Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13

siana informed me- to my regret. that the
cowboy is largely a being of the past, TO
be met with only in the writings of Stewart
Edward White, owen Wister and several
other famous men whom he named. So you
see, / went across the ocean tOierabiy de-
pressed. finding my present occupation
threatened and my future uncertain.
when I arrived in London l took room
at this club, of which L have been mem
Der for some years. and reported imme
-diately at the admiralty. But there, IN
spite of all diligence on my part, 1 was
quite unable to learn what was wanted OF
me. OF course, I could have gone to my
uncle, who is In the government, and per
haps he might have enlightened me, al
though he has nothing to do with the navy,
but l rather like 70 avoid Uncle Metgurne.
He brought me up since l was a small boy
and seems unne- eEsarily ashamed of the
result. 1t Is his son who is the attache
in st. Petersburg that 1 spoke to you
about"
Dorothy ceased reading for a moment.
''MetSurne, Metgurne," she said to her
self. Surely l know that name?
1 She laid down the letter, pressed the cleo
trio button and unlocked the door. When
the servant came she said:
'WiH you ask at the office II they have
any biographical book of reference relat-
ing TO Great Britain and If so, please bring
1T to me-"
The servant appeared shortly after with
q red book which proved to be an English
who's Who" dated two years back. Turn.
ing the pages she came to Metgurne
"Metgurne. twelfth duke Of created 1881,
Herbert George Alan" Here followed q num-
Der OF other titles the information that the
son and heir was Marquis OF Thaxted, and
belonged to the diplomatic service, that
>Lord Metgurne was II. NJ. secretary of
state for royal dependencies; finally a list
of residences and clubs. She put down the
book and resumed the letter.
I mink / ought TO have told you that
when 1 reach st. Petersburg 1 shall be as
II. Ia void
am t. steer clear Of his father in London.
go l sat in my club and read the papers.
Dear me, this is evidently going TO be
very long letter 1 hope you won't mind.
think perhaps You may be interested In
learning how they do things over here
after two or three days Of anxious walt
ing there came "a crushing communication
from the admiralty Which Conrmed my
worst fears and set me at crossing the
bridge again. I was ordered 10 report next
morning al II, at committee room 3 in the
| admiralty, and bring with ne full particu-
lars pertaining to the firing Of gun num-
| Der sO-and-sO OF the CouStcrnation's EQUIP
| Suent on such q date. I wonder since that
| ] did not take to drink. We have every ia
| clity FOR that sort OF thing In this club
However. at IL next day / presented my
self at the committee room and found IN
session the griTnmest looking five men [
| have ever yet been called upon 10 face
Collectively they were about ten times
worse In appearance than the court-nlar-
| tiai ! 4d previously encountered. Four Of
tke me. lll NOT Know DlL LtG uIttt 1 rec
ognizeo al once, having often seen mis- por-
trait He IS Admiral Sir John Pendergest.
popuIar.y known In the service as Ola
GroucH.. a blue terror who knows absolute
~ nothing oi mercy. The lads in the serv-
tee say he looks so disagreeable because
he is sorry be wasn't born a hanging
| JHuse- 4lrtrre "a face as Clearly cut as
that Of some severe old Roman senator: a
face as bard as marble. quite as cold and
nearly as white. rescued from the appear
a54ce ~ aHatH mask by a pair OF piercing
hsycs ttat glitter ike steel When locking
at Rim 10 Isl quite impossible 20 believe that
such q pr-unaEe has ever been a boy who
playet tTin KS on his masters. Indeed. Adj
miTal Sir John Peutcreest seems TO have
spfuhS. te'LS uniformed and forbiddiug,
1feHi tte e4fih, Ike those soldiers OF my
tholcEy Was so taken aback at confront
Ing sQcn man that never noticed my old
friend Billy Richardson seated at the table
as one ot Tie minor officials of tie commit
tee b-iiy tells iHe ] looked rather white
about the lips when I realized what was
ahead OF me, and jaresay he Was right
aiy consolation IS that 7 didn't get red. as
Is my disconrerting habit / was accom-
rnodatec with chair and then a ferrety-
raced niue man began asking me questions
consuiung every now and then a foolscap
sheet OF paper which was before him Others
were ready 90 note down the answers
W men did You fire the new gun from
the Transformation" in the Baltie?
Dear Miss AmhUrst. I have confessed TO
you thai / am NOT brilliant and indeed
such confession was quite uunecessa~y FOR
you must speedily have recognized the fact
but mere lei me boast for line or two of
my one accomplishment which Is math-
en-atcal accuracy When I make experI-
rnents don note the result by rule of
thumb. My answer to the ferret-faced
man was prompt and complete
:. Al twenty-three minutes. seventeen seq
bHtfs past 10 am May the Sd OF THIS
hear was my reply.
THE five high officials remained perfectly
,nnpf ssiSe but the two stenographers seem
I'd somewhat taken by surprise, and one of
ki,em whispered. Did you say fifteen Sec
prds, SIR
..Hs said seventeen growied Sir John