Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-17
XVIII.

That night, almost for the first time since
he had adopted his dual role. Loder slept
ILL., He was not a man over whom magma
ton held any powerful sway-his doubts
end rn;ssivings seldom ran to speculation
upon future possibilities: nevertheless. the
fact that. consciously or unconsciously, he
had adopted attitude towards Eve
came home to him with unpleasant force
| during the hours of darkness. and long
before the first hint of daylight had slipped
through the heavy window curtains he had
arranged a plan of action-a plan wherein.
by the simple method of altogether avoid
Ing her, he might soothe his own conscience
and safeguard Chilcote's domestic interests.
1t was satisfactory If a somewhat mega
tive arrangement, and he rose next MORN
ing with feeling that things had begun
to shape themselves. But chance some
times has disconcerting knack OF fore
stallng even our best-planned schemes.
He dressed slowly and descended to his SOIL
tary breakfast with the pleasant sensation
of having put last night out of considera-
ton by the turning over of new leaf: but
scarcely had he opened ChfIcote'S letters,
scarcely had he taken cursory glance at
the mornings newspaper than 1t was borne
in upon him that not only new leaf but
a whole sheaf of new leaves. had been
turned in his prospects-by hand Infinite
ly more powerful and arbitrary than his
own. He realized within the space of Il
few moments that the leisure Eve might
have claimed, the leisure he might have
been tempted to devote to her, was no
longer his to dispose of-beinS already de-
manded of him from a quarter that al
lowed of no refusal.
For the first rumblng of the political
earthquake that was to shake the country
made itself audible beyond denial on that
morning of March 81 when. the news
spread through England that. in view of
the disorSanized state OF the Persian army
and the Shahs consequent inability to sup
press the open instruction Of the border
tribes in the northeastern districts of Me-
shed. Russia. with q great show of magma
nmity, had come to the rescue by dis
patching large armed force from her mill
tary station at Merry across the Persian
frontier to the seat of the disturbance
To many hundreds of Eng shmen who
read their papers on that morning this an
nouncement conveyed but little. That there
is such a country Persia we all know,
that English interests predominant in the
south and Russian interests in the north
we have all specifically understood from
ctildhood; but in this knowledge, coupled
with the fact that Persia is comfortably
far away, we are apt to rest content. 1t
is only to the eyes that through long
distance glasses, the minds that regard the
present as nothing more nor less than an
inevitable link joining the future to the
past. that this distant debatabe land stands
out in its true political significance.
To the average reader of news the
statement of Russias move seemed
scarcely more important than had the
first report of the border risings in
January. but to the men who had watch
ed the growth of the disturbance 1t came
charged with portentous meaning. Through
the entire ranks of the opposition from
Fraide himself downward, it caused thrill
of eNpectation-that peculiar prophetic sem
satton that every politician has experienced
at some moment of his career
In no member of his party did this feel
a in Inn
bued with lifelong interest in the east
ern question, specially equipped by per-
sonai knowledge to hold and proclaim an
opinion upon Persian affairs he read the
signs and portents with instructive insight
Seated at Chilcotes table, surround by Chill
cotes letters and papers he forgot break
fast that was slowly growing cold forgot
the interest and dangers, personal or pleas
urable, of the night before, while his mental
eyes persistently conjured up the map OF
Persia, travelling with steady elaboration
from Merv to Meshed. from Meshed to
Herat, from Herat to the empire of India!
For 1t was not the fact that the Hazaras
had risen against the Shah that occupied
the thinking mind, nor was 1t the fact that
Russian and not Persian troops were des
tined TO subdue them. but the deeply i'm
portant consideration that an armed Rus
sian force had crossed the frontier and was
encamped within twenty miles of Meshed-
Meshed. upon which covetouS Russ an eyes
have rested ever since the days Of Peter
the Great
So Loder's thoughts ran as he read ard
reread the news from the varying political
standpoints. and SO they continued to run
when. some hours later. urgent tele-
phone message from the st. Georges Ga
zette asked him to call at Lake!y's office.
The message was interesting as we'll as
Imperative. and he made an instant re-
Spouse. The thought of Lakely's keen
eyes and shrewd enthusiasm always pos
sessed strong attractions for his own slower
temperament, but even had this impetus
been lacking the knowledge that at the
St Georges offices, II anywhere, the true
feelings OF the party were inva riably
voiced would have drawn him without hes
itation.
1t was scarcely twelve o'clock when he
turned the corner of the tall building but
already the keen spirit that Lakely every
where diffused was making itself felt. Lo-
der smiled to himself as his eyes fell on
the days placards with their uncompromis-
Ing headings, and passed onward from the
string of gayly painted carts drawn up to
receive their first consignment of the paper
to the troop of eager newsboys passing
IN and out OF the big swing-doors with
their piled-up bundles Of the early edi-
ton: and with renewed thrill of antic-
ipation and energy he passed through the
doorway and ran up stairs.
Passing unchallenged through the long
corridor that led to Lakely's office, he
caught fresh impression of action and
vitality fdom the click OF the tape ma
chimes In the subedtors' office. and
ot.hloO tiIiouSu tiic open dOOr OIL the SuD-
editors themselves, each occupied with his
particular task: tnen without time for
further observation he found himself at
Lakely's door. Without waiting to knock,
as he had felt compelled to do on the one
or two previous occasions that business
had broufht him there. he Immediately
turned the handle and entered the room.
room.
Editors offices differ but little In general
effect. I.akelys surroundings were rather
more elaborate than is usual as became the
dignity of the oldest tory evening paper,
but the atmosphere was unmistakable AS
Loder entered he glanced up from the desk
at which he was sitting. but instantly re-
turned 10 his task of looking Through and
marking the pile of early evening editions
that We're spread around him. His coat
was off and hung on the chair behind him.
and he pulled vigorously on a long cigar
Hullai That's right, he said, laconicaily.
Make yourself comfortable half q second
while skim the St Stephens
His salutation pleased Loder With a nod
or aequiescence he crossed the office to the
brisk fire that burned In the CRATE
For minute or two I.akely worked
steadily, occasionally breaking the quiet
by an unfntelfigible remark or q vigorous
stroke of his pencil. AT last he dropped
the paper with a gesture of sat sfaction
and leaned back in his chair