The Washburn leader., 1908-05-29
fate Of the British fleet. He yelled his
curiosity. his emotion and his excite.

curiosity, his emotion and his excite.
ment behind mask Of polite reserve.
But what was coming next? His Wis.
itor. who had hesitated, now went ON.
"This is no time nor place for me to
say what l have to; but as an emis-
sary of my government am asked to
induce you, your prime minister and
the first lord Of the admiralty to grant
me private audience"
The king, impatient, curious and
anxious, was yet relieved by what he
heard. There was nothing very un.
usual In request for private audi
ence under such circumstances, and
he had hope that from it would come
elucidation Of all which he most
wished to know. The morrow then
would at least bring some ease OF
mind and some relief from uncertain
ty. Before he could reply the voice re-
sumed:
The audience must be granted to.
night"
Tonight, to-night!" The sovereign
forgot his aplomb, leaned his body to-
ward his companion, and thrust his
chin forward. There had been some
thing in the use Of the word must"
and the astonishing declaration that
the interview should be conceded at
ence that aroused little spark of re-
sentiment. And yet he was filled with
curiosity akin to anger.
the admiral was quick to read his
hnc pvA
10 conciliate. Your majesty. as your
friend | ask you not to misconstrue
anything l may say. am asking as a
trance leading from the garden in the
rear"
TO this also the king acceded, at.
tributing it TO a desire for conceal.
ment on the part of his companion,
who almost at once made his adieu,
passed out beyond the curtains,
through the door, and joined the last
Of the tagging crowd. The fog had
not abated, but seemed even more i'm.
penetrable than in the earlier hours
Of the evening and rendered traffic
more difficult. Here and there came
the glow and halation of an arc light.
dimly showing through veil and
lighting up tiny radius In the gloom.
A constable kept calling: Keep close
to the WALL Keep close to the wall!"
his voice sounding from long dis
tance and muffled. Cabmen were in.
sistently shouting, and when Bevins
came to the first street crossing he1
was almost run down by slow-moving
automobile whose eyes stared at him !
suddenly like those of a great beetle.
1t was the king driving to his resi-.
dence.
At Buckingham palace, where the
royal banner was hanging sodden
from its staff, the guards with busbys
coated with the perspiration of the
night, tramped briskly to and fro at
the great iron gates in front as we'll
as past the gates of the garden on
Buckingham road, half mile in the
rear. The time of the appointment was
past when the guard at the private en-.
trance received the expected visitor
with comment of surprise and apol.
ogy that he had not been accompanied
through the gardens by the farther
sentries.
VERY thoughtless and unusual, sir"
he said, "and I'll report them at once"
"No, no, don't do that" Bevins
hastily requested. Il wished to come
alone. BY his majesty's permission"
he added, and the man conducted him
to the private audience chamber.
where he was given seat.
The prime minister entered only .
few minutes later and stared hard at
Bevins, evidently trying to recall
whether or not they had met before.
and seeming to remember something
familiar in the face. They waited
without speaking until the lord of the
admiralty appeared, showing from hia
garb that he had been compelled Ia
hasten his coming; and then came tho
king.
Gentlemen" he said. turning to tina
others, this is Admiral Robert Bevina
Of the United States navy"
Had he said: Gentlemen. here is an
assassin with pocketful of bombs,'
the effect on the members Of his cabi.
net could have been hardly less
marked. Bevins bowed and extended
his hand to each in turn. assuring
them of his friendliness. The king
himself without parley conducted
them to more private room, and
offered each in turn cigar, after
which he looked inquiringly at hia
guest, who answered by drawing from
his pocket sealed dispatch, which be
delivered. It was torn open and real
in silence, passing from hand to hand.
after which the admiral, without pre-
lude, plunged into his subject.
"As will be witnessed by the dis,
patches I have brought, the United
States wishes nothing more than com,
plete harmony. 1t has been compelled
for the sake of peace to adopt rather
unprecedented methods, which can
assure you will at least revolutionize
all methods Of warfare as generally
understood. The letter is to reassurs
1,l