEa OF teeth Wa
Sir Gideon Marske. the chancellor
% the eKrhe4uer. the puudsrauH.
oily man VAS Mr. Narthmoor, the
home secretary. the brisk little
man With the mTtiYe eye WAS Niaa
count TrcEuaa. secretary u state
for var. Professional politicians.
they Werr none uf them rich. and
tho premIcra threat 10 reconstruct
or resign touched the pockets at
these urrfcutioua bat lmpeeuuioaH
mcu.
The question az issue was the
attitude Co ha preserved toward a
foreign power. The prime minia
tera policy made for consultation
his opponents we're for yielding "a
popular clamer. which would prob
ably plunge the cauntyy into wat
and Involve an enormous eHpcudi.
ture.
Political assassination has Ions
been I'm the limbo Of the past. ur Il
would DO a ease FOR a hired brave
and a dagger. aid Sir Gideon
Maraks. With the nervoua laugh ~
one Who throws out tentative
Jest
Lord Trovose. with thu memory
OF his mortKaEed acres pr~HaiuE
him. echoed the chancellor laugh
"Of course Il - an anachruuism, bat
knife IN AlnhiuEtnna ribs would
assurrdiy saw the cuuntrr from
humiliation only a bold front car
prureat a costly var. he SAID. At.
tempting tn drsas bis mcrosnary a.
piratioua in the EaFb Of patriot
Ism
Mr.. Sorthmoor the home ssere
tarv. did not laugh
The thiuE could be done nov
| quite easily" be said. elancius
| quickly from enc q the other % b.
colleagues,
For fully mlnnte the thres
statesmen sat and looked ~ eaef
other In an aWe=atruck silence
which Sir Gideon vas the frat &
break.
you arc always fona u your llt
tie Joke. Narthmoar. he faitcre
| husklly. How suppnslns. o.
/ course that ~ meant business
how could the thing be DONE
you have heard Of the Rivingtaf
/ murder ease. for which one Arthur
RivinEton u nov lying under ssn
tnnce 81 death Ia Wiachestsf
jail Mr.. Nurthmoor aaksa quiet
iy
Yes. all England vas ringing VIII
the tnfamy Of the Young man Re
eently convicted u the cold-hleSssiesi
| calculating murder. at intervals
and BY poison. Of his mother ant
sister.
Well. In that wretch. gsntle
men. We have an insirumsut ready
20 hand. proceeded the homo Score
tary lmpresalveiy For no part
eular reason with the maufllF
acntimentAliy Of the aEe. psrhAp.
the Jury recommended RivlngtaF
10 mercy. and the matter came be
fore me officially % deslds. tn
Judge was dead against any devia
ton from the capital sentsnce. an
affirmed that this prisoners gull
was beyond the FEASIBILITY Of doubt
IA fiend In human shape waa III
learned Judges last word ahou
Arthur Rlyington. and I maintain
that as patriots. with oar dsa
country lowering On the brink o
terrible Var. We are Justified Il
using any nend in any sort O
shape for ayerting such a eatastfo
phe."
hut n the fellow e. going - b
hanged. how could he serve our
mean the turn 81 the country :
hazarded Lord TrevoHe.
Don't you scce" said Sir Gideon
"Northmoor. as head OF the HON
department. has his grip on III
prison service He viii pun n
strings and the little figure VIII =
| Escape" lnterieeted the HON
secretary. with a snap. Il can Sc
TO It that the cage f. left unfasten
ed and that the bird flutters out
only to be- reeaptured and turned {
our purpose Immediately. HerzOs
OF the secret service. iB the man q
take him In hand and tell him wha
be has to do az the price ut hi
freedom.
And Herzog can be trusted be
cause at n word from me he woul
| 20 into penal servitude for life.
said the chancellor. He was In m
department originally. as a survey
or OF taxes. when he went wrouI
I spared him becauae ! recognize
THAT the service would gain by tn
addition Of a tool without con
science or compassion. who woul
not dare 10 decline any dirty Wor
the state might require Of hin
1 And the state does require dirt
work sometimes"
Once more they regarded eae
other with eyes striving furatlvel
for limitations of the mutual conf
dence necessary to conspiracy
Presently Lord Trevose yawnkt
then rose brtskly and said.
Well. we've wasted a lot Of tim