The Washington herald., 1907-10-08

INey lltu gone together through STORMY
and tragic days. and when the reports
had reached the Indian Office it was Sir
Percy TO whom Gen. Talbot gave the
largest share Of the credit and even the
glory. which had resulted from their
joint efforts.
Thanks to this extraordinary generosity
on Gen. Talbott's part, Sir Percy's ef-
forts had received prompt recognition.
His first two years in India were bril-
Nantly successful. and marked him as q
rising man among his fellows. From
that time onward he had been what IS
called lUClly-that is 10 say, when two
courses were opened to him he took the
sensible one. After a brief but distin-
guished service in India he was trans
ferred 20 the diplomatic corps, and good
fortune followed him.
But the greatest stroke Of his life had
come two years before, in the Balkans,
that line upon which. as Lord Beacon
field says. England fights" The foreign
Office happened not 70 be as judicious In
"a certain juncture as its young repre-
sentative; IN fact, the premier commit
ted the most astounding blunder. which
If il had become known, would have sent
him out of office amid the inextinguish-
able laughter of mankind. This bluuder.
however, was known only to four persons
the prime minister himself. his private
secretary, a telegraph operator, and Sir
Percy Carlyon. What Sir Percy did was
to wire back to the head of the govern
ment:
Message received, but unintelllgible
owing 10 telegraph operators ignorance
OF English"
Then he proceeded to act upon his own
account. Three days later the Russian
envoy was on his way to St. Petersburg
on an indefinite leave Of absence, and Sir
Percy was domiciled with the reigning
sovereign at his country place, and was
in the saddle TO stay.
Six months after he had an interview
with the prime minister, Not much was
said. but Sir Percy was asked in diplo-
matte language TO name what he wanted.
He named it. and it was 10 be first sec
rotary at Washington when his promo
ton was due, then service at some smaller
European court as minister, and 10 sue
/ coed Lord Baudesert on his retirement.
The prime minister was not startled
at the proposition. He knew Sir Percy 10
be a man OF lofty ambition and not likely
TO Underrate himself. The scheme, more
over. had IN It elements Of fitness and
common sense. The prime minister was
heartily tired OF equity old gentlemen IN
great diplomatic positions. and thought It
rather a good idea 10 make a man an
ambassador before he got too old. Be
sides nothing that Sir Percy Carlyon
could have asked in reason would have
been too much. considering from what
4 the premier had been saved. SO 1t was
arranged that he should come 10 Wash
( ington as first secretary, and the rest OF
/ the plan was likely to be carried out even
/ II there should be a change in the party
| IN power. Eighteen months afterward the
/ appointment was made and the first step
/ in the programme taken.
/ IN looking back upon his career Sir
/ Percy saw nothing but good fortune
/ great and exceptional good fortune; SO
much So that he began to ask himself
whether. Ike the old Greeks. price
would not be demanded from him for all
/ that had been given him. The idea, how
ever, was unpleasing. and he began.
/ Alnaschar-like, TO plan what he should
| do when he became ambassador. Then
a thought stole into his mind which made
/ his somewhat grim face relax; there
ought 10 be an ambassadoress. He could
/ see her IN his minds eye, a beautiful,
| stately English girl. looking Ike the
/ elder sister Of the tall, white lilies. She
must be grave and dignifed, and very
/ reticent-a laxative ambassadress would
be a horror. He would like her TO be OF
/ some great English home. Himself one OF
/ the best born men in England, he had a
/ fancy, even a weakness, for distinguished
( birth. He had a strong prejudice against
/ members Of the diplomatic corps marry
I ing outside OF their countries, and espe-
cially he disapproved Of diplomats rush
/ ing pell-mell into marriage with American
girls. He had known a few Of these
/ feminine American diplomatists in his
I time, and there was not one he cOnsld-
| cred well fitted for her position. Most
OF them talked too much; and all Of them
| dressed TOO much. Then they were likely
! to have shoals of relatives, whom they
/ insisted on dragging around with them
/ 10 the various European capitals, and
/ these relatives generally involved them
/ In social battles which were anything but
! diguiied. On the whole, Sir Percy had
/ fully made up his mind to marry none
/ but an Englishwoman.
/ BY the time he had reached this point
in his reverie he was striding fast through
the woods in the bitter winter dusk to-
ward the town. Suddenly a woman's
face, Ike a face in a dream. passed be
fore his mind. The thought Of bel
brought his rapid walk to a dead stop
/ Ike a dagger thrust into his heart TIL,
image Of Alicia Vernon rose before him
Alicia, who was tall and fair, and had {
fute-like voice and the deepest and dark
est blue eyes he had ever seen-AHcia
the only child of the man who had be.
/ friended him more than all OF the mer
IN the world-Gen. Talbot
True, he had been but tWenty-siy
years Of age when he met Alicia. who
was two years older True, that Older
/ and stronger men than he had succumbet
/ to her beauty, her charm. her courage
her fitness, and her wantonness. Not one
Of them, however, but had better excuse
| than himself. so thought Sir Percy, hi.
/ eyes involuntarily cast down with shame
/ When he first met her Alicia was al
/ --aa
worthless. and rich. Sir Percy remem-
bered, with flush of establishment
how ready. nay how eager, he had beer
10 listen to the plausible stories Alicia
! told him Of Guy VernOn's i'll treatment
and neglect OF her. But she had omitted
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