The Raymer enterprise., 1911-11-30

S%. had issued. A diplomatic
I'm scapegoat had to be OBJ
tanned In order to save Eng.
! land from humiliation at the
hands OF powerful neighbor-and |
had been chosen. Upon the threshold
of my career. the diplomatic service
seemed to be forever closed to me-
I'm sorry for you. Adams" said
the foreign secretary. Sir Edward
Grey. to me. heartily sorry. But the
element Of luck has evidently deserted
you. II you are really anxious to con-
tinue to serve your country, however,
l might be able to make use Of you
at some time In the secret service,
which constantly requires the air OF
gentlemen having certain social
status, with training In the legitimate
branch. And. to facilitate matters
since you are In favor with his mai
esty In spite Of your mlsfortune-I
viii ask him to appoint you as one Of
his couriers.at.large."
Who has not heard OF the kings
conriers-that small band OF private
gentlemen who carry his majestys
private dispatches among crowned
heads and statesmen? A kings cou.
rier often bears the peace OF Europe
10 the little black leather wallet
which, whether he sleeps or wakes,
must never leave his person until Its
contents have been delivered in safety
to their destination. He Is the unof.
ficial. as the ambassador Is the official,
representative OF his sovereign; deeds
OF the most hazardous nature often
fall to him to perform; and never, by
any chance, whether he fail or sue.
ceed, does he receive public acknowl.
cdgment.
{ A few days afterward received no.
tlce OF my enrolment The salary was
small. but sufficient to enable me to
continue to keep on my bachelor
apartments In Half Moon street. Pic.
cadilly. where resided with Talbot,
my ex.soldicr servant. who had at.
tended on my wants when held a
captalncy ig the Fourth Lancers, and
now refused to be separated from me.
Six years In exile In the far east as
legation attache had made me prac.
tically a stranger In London: the
friends whom | had had formerly had
married or moved elsewhere or for.
gotten me. So remained week after
week, held to the capital by the terms
OF my engagement. which required my
constant attendance upon his mai.
cGty's pleasure, yet confident that
had long since been cast. along with
other failures. into oblivion.
And then one afternoon | received
an ofiicial document requiring my pres
cnce at the foreign Office Immediately.
jumped Into hanson and lost no
time in presenting myself. Sir Ed.
ward Grey himself came out OF his
private Office to receive me. led me In
and motioned me to a chair.
Captain Adams" he began abrupt.
ly. you are. I believe. the hero OF a
certain desperate adventure In A..
ghanistan. for which you received the
Victoria Cross7"
I murmured something. OF course
those things come by luck. am sure
all our officers are equally brave
Ills majesty's government Is In
need OF man with dauntless courage
and inexhaustible resources OF will
and ingenuity. In order to carry out n
difficult and momentous duty" Sir
Edward continued. His majesty has
bech pleased to indicate yourself. How
soon can you be prepared to start for
Tierra del Fego. via New York;"
thought. in four hours" | an.
swered
Good" replied Sir Edward. Then
I will recount. AZ briefly as possible
the situation" He sat down at my
side. handed me cigar and III one
himself. which he consumed In his
rapid. nervous way.
"As you know" he began. "ever
since Lord Pauncefote died. England
has been unfortunate In the matter Of
her American representatives. In some
subtle way they have not seemed to
hit 1t of right. either with the presi.
dent or with the American people
Now. my dear Adams. you are aware
that to preserve the best possible re-
lationship with America Ia the corner.
stone Of both British and German
policy. and. since tho rivalry between
us and our neighbors across the North
Bea Is intense. the alliance Of America
with either would be a fatal blow to
the other.
What has sorely strained amlcable
relations between England and Ameri.
ca has been the Anglo.Japanese al.
iiance. That II Is directed against
American interests seems to be the
opinion In Washington. This III feel.
Ing has been increased by the bel.
licose Japanese attitude toward Amer.
lea over the schools questions. which
has eliminated in the dispatch Of the
American fleet round South America
through the straits Of Magellan. to the
Pacific ocean. Somehow or other, Mr..
Roosevelt has got the notion that Eng.
land is privy to the attitude Of japan.
In short, we are face to face with q