The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-03-28

LOuefS nature TO WISH 1t re-
~ traced. His face was set, but
set with determination, when he closed
the outer door Of his own rooms and
passed quietly down the stairs and out
into the silent court. The thought of
Chilcote, his pitiable condition, his sor-
did environments, were things that re-
Quired a firm will to drive into the
background Of the imagination, but a
whole inferno of such visions would
not have daunted Loder on that morn
ing as, unobserved by any eyes, he left
the little courtyard with it's grass, it's
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
mental strain that he had undergone in
the past ten days-the unnatural 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 food Of security and con-
fidence-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 his inter-
view had aroused, and long before the
we'll known house came into view he
felt sufficiently braced 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
ordinately desired certain opportuni-
ty. 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
Its power to convince, and were tonic
needed to brace him for his task he
was provided with one in the master
full sense Of difficulty set at naught
For the man who has fought and con-
quered one obstacle feels strong to
vanquish a score.
It was on this day, at the reassem-
bling of parliament. that Fraide's great
blow was to be struck. In the ten
days since the affair Of the. caravans
had been reported from Persia public
feeling had run high, and it was upon
the pivot of this incident that Loder's
attack was to turn, for, as Lakeley was
fond of remarking, 'Tn the scales of
public opinion one sdead Englishman
has more weight than the whole east
ern question" 1t had been arranged
that, following the customary proce-
dure, 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
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 it was with
a mind attuned to this plan Of action
that he retired to the study imme-
diately he had breakfasted and settled
to final revision Of his speech before
an early party conference should com
pei him to leave the house. But here
again circumstances were destined to
change his programme. Scarcely had
he sorted his notes and drawn his chair
to Chilcote's desk than Renwick enter
ed the room with the same air Of i'm
| portant haste that he had shown on q
| previous occasion
"A letter from Mr.. Fraide, sir. But
there's no answer" he said, with, I'm.
usual brevity. .-....-r
Loder waited till he had left the
room; then he tore the letter open. He
read:
My Dear Chilcote - Lakeley is the re-
| cipient of special and very vital news
from Meshed-unof1cial, but none the
less alarming. Acts of Russian aggres-
| sion toward British traders are reported
| to be rapidly increasing, and it is stated
| that the authority Of the consulate Is
treated with contempt Pending a posi-
BILE confirmation Of this, would sugges
that you keep an open mind on the sub
1ect OF tonight's speech. BY adopting an
antic1patory - even an unprepared = atti-
| tude you may find your hand materially
strengthened shall put my opinions be-
fore you more explicitly when we meet.
Yours faithfully
| HERBERT FRAIDE.
The letter, worded with Fraide's usu.
| al restraint, made strong impression