The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-04-13
CHAPTER 1.
(COntinued)

/
At this moment an office messen
| ger came in with a huge bundle o
papers which he placed before me
on my desk. They were envelopet
in the usual green Jacket" which
meant extreme urgency, and on the
outside was written, in a big, bole
hand, Capt. Wood-speak."
He'll do most of the talking
expect" went on Swete Thornhill
maliciously.
The distinguished officer at that
time head and chief of our depart
ment was Maj. Gen. Sir Chas. Col
bingham. v. c., K.C.B., one of the
most notable soldiers of the day
ardent, fearless, highly skilled
strong in counsel, foremost in the
field, who had served almost every
where, in all the wars, great and
small, of recent years.
Sir Charles expected, nay, ex.
acted, like devotion from US, his
staff officers, whom in all matters
of duty he ruled with a rod of iron.
None of us liked to face him when
he was put out. for he was choleric
l felt rather sheepish and uncom-
Portable as l appeared before the
great man. The general was tall in
stature, very thin and straight,
while his strong, weather beaten
face-the deep bronze contrasting
sharply with the bristling white
mustachios and long, projecting
eyebrows, over fierce, steely-blue
eyes--commanied respect.
He began on me at once. "By the
Lord Harry, this won't do, Wood
he cried with amazing volubility
and force. What have you got to
say for yourself? Slept late? tell
you I won't have the business OF
this Office neglected. Now you are
late for parade, and you know l
insist upon punctuality."
81 won't do it again, Sir Charles u
said meekly, yet wondering why l.
a man of millions, submitted to
such slavery, and 1 turned to go.
"Ah, by the way. Wood, bring me
that report of yours. will you. on
the defense of the Canadian from
tier? 1t is ready. | suppOse?"
well, no, Sir Charles, not quite.
| have been delayed BY
Great Scott! he roared, instant
ly blazing up into white heat. "You
lazy, idle young villain. l believe
you want to drive me mad. You
know as we'll as l do that the for
eign Office is pressing for the paper,
that | promised it to Lord Salisbury
within a week, and here you, YOU
Oh, go away want none of your
excuses. I've had enough of you.
You shan't stay here, bringing dis
credit on the Office. I'll have none
of it. You shall go back to your
groveling, grabby, guard mounting
routine, and when you are grizznng
your soul out nthat beastly trop-
ical hole, Bermuda, you may be
sorry for the chance you've lost. Go
away, l say. I've done with you.
And l went, meaning In my rage
for I, too, had become furiously
angry-to take him at his word and
walk straight out of the house. But
custom Is strong-the spirit OF
subordination, Of obedience, the sol.
dierly sense of duty, when once i'm
bibed, are not to be shaken off In a
second
When I regained my desk and
sew the papers there. remembered
that was bound in honor to fulfill
my obligations.
There was not much wanting to
finish my report on the Canadian
frontier and / did it out of hand.
Then l sent it in to the chief and
prepared to tackle the second set OF
papers, which proved to be 3
scheme, marked strictly confiden-
tial," for a combined attack upon
New York by sea and land.
Our political relations at that
particular moment were greatly
strained There were rumors of
grave disagreement, If nothing
worse.
But now l noticed the word
speak" and ] knew that I must
take verbal instructions before I
set to work. l must face my irasci-
Bile chief again, and l had no great
fancy for it.
The general was at his standing
desk Che seldom sat DOWN., por-
ing over my other report, but he
looked round as entered, and
nodded pleasantly. Bright sunshine
had already succeeded the always
fugitive storms in his hasty tenn.
nerament