Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-03-02
CHATTER XVIII

4 Ii
time since he had adopted his
dual role Loder slept H. lie
- was not a man over whom i'm
Rgnation held any powerful sway. His
doubts and misgivings seldom ran TO
speculation upon future possibilities
Nevertheless. the fact that. conscious
ly or unconsciously. he had adopted a
new attitude toward Eve came home
10 him with unpleasant force during
the hours OF darkness. and long before
the first hint OF daylight had slipped
through the heavy window curtains he
bad arranged a plan OF actlon-a plan
wherein. 10y the simple method OF alto
gether avoiding her. he might so0the
his own conscience and safeguard Chill
cotes domestic Interests.
IL was a satisfactory II a somewhat
negative Arrangement. and he rose next
morning with 4 feeling that things had
begun 90 shape themselves. But chance
sometimes has disconcerting knaclI OF
forcstaling even our best planned
schemes. He dressed slowly and de-
scended 10 his solitary breakfast with
the pleasant sensation OF having put
last night out OF consideration by the
turning over OF a new leaf. but scarce
ly had he opened Chllcotes letters.
scarcely had he taken a cursory glance
az the mornings newspaper than IL was
borne in upon him that not only new
leaf. but whole sheaf OF new leaves. had
been turned Ina his prospects by haAd
infinitely moro powerful and arbitrary
than his own. lie realized within the
space OF a few moments that the lei
sure Eve might have claimed. the lei
sure he might have been tempted 20 de-
vote 20 her. was no longer his 10 dis
pose OF. being already demanded OF
him from q quarter that allowed OF no
refusal.
For the first rumbling OF the political
earthquake that was 10 shake the coun-
try made Itself audible beyond denial
on that morning OF March % when the
news spread through England that In
view OF the dlsorSanized state OF the
Persian army and the shah's conse-
Quent inability TO suppress the open in
surrection OF the border tribes in tho
Southeastern districts OF Meshed. Rus
STA, with a great show or magnanimiry.
had come 10 the rescue by dispatchng
large armed force from her military
station at Merv across the Persian
frontier 10 the seat OF the disturbance.
To many hundreds OF Englishmen
who read their papers on that morning
this announcement conveyed but little.
That there Is such a country as Persia
we all know. that English interests pre-
dominate In the south and Russian in
terests in the north we have all super
fcialiy understood from childhood, but
Ia this knowledge. coupled with the
fact that Persia Is comfortably far
away. we are apt TO rest content. II Is
J only to the eyes that see through long
distance glasses. the minds that regard
the present as nothing more or less
than an inevitable link joining the fu-
ture 10 the past, that this distant. de-
batable land stands out in its true po-
liucal significance.
To the average reader OF news the
statement of Russia's move seemed
scarcely more important than had the
first report of the border risings In
January. but 10 the men who had
watched the growth OF the disturbance
IL came charged with portentous mean
ing. Through the entire ranks of the
opposition. from Frade himself down.
ward. 1t caused thrill OF expectation
that peculiar prophetic sensation that
every politician has experienced at
some moment or his career.
In no member OF his party did this
feeling strike deeper root than In Loder
Imbued with a lifelong interest In the
eastern question. specially equipped by
| personal knowledge TO hold and pro-
claim an opinion upon Persian affairs,
he read the signs and portents with In
stinctive Insight. Seated at Chilcote's
table. surrounded 10y Chilcote's letters
and papers. he forgot the breakfast
that was slowly growing cold. forgot
the interests and dangers. personal OF
pleasurable. OF the night before. while
his mental eyes persistently' conjured
J I'D the map OF Persia. travelling with