Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-03-23
CHAPTER XIV.

HH any direction. it was not in
I'LL LOder's nature 20 wish Il re-
- traced Ills 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
| ChiicOte. his pitable condition. his sor-
/ did environments. were things that re-
| quired 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 unohserved hy any eyes, he left
the little courtyard with its grass. It's
| trees. its pavement-all So distastefully
| famiiiar-ani passed down the Strand
toward lie and action
As he walked his steps increased en-
speed and yigor Now. for the first
/ time. he fully appreciated the great
/ mental strain that hc had undergone 10
/ the past ten days-the unnatural ten
/ sion. the suppressed but perpetual
! sense OF impending recall. the conse-
| quently high ..cessure at which work
and even existence had been carried on.
| And as he hurried forward the natural
/
upon him IN a food OF security and CON
fdence-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 CUnords inn 70
| GrosvenOr square was long enough TO
| dispel any excitement that his inter
view had aroused and long before the
well known house came into view he
felt sufficiently braced mentally and
/ physically to seek Eve i'm the morning
room. where he lnstinctively felt she
would still be waiting for him.
Thus he encountered and overpassed
the obstacle that had so nearly threat
cned ruin. and. with the slngleness OF
purpose that always distinguished him.
he was able. once having passed Il. TO
| dismiss IL altogether from his mind
| From the moment OF his return 10 Chill.
| cote's house no misgiving as 20 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 a certain opportuni-
| ty one factor had arisen 20 debar that
| opportunity. and he. claiming the right
| OF strength. had set the barrier aside.
| In the simplicity OF the reasoning lay
| Its power 10 convince. and were tonic
| needed 10 brace him for his task he
| was provided with one I'm the master
| ful sense OF a 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. az 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
i feeling had run high, and il was upon
the pivot Of this incident that Loders
attack was to turn. for. as I.akeley was
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-
dure, LOder was 10 rise after questions
at the morning sitting and ask leave to
move the adjournment OF the house on
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 IL was with
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 ChiIcote's desk than Renwlck enter
ed the room with the same air OF i'm
| portant haste that he had shown on a
| previous occasion.
"a letter from Mr.. Fraide. sir. But
there's no answer" he said, with I'M
usual brevity.
LOder waited TIL be had left the
room; then he tore the letter open. he
read:
My Dear ChiicOte - LakeIey Is the re-
cipient OF special and very vital news
from Meshed-unoficial. but none the
less alarming. Acts OF Russian agRres-
sion toward British traders are reported
70 be rapidly increasing. and II is stated
that the authority OF the consulate IN
treated with contempt Pending a posi-
Die confirmation of this. would suggest
that you keep an open mind on the sub
Jet OF tonights speech. BY adopting an
anticipatory - even an unprepared - atti-
tude you may md your hand materially
strengthened. shall put my opinions be-
fore you more explicitly when VIC meet
Yours faithfully.
HERBERT FRAIDE-
The letter. worded with Fraide's usu-
III restraint, made strong impression
on It's recipient The thought that his
speech ms~hf not only express opinions