The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-19
CHAPTER XIV.

ENt WIN ANAAs iliAnAA4Uls hHCu uC NtOeCA
the outer door Of his own rooms and
passed quietly down the stairs and on
into the silent court. The thought OF
Chilcote. his pitiable condition, his sor
did environments, were things that re
CURED a Arm will to drive into the
background OF the Imagination, but O
whole inferno OF such visions would
ing as, unobserved by any eyes. he left
the little courtyard with its grass, its
trees. it's pavement-all SO distastefully
familiar-and passed down the Strand
toward life and action.
As he walked his steps increased In
speed and vigor. Now. for the first
time, he fully appreciated the great
nAantal strain that he had undergone In
the past ten days-the unna tural ten
sion; the suppressed but perpetual
sense OF impending recall; the conse-
Quently high pressure at which work
and even existence had been carried on.
And as he hurried forward the natural
reaction to this state of things came
upon him in a food Of security and con-
ndence-a strong realization of the tenn
porary respite and freedom for which
no price would have seemed too high.
The moment for which he had uncon-
sciously lived ever since Chilcote's first
memorable proposition was within
reach at last, safeguarded by his own
action
The walk from Clifford's inn to
Grosvenor square was long enough to
dispel any excitement that bis inter
view had aroused, and long before the
well known house came into view he
felt sufficiently braeed mentally and
physically to seek Eve in the morning
room, where he instinctively felt she
would still be waiting for him.
Thus he encountered and overpassed
the obstacle that had so nearly threat
ened ruin, and. with the singleness of
purpose that always distinguished him.
he was able, once having passed it, to
dismiss it altogether from his mind
From the moment of his return to Chill
cote's house no misgiving as to his own
action. no shadow of doubt, rose to
trouble his mind His feelings on the
matter were quite simple. He had in
oriinately desired a certain opportuni
~. One factor had arisen to debar that |
opportunity and he, claiming the right |
Of strength. had set the barrier aside. |
In the simplicity of the reasoning lay |
It's power TO convince, and were tonic |
needed to brace him for his task he |
was provided with one in the master
ful sense Of difficulty set at naught |
For the man who has fought and con-
Quered one obstacle feels strong to
vanQuish a score.
1t was on this day, at the reassem-
bling Of parliament, that Fraide's great
blow was to he struck. In the ten
days since the affair Of the caravans
had been reported from Persia public
feeling had run high, and 1t was upon
the pivot Of this incident that Loder's
fond of remarking, "In the scales Of
public opinion one dead Englishman
has more weight than the whole east
ern question 1t had been arranged
that, following the customary proce-
dwe, Loder was to rise after questions
at the morning sitting and ask leave to
move the adjournment Of the house on
a definite matter Of urgent public i'm I
portance, upon which-leave having {
been granted by the rising of forty
members in his support-the way was
to lie open for his definite attack at
The evening sitting And II was with /
/ mind attuned to this plan of action |
that he retired to the study imme
liately he had breakfasted and settled /
% a final revision Of his speech before
IN early party conference should COM l.
oel him to leave the house. But here d
again circumstances were destined to 0
.hange his programme. Scarcely had t
le sorted his notes and drawn his chair s
O Chilcotes desk than Renwick enter e
d the room with the same air Of i'm Z
,ortant haste that be had shown on q n
'revious occasion.
"a letter from Mr. Fraide, sir. But (,
here's no answer" he said, with IN o
Usual brevity Il
Loder waited till he had left the Il
DOM: then ne tore the letter open. He b
cad: a
NY Dear Chilcote - Lakeley IS the re-
lpient OF special and very vital news h
rom Meshed--unofficial bat none the :,
iss alarming. Acts Of Russian agRres- =
on toward British traders are reported X
be rapidly increasing. end II is stated N
Rat the authority of the consulate Is n
'eated with contempt. Pending a posi- -
Ie confirmation Of this. would suggest "
lat you keep an open mind on the sub NJ
ct Of toniRhts speech. BY adopting an N
even an vnprepared - atti-
lde you may find your hand materially
! shall put my opinions be- GO
re you more explicitly when we meet. th
ours faithfully M
HERBERT FRAIDB.
The letter, worded with Fraide's usu- r.
restraint. made strong impression n.
, Tn recipient The thought that his gr
,eech might not only express opinions
ready tacitly held, but voice q situa- w
On OF intense and national. lmpor- ri
nee, struck him with full force. For a
any minutes after he had grasped ne
e meaning Of Fraide's message be II
( negiectful Of his notes. his eIbOws nj
.