The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-08-29
THE WIND IN IHE TREES.


his pen impatiently and crossed the
room to the telephone.
esq"
"Gentlenan wants to see Mr.. Pelham,
SIR
.'Mr. Pelham is very busy. Tell the
gentleman to send up his name and
business"
"N hats the row." broke in Pelham
looking up from his desk.
Some one wants to see YOU Dare
say it's another COMPOUNDED anecdote
about japanese Prince or the King
And Meadow, whom the royal affairs
of England and Japan had somewhat
wearied that day, walked across to the
window and stood for moment look
ing down into the misty shadows of
the street.
The traffic of the day had thinned out
now: it was 10 O'Clock, and save for the
fitting lights of an occasional cab
carving a night editor to his office,
and the Tapping of the English and
Japanese flags at a window opposite.
Fleet street was silent and deserted.
The bell rang again. .,
Never mind, old man, I'll see to it
this time myself" said Pelham as he
rose and crossed the room.
"The gentleman says lie must see you,
sir. It's most particular, answered
the hallboy in response to his imperative
demand. And he amt got no name.
He's a little foreign lookin' gent, sir,
and he seems a bit dotty," came to
Pelham in hoarse whisper. lie says
I'm to tell you a friend from the East
has called, and wants to know II you
remember something, or other about
the wind in the trees?"
"a friend from the East! The wind
in the-Good Lord" broke off Pelham
suddenly, dropping the receiver IN his
excitment.
whats up" asked Meadows, turn
ing round.
Il think once told you about an in
cidept that happened soon after the
passage of the 1alu-the one IN when
Japanese celebrity saved the lie OF
all English war correspondent, and the
same day located concealed RUSSIAN
position by watching the passage OF
their bullets through clump of tonnage.
lie called it .'the wind i'll the trees
Meadows nodded.
We'll, | think | also told you the
correspondent said some things that
day, that wild horses wouldn't have
dragged from him at saner moment.
Among them he told his Japanese ex-
cellency that if ever the chance came
to return the favor in any way it would
be done. 1t seemed extremely i'm
probable and bit highhoWn when 1t
was out; but, curiously enough, his ex-
cellency took it quite seriously. lie
said the big things of life were never
done of ourseives-only the little things,
and this promise he felt belonged to
the big things When the day came to
claim it. he said he would ask me to re-
member the wind in the trees.
by Jove! You?"-
81 mean to say there's some one from
the East downstairs who wants to know
if | remember the wind in the trees )"
answered Palham tersely.
The room seemed very quiet for a
moment, as he finished speaking, and in
the silence the tapping of the English
and japanese flags at window oppo-
site sounded curiously loud and insis-
tent
"But it couldn't possibly be-" argued
Meadows, as he recovered from his
establishment "The latest cables from
Japan confirm the statement, made
some time ago, that he had temporarily
abandoned public life and retired for
the summer, to remote country
estate
"The Japanese are very wonderful
people," smiled Pelham systematically,
and, crossing to the telephone, he sent
down an urgent message.
Meadows took down his hat, and a
moment later opened the door, as an
elderly, clean shaven man, with Oriental
eyes stepped out of the lift.
He bowed courteously to the former
as lie passed, then turned to Pelham
with a smile.
IL beg your excellency's pardon"
stammered Palham, as he recovered
himself But the loss of your beard
and mustache makes tremendous
difference; and besides the news
agencies -
"Ah, yes The news agencies, poor
things, are sadly deceived laughed his
excellency, as he came in and closed
the door, ''They think | am nicely
docketed and put away for the summer
months, when 10! here l am in their
very holy of holies itself-the immortal
Fleet street. All, WE'LL" he went on, as
he took the chair Pelham brought for
ward, ''life is daily miracle, only we
are so used to it we forget to wonder.
DuC yOu, Ill lllolS, WI LlllS hlIuly
eyes Oh Pelham, show goes it with you
since we said goodbye among the Rus
sian guns? You are great newspaper
proprietor nowadays, are you not?
They tell me you own the most power
tul journal in all England?"
1T certainly has the largest circula-
tion," smiled Pelham, land great
deal of it l owe to your excellency.
Those articles you allowed me to send
home from the front built up a reputa-
tion''-
''And brains did the rest. Good.
Brains are wonderful things. Better
than money or muscle, and almost, but
not quite, as good as principles. The
gods take particular care of the prin-
ciples. But you would know why am
here tonight" he went on, in response
to the inquiry in Pelham's eyes. ''What
strange fate brings me from the east in
this guise?" and he touched his shaven
cheek, as he rose and began to pace the
floor. cit is their secret not mine," he
went on, after moments pause,
pointing to the two flags opposite. 'All
can say at present is that am here
on political mission of great secrecy