Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-23

which involve time for their accomplish
ment, the rich men, and the not-poor men,
of Britain came nobly. forward with prof
fered purse to the perishing millions
American gold too. streamed into Eng
land Here came the news that the I'M
migrants from Europe were being received
with plying illusions In that land of hos
pitality The terms of the league proposed
by Hardy were occupying the attention OF
the two governments, and nearing compile
ton
Meanwhile the only possible defensive
measure against the Yellow Wave on the
part Of England was an intense activity at
Chiswick, at Jarrow. at Chatham. at Birk-
enhead. at Sheerness, at Portsmouth, at
Paisley. at Glasgow, at Newcastle, at Penn
broke, at Sunderland, In every government,
In every private dockyard. Thousands OF
men were reQuisitfoned from remotely allied
trades to aid In the agonized work OF build
ing, building, building. But Hardy, Tor one
smiled at the idea that Yen How was going
to be simple enough to allow Britain time
to build ships to beat him.
He, for his part had set going another
activity. equally eager, and more to the
point.
BY direct suggestion to the first lord CT
the admiralty. he had singled out the men
of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers
as the nucleus of force which must now be-
come the hope of Britain.
Though there was hardly any longer
royal naval body of men, there still re-
n,ained a considerable royal naval reserve,
when, therefore, Hardy designated the ar
tillery volunteers, Mr.. Goschen, who alone
was in the secret of his plans, expressed
surprise.
Hardy. however persisted: and the next
Gay, by proclamation. the members of the
force were requisitioned for service. Al
the same time large additional number
OF volunteers sent In their names, TO De
the commanding officers of the stationary
drill ships.
The members of this force. which had al
ways since it's formation by special act IN
1873 formed of the most exclusive
clubs in the world. consisted only of pro-
fessonal and business men-doctors, bank
clerks. solicitors, stock brokers, authors
who had regularly left the desk, or the
consulting room, the office, to attend
at least twice a month at gun, rifle. pistol
and cutlass drill until they attained the
standard of efficient" men who had cast
off the orchided frock coat. completely
sinking their social position, to put on the
blue working dress Of the simple bluejacket
on the yearly cruises in the gunboat, or
the Sa turday -to-M onday cruise in the sea-
manship-practice schooner These men, be-
longing exclusively to the great middle
class, represented the very essence of the
mood of England. And it was with them
that Hardy proposed to set up the first dam
to the Yellow Wave.
He wanted 1900 of them, and he got them.
The various drill ships of the local bri-
gades were assembled a Portsmouth with
tenders and the work of drilling and IN
struction went forward with unremitting
zeal, the 1900 and odd gentlemen who COM
posed this strange force subjecting them
selves to the most grinding discipline, sleep
ing in hammocks, swabbing decks, cooking
food and cleaning guns; opening above all,
their already trained minds to the art OF
lighting moving water.
But when they asked one another why
they We're doing all this there was no forth
coming answer. They certainly Were the
men, but where were the ships?
Hardy, In his jealousy lest his ships
might be used for purposes at all other
than those for which he designed them
had kept his secret well. They were TO
him like buried gold to the miser. He
gloated over the thought of them, over
the loud bad language he would make them
talk, when that great hour came.
Meantime, he sat brooding often, some
times desperately Ill, sometimes with his
hand resting for hours on the mouth OF
the decanter, his sunken head crowded with
the busy fumes of wine.
And as he sat so one night-it was Tues
day OF the Week of Darkness-something
spurred within him, and he sprang to his
feet, and took his cap and went out into
the sitting dark air.
His once gentle heart, though embittered
and desperate was not wholly dead. Under
this sudden impulse. wine-inspired he
jumped into cab and drove to lamp
stead.
He stopped at the door of Miss Jay. He
had now been several weeks In England
yet had not seen her. Why he now went
he did not ask himself; some vague motive
worked in him to insult, or press. or smlte
her in the face-such was the tragic des-
peration of his empty and callous heart
Love, tenderness, were far from him now;
vet in the depths of his nature some I'M
goyernable cry in the dark. some fierce
yearning perhaps, spurred him toward the
sister of his soul; such subterranean throes
occur in the dim places of the hearts or
men.
Her carriage drove up to the door as he
entered 1t. and he found her in evening
dress in the drawing room. cutting the
leaves of book. War, and eclipse. and
the overthrow of the world seemed to
leave untouched the reDoseful tenor of
this very modern young lady's life.
Here was the morgue britannique'' in
Its very ultimate demonstration.
you are well again, then, Mr.. Hardy"
she said giving her hand. Il am so glad'
"Well or not. am come to see you, you
see.'
He threw his cap one way and himself an
other, and looked gloomily at her.
She, for her part was shocked-at his
aged eyes, his wild aspect. the quite visible
gray In his hair Now. at least, she recog-
nized grown man, and a master Of men.
For minutes of inward reflection there was
silence between them. He said:
II told you would come again, and come
I am"
her HedIt pOuuucu. oi!S dHS WeTSG.
Yes"
Have you got over all that about art?"
This he asked with a momentary gentle
smile.
'No-not got over 1.-THE irony in her
leaping up and smotherlng the pity-'not
yet. A weakness of that sort cIings SO TO
one. In the absence of sun one works by
lamplight-which Is all that remains
We'll, / see you are still a moeker But
one cannot always go hooking
NO no. do not mean, really to mock
at anything. In reality l am very sorry,
and sad, at everything
rs that SOP"
Yes"
We'll believe that. too. At bottom you
are good and kind
II hope So
That why | came to see you now.
God only knows why came. You ought to
have married me when I told YOU"
oh as to that" she said
mo, no; do not begin that again. he re-
torted fretfuliy. Cant you guess that
am changed in mood and everything? AL
that IS not for me any more.
Somehow her heart sank; and the sadness
of auturnal winds signing among dead
leaves smote its chords, So wild a pity Is
IN the world and SO bitter a sob.
She said:
Il can see that you are changed yes; and
divine that you are far from happy What
ba = the