Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-20
little weakness yet?' he added, with a

IT. he remarked, with levity which
| did not sound altogether natural.
''She was an uncommonly fascinat-
| ing young woman" Lord Runton said.
''but she didn't seem to me very old ut
the game. She was clever enough to
| fool De Rothe, though. He admits that
| he told her that he was expecting a
| special messenger from Berlin.
Duncombe seemed to have had
enough of the subject. He got up and
| filed his pipe.
us Jack coming down this week 2"
he asked.
mo. He wired this morning that he
can't get away. Seton isn't coming
either. Between ourselves, George
something seems to be going on at the
foreign office which l don't quite I'M
! derstand."
what do you meau?" Duncom0e
asked. There has been no hint at
any sort of trouble in the papers,
That's just what | don't under
| stand" Lord Runton continued. at is
| certain that there is an extraordinary
amount of activity at Portsmouth and
4
ny sensational papers make no, more
than passing allusiOn to it. Then
look at the movements OF our fleet
| The whole of the Mediterranean fleet
is at Gibraltar. and the channel squad
ron is moving up the North sea as
though to join the home division. All
these movements are quite unusual"
What do you make OF them theuT'
| Duncombe asked.
Il scarcely know Lord Runton an
swered. But l can tell you this:
There have been three cabinet coun-
! ellis this week, and there is Il curious
air OF apprehension in Official circles
] in town. as though something were
about to happen. The service clubs
are almost deserted, and l know for a
! fact that all leave in the navy has
been suspended. What 1 don't under
| stand is the silence everywhere. 1t
looks to me as though there were real
ly going to be trouble. The Baltic
fleet sailed this morning, you know"
Duncombe nodded.
But" he said, "even if they were
i'll disposed to US, as no doubt Russia
is just now, what could they dc? One
: squadron of our fleet could send theul
to the bottom"
mo doubt" Lord Runton answered
But supposing they found an ally"
France will never go to war with
5 us for Russians benefit" Duncombe de
e clared.
Granted" Lord Runton answered
5 but have you watched Germany's at
: titude lately?"
Il II can't say that l have" Duncombt
admitted, ''but l should never lool
. upon Germany as a war seeking IA
$ ton"
v "NO, L dare say not" Lord RuntoI
h answered. NO more would grea
: many other people. Every one is will
5 ing to admit that she would like on
i colonies, but no one will believe tina
o she has the courage to strike blow 70
!. them. I will tell you what l believe
: Duncombe. l believe that no grea
e power has ever before been in so dan
gerous a position as we are today"
IS Duncombe sat up in his chair. TIL
e WEAKNESS passed from his face, AM
he was distinctly Interested. Lor
Runton, without being an ardent poll
tician, was a man of common sens
e and was closely connected with NOR
p than one member of the cabinet.
Is care you serious. Runton?" he aske[
q absolutely. Remember, I was i
Berlin for two years, and had man
&C opportunities of gaining an insigh
f,NNo c..i,
II coming now have expected for years
There are two great factors whic
make for war. One is the characte
e. of the emperor himself and the othe
lie the inevitable rot, which must cree
10 like a disease into great army keI
1t always upon a war footing, throug
ut a decade or more of inactivity. Th
:" emperor is shrewd enough to see thi
l Nothing can possibly exist at its bes
which is not used for the purpose
which it owes its existence. That
re why we have this flood Of literatur
II Just now telling us Of the gross abuse
O. and general rottenness of the Germa
Of army. Another five years of idlenes
l and Germany's position as the frs
W III nave ava,
n Like every other great power. 1t
al rusting for want of use. The emper
knows this"
;" Duncombe for many reasons was ia
lie cinated by his friends quiet wore
le Apart from their obvious plausibilit
= they brought with them many startlil
= suggestions. Had chance, he wondt
ed, really made Phyllis Poynton al
8 her. brother pawns in the great gam
He felt himself stirred to a rare en-
ton by the flood of possibilities viii
swept in suddenly upon him. Lo
Runton noted with surprise the sig
of growing excitement in his listenel
go on, Runton. Anything else?'
Lord Runton helped himself to
cigarette and leaned across to light
III "Of course" he continued, Il kne
| that there are a great many peoI
who firmly believe that for commerce
reasons Germany would never seek
III quarrel with uA VIII agree W