Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05

you turned IN, you We been made pawn
In the great game OF diplomacy. The fate
or empires trembles your nod"
Carter reused up onto his elbow 'Don't
You think the empires would tremble no
morning2'
1T would be most undipIomat.c to leave
them trembling too long. I can tell you
l have had devilish hard time OF IT putting
his majesty to sleep. He can carry his
liquor like man, and he'd a most royal
way OF seeing drank level with him. Iut
ne may wake up any minute. Pvt not your
trust In the sleep of kings. NJ. Carter
IAN right. sir. III make a note of that.
I'll brew the gasoline and when the king
wakes III stand by with soda water and
fusel oil. which should think will heal the
breach between u.s."
Don't you believe it for one instant. Tho
King OF Okky's a seasoned vessel with a
copper tummy. and you could no moro
thaw the wickedness out of him with soda
water than you could bring the devil to a
reformed temperature in an ice machine.
You must recognize, Mr.. Carter, that both
the King of Okky and the devil have their
change either of them very much. Question
Is, how much allegiance do you think YOU
owe to ONell & Craven?"
This was a change OF front with ven-
geance. But Carter took II coolly enough.
That's an interesting point sir. / hadn't
reckoned 1t up before. But l shouldn't
like to give you an answer 10 so important
a question about the firm the spur OF
the moment. So. by your leave, I'll sleep
over II and tell you in the morning"
Sorry, but can't allow you the time. ana
as you don't seem to grasp the fact, must
point out that the fate of this factory OF
O'Neill & Craven's at Mala-Nulla depend Is
on the august will of the King OF Okky.
His Portlness also threatens to stop tbs
roads which feed other factories at
Monktown and Smooth River. though I
don't think when II comes to the point h.li
do that. However, Burgoyne and Slaoe
must see to those themselves. After the
n hoo .f.,.
on paper I'm not going to concern my self
with the general welfare OF all the FIRMS
factories on this coast. But / am n charge
of MallaNulla, and I'm going to preserve
the trade here from extinction If Il can be
managed"
Carter lifted the mosquito bar and got
out of bed I'm afraid, sir. / must ask
you to come down to my level and speak
rather more plainly"
Swizze-Stck Smith sat back resignedly
in his chair and dropped his eyeglass TO
the end of Its black watered silk ribbon.
"Dulce ct decorum est pro factoria mori,
though / don't suppose il will come to
dying if you play your cards right Mr..
Smith closed his eyes and evidently imag-
ined that he was uttering his next thought
silently. Keep the young beggar out OF
the way of SHADES girl. too. BY Gad, I'd
no idea Laura would grow up such a pretty
child. If he'd been an ordinary clerk
wouldn't have minded, but the lads a
gentleman by birth, and now he's done
the gallant rescue business a start, he's
just the sort of quixotic young ass to think
he ought to go and marry the girl as a
proper Gaping for the romance. And that
of course would be the end of him socially"
Il say Carter called out loudly, Mr..
Smith, do you know it's O'Clock in the
morning, and there are some dangerous
chills about just now? Don't you think
you had better have cigarette paper full
of quinne by way of a night cap and hen
go to bed? 1t will be turning-out TIM in
another hour So"
Matches pleaSa Nv Mines
thank you, Mr.. Carter. Well, l was
saying, the kings awfully taken with that
unkah you rugged for the mess room and
the water wheel you set up in the river to
run 1t, and when l showed him the native
arrowheads and the spears and the execu-
ton axes you'd made to sell to the curiosity
tune By the time we'd got to the fifth
bottle he'd given up asking for your head
in a calabash to take home with him, and
before we'd finished the case he'd offered
you the post of chief commissioner of works
in Okky City, with salary in produce and
quilts of gold that'N work out TO G1,G09 a
year"
That's very fiattering."
Yes, isn't 1t, when you remember how
he started The only question is, will he
keep his royal word when he's sober"
It's nice point. Among other things
I believe they're cannibals up In Okky
City"
"Oh. come now Mr.. Assistant YOU
mustn't malign my friend, the king, too
much. You need have fears on that
score. The Okky men have never been
The only thing you'd have to funk would
be sacrifice-with of course, most full
and impressive ceremony: So 1 think
you'll go, Ell! All for the sake of X
O'Neill, whom you admire 50 much? And
then the king won't stop the roads
No" said Carter shortly. Il have no
intention of committing suicide at present.
But if I'm embarrassment at MALTA
Nulla, you may fire me, or I'll resign IL
you wish it,
Swizzle-Stick Smith screwed his eyeglass
into place and examined his assistant with
thoughtful care Shouldn't dream of let
ting you go, my dear fellow. Always make
a point of sticking by my officers. Just
thought I'd let you know of the kings offer
in case his jesty refers TO il tomorrow.
There now, go to bed again, and don't
dream the tighting's begun. You'll see
plenty of service over this affair without
dreaming over ii on ahead"
When Carter set out for the west coast
of Africa from the Upper Wharfedale vicar
age the one article in his kit which he
thought suitable for the coast was a small
bore nickel-plated revolver which he had
picked up second hand in Skipton for ten
and six. 1t had been smuggled in without
his mothers knowledge, as there was no
reason to add to her already great anxiety.
His father had provided half sovereign
toward the cost, had advised him not to
use the wretched thing except in OF
necessity, but If need arose to take heed
OF course, arrival he found, firstly,
that the weapon was too small to be of eff
fective use; secondly, that he could not hit
mark six feet square at more than a
twelve-yard rise; and, thirdly, that re-
volvers not really articles of fashion,
able wear for clerks in West Coast fac
tories whatever they may be in story
books So the weapon lay in his moldy
portmanteau, and the moist coast climate
changed it's nickel dress for a good coat
of bright red rust.
But the morning after the King of Okky's
arrival while that bulky potentate was
still asleep in the factory, Carter went in,
cleaned the revolver well he could
and damned cartridges into its reluctant
chambers. He carried it pirate fashion for
the remainder of that day inside the band
of his trousers, to his great personal dis
comfort and to the vast enjoyment of Mr..
Smith However, the truculent Okky SOL
diers who had deliberately shaken weapons
at him in the morning were reduced by
the sight of II to a certain surly civility,
and work in the feteesh went on without
any open rupture.
Mr.. Smith was distinctly irritable when
dawn came in with the morning tea, but
presently, when the swizZle-stick began Its
merry swishing in the cocktail pitcher, he
thawed into a pleasing geniality, which, by
frequent application of the same remedy,
endured throughout the day. Laura Slade