The Washington herald., 1907-10-08
CHAPTER I.

age. But Sir Percy CaTlyon had, when
he was appointed first secretary OF the
British Embassy at Washington, with a
very well-arranged scheme worked out
by which, at the end OF four years
he was to succeed his uncle, Lord Bau-
desert. the present ambassador Ihls
realization of his dreams came to SIT
Percy on a December afternoon dark and
sharp, as he tramped over the frozen
ground through the stark and leafless
woods which may yet be found close 10
Washington.
He was a great walker, this Thin
sinewy Englishman with a sUn-browned
skin, burned by many summers I'm India
and weather-beaten by many winters in
the snowbound depths of the Balkans.
He had the straight features and clear
scinullant eyes which are the marks or
race among his kind. but no one would
have been more surprised than Sir Percy
If he had been called handsome. Within
him, on this bleak December afternoon,
was 4 sensation strange TO him after
many years-the feeling of hope and al
most OF JOY. He stopped in the silent
ANtAAtAA-s
the gnarled trunk Of a live oak. thrust
his hands into his pockets and glanced,
with frightening eyes, toward the west.
A faint. rosy line upon the horizon was
visible through the naked woods: all else
in sky and earth was dun-COlored.
To Sir Percy Carlyon this thread of
radiance was a promise Of the future.
This was, 20 him, almost the first mo-
ment Of retrospection since the day, two
months before. when, IN the prime min
ister's rooms in Downing street, a new
lie in a new country opened before Sir
Percy Carlyon. Since then-amld the
official and personal preparations neces-
sary 70 take up his post, his seven days
on the Atlantic, during which he worked
hard on pressing business. the necessary
first visits upon his arrlvaI-Sir Percy
had scarcely enjoyed an hour 10 himself.
He lad found the embassy overwhelmed
with affairs, about which his uncle, Lord
Baudesert, COolly refused to bother him
self, but which Sir Percy, as a practical
man, felt obliged 10 take up and carry
through. That day. only, had he, by
hard and systematic work, caught up
what was called by Lord Baudesert with
a grin. the unfinished business" at the
British Embassy, but which really meant
the neglected business Of a lazy, clever
old diplomatist. who never did to-day
what he could put of until tomorrow.
Lord Baudesert had been many years at
Washington. and had a thorough knowl-
edge. not only Of the affairs OF the Amer
iCan people, but Of their temper their
prejudices, and their passions. In an
emergency his natural abilities, and a
kind OF superhuman adroitness which he
possessed together with the vast fund
Of knowledge that he had accumulated
but rarely used, made him q valuable
person TO the foreign office. However,
as soon as the emergency passed. Lord
Baudesert returned to his usual occupa-
ton Of studying the American newspa-
pers and anything else which could add
10 the already vast stock Of knowledge
which he possessed, but rarely conde-
scended to use.
The embassy was presided over by Lord
Baudesert's widowed sister. Mrs Vereker,
an amiable old sheep OF the early Veto
Tian type. Then, there were three lamb
Ike Vsreker girls, Jane. Sarah. and Isa-
bella, all likewise early Victorian, who
regarded their uncle as q combination OF
Bluebeard and Solomon. and altogether
the most important and the most terrify-
ing person on this planet Lord Baude-
sert's favorite instrument Of torture 10
the ladies OF his family was the threat
TO marry an American widow with bill
lions OF money. How this would have IN
favorably affected her the excellent Mrs.
Vereker could not have told TO save her
Iife-but the mere hint always gave her
acute misery.
The secretaries Of the embassy were
very well-meaning young men. who at
tended TO their work as well as they
knew how but as Lord Baudesert seldom
tosk the trouble 70 read document, and
would not sign his name to anything
which he had not read, it was difficult
TO get business transacted. When Sir
Percy CaTlyon was getting his instruc-
tions from the prime minister concerning
post Of first secretary at Washington
premier had remarked:
Your uncle, you know, is the LATEST
an God ever made. bU. he IS also one
.. the cleverest No living EugIishmar
rows as much about American affairs
Lord Baudesert or has ever made
mseIf so acceptable 10 the American
sople, but when he isn't doing us the
reatcst service in the world, no lets
verythlng go hang. We are sending you
, Washington 10 get some work done.
lear you can bully Lord Baudesert q
very particular"
Except one" Sir Percy had replied
Neither I, nor anybody else, nor the
ievil himself could make Lord Baude-
sert work when he doesn't want TO-"
Sir Percy. on this December afternoon
IN the woods, reviewed In his own mind
his whole diplomatic career up 70 the
point Of that interview. His first be-
ginnings had been as q minor civil serv-
ant on the Indian frontier twelve year:
before 1t is not uncommon, however
for these clever youngsters, sent out L
India to govern, negotiate. threaten. and
subdue a vast and deceitfuI people, &C
ind themselves intrusted with RESPONSE
bilities which might appall these repre-.
sentatives Of the British empire if they
were older men
Far removed from Western civilization
and out Of the field Of newspapers, young
Sir Percy Carlyon was in effect ruler
and lord Of a million people. whose united
word counted less with their English
masters than one sentence from this
sahlb OF twenty-six years Of age. His
most yras on The Afghauistau frontier
where he had to circumvent Afghans and
Russians and Outgeneral all or them. The
times were difficult, and in spite OF young