Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-26
CHAPTER XII.
The Marathon.

The Marathon.
As n two gods should play some
heavenly match, and on this wager lay
two earthly women.-Shapespeare.
An automaton, scarcely thinking, l
gained the platform of the station.
There was a sound of kissing steam,
rolling cloud of sulphurous smoke,
shouting of railway captains. a creak-
ing of the wheels. Without volition of
my own, was on my northward jour
ney. Presently l looked around and
found seated at my side the man whom
l then recollected l was to meet-Doc-
tor Samuel Ward.
Whats wrong, Nicholas" he asked.
Trouble of any kind?"
So, briefly l told him what little l
knew of the events Of the last hour. l
told him of the shame and humiliation
of it all. He pondered for a minute
and asked me at length if l believed
Miss Elisabeth suspected anything Of
my errand of the night before.
How could she?" l answered. so
far as can recollect l never mentioned
the name of the Baroness Won Ritz"
Then, all at once, l did recollect! l
did remember that had mentioned the
name of the baroness that very morn
ing to Elisabeth, when the baroness
passed us in the East Room!
Doctor Ward was keen enough to see
the sudden confusion on my face, but
he made no comment beyond saying
that he doubted not time would clear
it all up; that he had known many
such affairs.
But mind you one thing" he added:
keep those two women apart"
Then why do you two dodderins
old idiots, you and John Calhoun, with
life outworn and the blood dried in
your veins, send me, since you doubt
me so much, on an errand of this kind?
You see what it has done for me. /
am done with John Calhoun. He may
get some other fool for his service
Where do you propose going. then,
friend?"
West" i answered. West to the
Rockies"
Doctor Ward calmly produced a tor
toise shell snuff-box from his left-hand
waistcoat pocket, and deliberately took
snuff. You are going to do nothing of
the kind" said he calmly. You are go
ing to keep your promise to John Cal
houn and to me. Believe me. the busi-
ness in hand is vital"
Il care nothing for that" l answered
bitterly.
But you are the agent of your coun-
try. You are called to do your coun-
try's urgent work. All life is only trou-
BILE vanquished. l ask you now to be a
man; l not only expect it, but demand
it of you!"
His words carried weight in spite Of
myself. l began to listen. took from
his hand the package, looked at it, ex-
amined it. Finally. as he sat silently
regarding me, broke the seal.
Now, Nicholas Trist," resumed Doc
tor Ward presently, there is to be at
Montreal at the date named in these
papers a meeting of the directors Of the
Hudson Bay Company of England.
There will be big men there-the big
gest their country can produce: leaders
of the Hudson Bay Company, many
public men even of England. 1t is ru-
mored that brother of Lord Aberdeen,
of the British Ministry, will attend.
Do you begin to understands"
All, did not? Here, then, was fur
ther weaving of those complex plots
which at that time hedged in all our
history as a republic. Now, l guessed
the virtue of our knowing somewhat of
Engand's secret plans, as sne surely
did of ours l began to feel behind me
the impulse Of John Calhoun's swift en-
ergy.
1T is Oregon." l exclaimed at last.
Doctor Ward nodded. Very possi-
bly, 1t has seemed to Mr.. Calhoun very
likely that we may hear something or
great importance regarding the far
Northwest. A missed cog now may
cost this country a thousand miles of
territory, hundred years of history
In spite of myself, began to feel the
stimulus of thought like this. 1t was
my salvation as a man. l began to set
aside myself and my own troubles.
You are therefore, ne concluded,
ito go to Montreal, and find your own
way into that meeting of the directors
of the Hudson Bay Company. There
is a bare chance that in this intrigue
Mexico will have an emiSSary on the
ground as well. There is reason To Sus-
pect her hostility to all our plans of
extension, southwest and northwest.
Naturally, ii is the card of Mexico to
bring on war, or accept it if we urge;
but only in case she has England as
her ally England will get her pay by
taking Texas. and what is more. by
taking California, which Mexico does not
value. She owes England large sums
now. That would leave England owner
of the Pacific coast; for, once she gets
California. she will fight US then for all
of Oregon. 1t is your duty to learn all
of these matterS-who is there, what is
done: and to do this without making
known your own identity"
sat for moment in thought 1T
is an honor" said | finally; IAN honor
50 large that under it | feel small"
Now" said Doctor Ward. placing
gnarled hand on my shoulder you be-
gin to talk like a Marylandor. It's
race. my boy. a race across this cOnti-
nent There are two trails-one north
and one mid continent on these paths
two nations contend in the greatest
Marathon of all the world. England or
the United StateS-mOnarchy or repub-
lic-aristOcracy or humanity"
"GOOd-by." he said. as we steamed
into Baltimore station. | turned. and
he was gone.