The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-11
IT WAS DARK.
The Story Of . Great Conspiracy by Guy Thorne.
1904 by G. p. Putnam's sons.)

his belief. His life and all his actions
are for tho good OF others. 1t is ter
~rHole--it is d~eplorable-to know no at
tacks Christianity; but lie Is tolerant
and large minded also. Yes, / should
call him a good man. He will come to
God some day. God would not have
given him such power over minds and
bodies OF men otherwise
Gortre smiled a little sadly.--a rather
a smile, which sat strangely Upon
his strong and hearty face, but he
said no more.
He knew that his attitude was illogical,
perhaps 1t could be called toigoted and
intolerant-a harsh Indictment in these
easy. Naturalization days; but his con-
viction was an intuition. 1t came from,
within, from something outside or beyond
his reason. and would not be stifed.
well, denr," he said. perhaps 1t Is
as you say. Nerves which are over
wrought, and a system which Is run
down, certainly have their say, and n
large say, too. in ones attitude towards
any one. Now you must go to bed. I
will go down and say goodnight to
the rector and Mr.. Schuabc-just TO
show there's no ill-feeling; though,
goodness knows. L oughtn't to Jest about
the man. Goodnight. sweet one: God
bless you. Remember me also in YOU
prayers tonight"
She kissed him In her firm, brave way
"a kiss so strong and loving, SO pure
and sweet, that he went away from
that little room of books n b.ic-a-
brac as IL he had been sojourning in
some shrine.
As Basil came into the study he found
Mr.. Byars and Schuabe In eager, anil
mated ak A spirit decanter had been
brought in during his absence, and the
vicar was taking the single glass of
undergraduates he allowed himself
before going to bed. Basil, who was in
a singnlarly alert and observant mood,
noticed that a glass of plain settler
water stood before the millionaire.
Gortre's personal acquaintance with
schuabc was of the slightest. He had
met him once or twice on the platform
OF big meetings. and that wa, all. A
simple curate. unless socially,-and
Schuabe did not enter into the social
life OF Wnlktown. being almost always
in London,-he would not be very likely
to come In the way OF this mammoth.
But Schuabe greeted him with marked
cordially, and he sat down to listen TO
the, two mon.
In two minutes he was fascinated, IN
five he realised. with a quick and un-
pleasant sense OF inferiority. how igno-
rant he was beside these two. In
49, 'bNAa ic0Aio IL ihi
knowledge was as wide scholarship
as profound as his own.
From a purely intellectual standpoint.
probably Gortre and Schuabe were more
nearly on a level, hut in pure knowledge
he was nowhere. He wondered. as no
listened, IL the generation Immediately
preceding his own had been blessed with
more time for culture, If the foundation
had been surer and more comprehensive,
when they were alumni of the Towing
mother In the South.
They were discussing archaeological
questions connected with the Holy Land.
Schuabe possessed a profound and
mastery knowledge of the whole Jewish
background to the Gospel picture. not
merely of the archaeology. which in it
self is a life study, but Of the essential
characteristic of Jewish thought and
feeling, which is far more.
OF course. every now and again the
conversation turned towards a direc-
tion that. pursued. would have led to
controversy. But, with mutual tact,
the debatable ground was avoided. That
Christ was n historic fact Schuabe, of
course. admitted and implied. and when
the question of His Divinity seemed
likely to occur he was careful and adroit
to avoid any discussion.
To the young man. burning with zeal
of youth, this seemed a pity. Uncon-
sciously, he blamed the vicar for not
pressing certain points home.
What an opportunity was here. The
rarity of such a visit. the obvious in
terest the two men were beginning 20
take in each other-should not a great
blow for Christ be struck on such ar
suspicious night? Even II the protest
was unavailing. the argument over
thrown. was 1t not aNduty to speak of
the awful and eternal realities which lay
beneath this vivid and brilliant inter-
change of scholarship?
His brain was on fire with passionate
longing to speak. But. nevertheless. he
controlled it. None knew better than he
the depth and worth of the Wears char
acter. And he felt himself a Junior;
he had no right to question the decision
of his superior.
"You rave missed much, Mr.. Byars."
said Schuabe. as he arose to go at last,
'in never having visited Jerusalem.
One can get the knowledge of it. but
never the colour. And, even to-day,
the city must appear. in many respects.
exactly as 1t did under the rule of plate.
The Fellah women sell their vegetables,
the camcls come in loaded with roots
for fuel. the Bedouin. the Jews with
their long own and %slippers-I wish
you could see 1t all. I nave eaten the
iledlS l He 1uSpels, uEuuk luc Ieu
wine OF Saron, the spiced wine mixed
with honey and black pepper. the wine
of myrrh' mentioned. in the Gospel of
Mark. I have dlned with Jewish trades
men and gone through tho same for
malities Of hand-washing as we read OF.
two thousand years ago; I have seen
the poor SYSTEMATICALLY gathered in out
OF the streets and the best part OF the
meal given them for a self-righteous
show. And yet, an hour afterwards, I
have sat In a cafe by King David's
Tower and played dice with Turkish
soldiers armed with Martini rlaes!"
The vicar seemed loath to let his guest
go, though the hour was late. but he
refused to stay longer. Mr.. Byars. with
a somewhat transparent eagerness. men
toned that Gortre's road home lay for
part Of the way In the same direction
as the m~illionaire's. He seemed to wish
the young man to accompany him. al
most, so Basil thought. that the charm
of his personality might rebuke him for
his TRADE In the early part Of the even
ing.
Accordingly. in agreement with the
wears evident wish, but with an in
explicable ice-cold feeling In his. heart,