The Washington herald., 1908-03-15

evening In the hustle OF Leicester
square at that hour, he could not kiss
her; but as their hands grasped. their
eyes met in a glance which both knew
was one of trust and mutual affection.
And so they parted. Max returning to
the lounge where the Frenchman, Jean
Adam, alias the Englshman. John
Adams. awaited him.
They had a drink at me American bar.
and then promenaded up and down in
the gay crowd that nightly assemblies at
that popular resort. Max nodded TO one
or two men he knew-clubmen and
habitues like himself, and then. after the
show Was over. they took cab down 10
the Savoy to supper
The gay restaurant. with its crimson
carpet and white DECORATIONS was crowd
ed. To Gustave. who allotted the tables
Max was well known, therefore a table
for two in the lefthand corner of the big
room-the table he usually occuped-was
instantly secured and the people who had
engaged 1t were moved elsewhere In
the season Max had supper there on an
average three nights a week. for at the
Savoy one meets all ones friends, and
there is always music. life, and bright
ness after the theater. until the licensing
regulations cut OF the merriment SO alb
ruptly.
That night was no exception. The place
was filed TO overflowing with the smart
world. together with many American
visitors. the latest musical-cOmedy act
resses. and their male appendages. cOun-
try cousins. men whose names were
household words, and women whose pasts
had appeared in black and white In the
newspapers. A strange crowd. surely.
Half the people were known to each other
by sight, II not personally, and the other
half were mere onlookers. filed with
curiosity when Lord This or Dolly That
We're pointed out 10 them.
Max and Jean Adam were seated with
bottle OF Rrug between them when the
former exclaimed:
We'll. how does our business go?r
That's the reason wanted to see you
tonight" was his companions reply with
just a slight French accent Il had some
news from ConstantinOple tO-day-eOnfi-
Dental news from the palace" he added
/ in an undertone. bending across the table.
I want you 10 read IL and give your
| opinion And producing an envelope
and letter on thin paper closely written in
French. ne handed IL across 10 Barclay,
as he added: Now. what is written there
is the bedrock fact. l know from inde-
pendent Inquiries I have made in an en-
| ltttlN NlItItll quarter
Between mouthfuls of the perfectly
cooked filet de sole placed before him
Max read the letter carefully. IL was
/ signed your devoted friend Osman." and
was evidently from Turkish official at
the Yildiz Kiosk Briefly. II was TO the
effect thar the trade OF the Sultan for the
construction OF the railway from Nisch,
/ in Servia, 20 San Giolanni 81 Medua. on
/ the Adriatic. was I'm the hands OF Muhil
/ Pasha. one OF his majesty's most intimate
officials. and had been granted 10 him for
/ services rendered In the Asiatic provinces.
Muhil had offered TO part with Il for
| ElZ000 sterling. and that the agent of
| a French company had arrived in Con-
/ stantinople ia order 20 treat with him.
/ Muhil. however, had no love for the
French. since he was Ottoman ambassa-
/ dor in Paris a few years ago, and got
into disgrace there. hence he would be
much more ready 20 sell 70 in English
syndicate
I The letter Of Osman concluded by urg-
/ ing Adam 10 send instructions at once 10
/ "a certain box at the British pOst-Office IN
| Constantinople, and 70 II possible secure
/ the valuable document which would en-
\ able a line OF railway 20 be built which
would pay its shareholders enormously.
Well" exclaimed Max. as he replaced
\ the letter IN its envelope. noting the sur
| charge in black-"1 plaster upon the
\ blue English stamp. What shall YOU
dO?'
/ Dor Why we must get The twelve
/ thousand. Of course. It's mere baga-
! telle compared with the magnitude Of the
I business. I've got some reports IN my
! overcoat pocket which I'll show you after
supper. We must get the thing through.
{ Vlt Ila J.
/ in Il for both Of us-a huge fortune.
/ Why. for the past ten years every dipio-
mat at the Sublime Porte has been at
work 20. get Il through. but has been un-
/ successful. The Sultan has always re-
fused TO let the line run through Turkish
I territory. fearing lest il should be used
/ for military transport in the event OF an
other war. His majesty Is not particu-
I larly partial 20 Austria Servia, or Bull
garia, you know he laughed
/ And hardly surprising. IN view OF past
| events. eh?" exclaimed Max. entirely ig-
norant OF the real character OF this man.
( who seemed a smart man OF business
combined with genial companion. Adam
was past master in the art Of fraud.
l He did not press the point bur merely
went on with his supper. swallowed a
glass OF champagne. and turned the con-
~
riage of the head Of a girl sitting near
with a wreath Of forget-me-nots across
/ her fluffy fair hair
Yes" replied Max The poise of her
/ head is full Of grace. but-well. her face
/ is like the carved handle Of an umbrella -
I Whereat his companion laughed heartily.
| Barclay was full OF quaint expressions.
and of a quiet but biting sarcasm. Some
OF his bon mots had been repeated from
/ mouth 10 mouth in the clubs until they
| became almost popular sayings. He was
now in love entirely and devotedlv with
| Marion, and no other woman of the thou
sand who passed before his eyes and
-smiled into his face had the least attrac-
/ ton for him.
moment later a pretty girl in pink,
| the Hon. Eva Townley. who was at sup
per with her mother and some friends.
bowed 10 him and laughed. while another
woman, the rather gO-ahead wife of a
leader at the chancery bar, waved a
menu at him.
/ Society knew Max. and many woman
/ had set her cap at him. hoping TO capture
/ the tail. well-set-up. and easy-going young
/ fellow, together with the ease and COM
! fort which his substantial estates would
afford.
Max, however. had done a few years OF
town life He had become blase and nau-
/ seated. Since he had met Marion Rolfe.
the quiet, modest, unassuming, ana hard
working shop assistant the haute monde
! bored him more than ever He went only
where he was compelled
There is surely no world in the world
/ like that OF London-rothing so complex.
so tragic, and yet so grimly humorous. so
soul-killing, and yet so reckless-as our
/ little, lax world of vanity and display
4 that calls itself society, the world which
/ the nouveau richie are ever seeking to en-