The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-01

Of things 10 see aud to guin personal
knowledge Of these events which were
slladoWiiig the world.
The door opened as lie rose and 1'ollott
Farmer strobe IN. with hin was Il tall.
distinguished man Of about fivc-and-.
thirty; he was II, evening dress and rather
bald.
It was Lord 'l'rcyon,s the Prime Min
listers private secretary.
~ thought would come myself with
Mr.. Farmer. Mr.. Ommnncy." he said
shaking LANDS cordially Lord ---
VIII soc you. He tells me to say that if
1t is absolutely imperative he viii see you.
| suppose there Is 10 doubt Of thnt?'
None whntevcr, I'm sorry to say Lord
'rrclyon." the editor answered. Farmer
viii sou take charge I'LL rctnrnY'H
He slipped on his ovcrcoat and Il felt
hat and left the room With the secretary
without looking back. Spence follo~"l
the two down the stnirs--thc tall athletic
young follow and the sliir, nervous jour
nnlist These were lust driving ftlronsy
towards tic Law CoD-ts rs Spence turned
into Fleet Street on his way to l.incolns
Iiin.a 4
Fleet Street WAS brilliantly Ill and al
most silent. a few cubg lowered about
and TINT was all. Presently all the air
would be filled with the dull roar and hum
Of Tie great printing machines IN their
underground halls. but the press hour was
hardly yet.
The porter let him into the Inn, and In
a few moments he was striking matches
and lighting the gas. Mrs. Buscall had
cleared away the breakfast things. but
tho fire had long since gone out. The big
rooms looked very bare and solitary, un-
familiar almost as the Eaa-jcts Kissed IN
the silence.
ono or two letters were in the box.
One envelope bore the Manchester post
mark 1t was from Basil Gortrc. y
curious pang, half wonder and anticipa-
ton. half fear, passed through his mind
as lie saw the familiar handwriting OF
lis friend. But II was pang for Gortre.
rot FOR himself. lie himself vas wholly
detached now that the time for action
had arrived. Personal consideration
would como later. At present he was
starting out on tho old trail--"1hc old
Trail the long trail the trail that is
always new" 54
lie felt a man again. with fierce
Joy and exultation athrobdng in all his
veins after the torpor of tho last few
weeks 0s
lie sat down at tile table. first getting
some bread and cheese from q cupboard
for he was hungry, and opening q bottle
of beer. The beer tasted wonderfully
good. He laughed. cxnltingly IN the fow
Of his high spirits.
He wrote note TO Mrs. Buscall, long
since Injured to these sudden midnight
departures. and another to Gortrc 70
him he said that some great and lnomcn-
tous discoveries were made at Jerusa--
n "a 1 lat IN
starting al once for the Holy City as
specia! correspondent for The Wire. dc
would write en- route. he explained, there
was no time for any details now.
Poor chap" he said to himself, hell
know soon. enough now. nope nc won
take 1t very badly
Then he went into his bedroom and
hauled down the great pg-skn kit-hag.
covered with foreign labels. which lad
accompanied him half over the world. y.
lie packed quickly and completely, the
result OF long practice. The pads OF
paper. the photographic pens, with the
snecial ink for hot countries which would
not dry up or corrode, his revolvcrs,
riding brooches, boots and spurs the ko-
,lak, with spare films and llght-tight
zine cases, the old sun hemct-he for
got nothing.
When he had finished, and the big bag,
with a small Gladstone also, was strap
ped and locked he changed joyously
from the black coat of cities into his
travelling twceds OF tough cloth. At
length everything seemed prepared. He
sat on tl.r bed and looked round him,
willing to be gone.
His eye fell OH the opposite wall. Dur
Ing his short holiday at Dieppc, nearly
nine months ago now he had gone into
the famous little shop there where cary
cd work of all kinds is sold. Basil and
Helena were with him and they had