Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-04-11

delibly on his mind The passionate re
sentiment, the agony of protest that haC
come to him at the ball. when ne
received the torn fragments of his letter
to Barbara, returned in double force, op-
posing a strange new sense of shame
that his thought should follow her ever
into the tragic shadow where she now
dwelt. Yet-for fancy will not be denied
Ibis brain would again and again circle
the same somber treadmill
We have done those things which wt
ought not to have done! Hesseemed tC
hear her say it on the dark hillside. Hel
voice had had that in it which, against
his will, had thrilled him. What had she
done that she regretted? She had spok
en- of the day in the cave at Enoshlm;
had seemed to wish him to believe tina,
she had not then been acting a part
Could anything have happened in thai
one days interval so utterly to change
her? She had been unhappy, for he hao
surprised her weeping. What was it she
had wished to contest" So tonight his
gloomy reflections ran-to their sub
merging wave of self-reproach.
He let himself into the chancery with
his latch key to get his evenings mail
A telegram had been laid on his desk
1t was a cipher from Washington, an6
he opened the safe at once and from the
books. He sat down at one of the desks
and began the DECIDING of the text. For
time he worked mechanically-as il
were with but one-half of his brain
tracing each group of figures in The
bulky volume, transposing by the secret
key, dragging, in the complicated PRO.
cess, sense and coherency from the mean
ingless digits. Then he sat staring al
the result:
Large short selling today in Euro
Spean bourses and in New York (comma)
unexplainable on usual ground (comma)
is creating anxiety (period) Can
scarcely be explained except on n.y.
pothesis that secret group of dealers
have suddenly come into possession of
Information which leads them to consid-
er the international situation ominous
(period) Newspapers in ignorance of
anything extraordinary (period) Lon
don and Paris evidently puzzled (period)
Has situation developed new phases and
in your opinion does it contain possible
element of danger (period) Hasten re-
ply
A full five minutes Daunt sat motion
less, revolving the matter in all its bear
ings. An answer must be sent without
delay. A part of that answer might be
found in the departure of the Squadron.
The newspapers had announced its re-
ceipt of sailing-orders, but the news had
yet to be verified. The Naval Minister
could give this notification.
He went at once to the stables, where
the carriage was about to start for the
Ambassador. He sprang in. little
later he was at the Admiral's official
residence and his chief was perusing
the message. After a moments thought
the Ambassador read it aloud.
Daunt had made a move to retire, but
the Admiral stopped him.
Pray, don't go yet" he said. There
is something 1 should like to say on
this matter, and / count on your dis
erection, Mr.. Daunt, as on His Excel
lency's Since the American Govern
ment attaches significance to that pc
culiar incident, l think no harm can
come from an exchange of opinion. 1t
may help US both" He paused a mo-
ment. his foot tapping the floor.
THE news contained in that tele-
gram" he continued presently, for the
past two days has caused my Govern
ment great concern. Your Excellency
will understand when l say that the
particular objects of this attack Off I
may so call iO are precisely those Sc
curities which would suffer most were
Japans peace or prosperity threatened.
There has seemed to be a concurrence
in it not purely fortuitous. Back of this
selling is no mere opinion-it is too as
sured for that. Some interest or indi-
vidual abroad is apparently banking
heavily on a belief that Japan is about
to enter a period of stressv'
The Ambassador spoke for the first
time. Abroad he said shrewdly.
The Admiral looked at him an instant
without speaking. His expression