The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11
/: MR.. HAROLD ~. SPENCE.
/: MIR. CYRIL HANDS.
I REV. BASIL GORTRE.


..s,.....-.s...s...- l.............
In a minute he heard footsteps. The
inner door WAS opened. and he saw a tall
thin man. bearded and brown. pccring at
him through speetacies.
"Ah. Gortre. suppose" said the other
eve were expecting YOU. I'm Hands.
you know. home for another month yet
Give mo these bags. Come lin. come IN.
with a sense Of weil-being at tho CHEEKY
bohemianism OF his greeting
He found himself In a Very large room
indeed. paneled from floor to ceiling. the
woodwork painted n cage green. Three
great windows, each with n cushioned
scat In its recess. looked down into the
quadrangle below. Cur.ained doors faced
Rim on all sides Of the room. which was
oddly shaped and full OF hooks and angles.
Books and newspapers covered two or
thrcn writing tables md were piled on
fhcives between the doors. bright fire
burned In a large CRATE. and the mantel
Above was covered with Oxford photo
lraphs. pipes and tobacco jars There was
q note OF comfort everywhere. Of luxu-
9ious comfort. though not OF luxury. The
Furniture was not new. and II bore the
~igns Of long use no less than careful
Ghoice. Bohemia II was but not n
eaualid Bohemia II room can have 4
Personality. this Tas gcntlemany room.
Dnc saw that gentlemen lived here. men
&ho. without daintiness or n tinge of the
4ybarite yet liked certain order and
1tneas around them. At once Basil felt
h. key with the place. There was no
krring note anywhere.
I've got you a sort OF meal. Gortre."
6aid Hands, pleasantly, though We were
b Their in doubt ns to what a man could
6ant at o'clock in the afternoon, Spence
taisgestcd afternoon tea. az you'll be
gauting to dine later on. But Mrs. Buscail.
our laundress. suggested cold beef and
Bass beer-atter a sea voyage. which
ahe regards as a sort Of Columbus ad-
venture. So fall to-here you are. Har-
Id is Just getting up
M Indeed. as he spoke. there came a
(oise Of vigorous splashing from behind
ne Of the closed doors. and Spences
Xpice beloved out a greeting.
st Basil looked puzzled for a moment
and Hands laughed as he saw it.
You must remember that Spence
doesn't get back from the office until
B in the morning" he said. He's writ
|lng four leaders a week now. and on his
3ate nights. when he comes back. his
brain IL too alert and excited to sleep.
10 he has some Bovril and just works
way at other stuff TIL morning. He
Eon't interfere with us. though. I never
hear him come In. nor Will YOU. These
chambers are a regular rabbit warren
E4or size and ratification
n Basil went into the bedroom he was
10 have. a spacious. clean and simply
Furnished place. and when he came out
esain for his meal found Spence IN a
loose suit OF fiannels. smoking ciga-
Tba t{a{ jofy tt,a
liable.
In a very short time Gortre felt tho
roughly at home. He knew by kind Of
1nstinct that he should be happy in Lin
coins Inn. Hands had still month TO
spend In London before he went back to
Palestne to continue his work for the
sF1ploring Society. and he looked for
ward to many interesting talks with
him, the actual agent and superintendent
of the work at Jerusalem. the trained
eve and arm of the great and influential
English Society.
And as for Spence. he had known him
intimately ever since his first Oxford
days, many years ago now. Harold Spence
was like brother to hinl-had always
been that.
The first hours conversation, desultory
as It was in a sense. showed him how
full and varied his new life promised
10 De. AIter tNe nOlS! SeCluslOl Ol w dlh-
town no felt that he was now In the
center OF things. Both Spence and Hands
we're thoroughly cultured men, and both
We're distinguished above the crowd III
their respective spheres.
Basil heard keen, critical, inside" talk
for almost the first time His two COM
panions knew everybody. were at the
hub of things Two nights ago Spence
had been talking to the Prime Minister
Hn,. nj. ~,
unofficial government organ, Hands had
been at Lambeth with the archbishop.
The president and patron Of the Palestine
Hociety. They were absolute types of the
keen, vigorous and young mental arlsto-
cracy which Is always on the active
service OF English life. They belonged
to the executive branch.
"Tm sorry. Basil" Spence said sud
denly. I've got note for your from
Father Rlpon. 1 forgot to give it to
you. lie sent 1t down by special mes
senger this morning. Here 1t Isl
Father Rlpon was the vicar OF st.
Mary's, Gortre's new chief
lie took he note and opened t. read
ing MS follows:
The Clergy House,
est NIary's. Bloomsbury.
says that you will arrive In Lon
non this afternoon. 1 don't be-
lieve In wasting time and want a
good lons talk with you before you begin
your work with us. Tonight am due
ut Bethnal Green to give lecture. 1
shall be driving home abou, ten and TIL
call at Lncoln's Inn on my way If this
will not be too late for you, we can
then talk matters over
Sincerely yours in Christ,
s"ARTHUR RIPON.'' ].
Basil passed the note to Spence
"That'll lie all right" he said. II shall
be at work. and Hands will be In. his
OWN ROM What q man Ripon is! He's
Just tho Incarnation OF breezy energy.
Rrusque, unconventional as Or. Parker
himself, but one OF the sincerest Chris
tians and best mon ] ever met or ever
shall meet. lie signs his note like that
hAc ha n IL n -.EIa .l1nfa