The Columbus journal., 1909-03-03

Of the evening and rendered traffic
more difficult. Here and there came
the glow and halation of an arc light,
dimly showing through a veil and
lighting up a tiny radius in the gloom.
A constable kept calling: Keep close
to the wall. Keep close to the WALL"
his voice sounding from a long dis
lance and muffled. Cabmen We're in
sistertly shouting, and when BeVins
came to the first street crossing he
was almost run down by slOw-moving
automobile whose eyes stared at him
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
the great iron gates in front as well
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 a 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"
mo, 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 a 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 his
garb that he had been compelled TO
hasten his coming; and then came the
king.
"Gentlemen." he said, turning to the
of the United States navy
Had he said: Gentlemen. here is an
assassin with a 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 frieldliness. The king
himself without parley conducted
them to more private room, and
offered each in turn a cigar, afte.
which he looked inquiringly at his
guest. who answered by drawing from
his pocket sealed dispatch. which lie
delivered. 1t was torn open and real
in silence. passing from hand to hand.
after which the admiral. without pre-
Jude. plunged into his subject
las will be witnessed by the dis
patches 1 have brought. the United
States wishes nothing more than conf
.,iete harmony. 1t has been compelled
for the sake of peace to adopt rather
unprecedented methods. which l can
assure you will at least revo.utionize
understood. The letter is to reassure
his majesty"
The two members of the ministry
looked at each other in strained sus-
pense. and eagerly waited for the
American to continue, which he did
after brief thought, in which time he
gravely studied the kings face.
1t has not been pleasant for my
country to take the steps it has; bu;
there were no ether means of estah-
fishing and maintaining perhaps for
ever-a continued state of peace Gen-
tlemen. l believe that the day of war
has nearly seen its sunset. l be-
lieve if you will intrust yourselves to
my care for the next few hours, under |
my assurance as representative Of |