The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-02-08
Copyright. by w. q. Chapman
NARRATIVE OF
CAPTAIN ADAMS
Detective Diplomat

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which, as his majesty's
81 courier, I had been sent,
though due in the main to
s. happy combinations of cir
III - ~cumstances, had impressed
w III both King Edward and Sir
NE~ Edward Grey, the foreign
secretary, with a belief in
my abilities. In vain I pointed out
the happy accidents that had turned
defeat so often into victory.
We'll, say you r lucky, Captain
Adams," the king replied. "Is not
luck a constant asset of yours and, as
such, to be reckoned for?"
And now, when l had become pulled
up and somewhat vainglorious over the
favor in which I thought 1 stood, 1 was
to receive a lesson that speedily re-
called me to an humber condition of
spirit and taught me, incidentally, not
Q rely too greatly on the praise Of
kings. .,0
Sir Edward Grey had summoned me
to the foreign Office, in Whitehall.
When l entered his private room he
looked at me in a peculiar ann
peering owe his long, thin, aristocratic
nose and biting his thin lips nervously.
He motioned me to a seat and began
TO pace the room, a cigarette between
his lips, evidently musing hard. Once
or twice he stopped at my side as
though to address me, and again I
caught that curious glance-half fur
tive-on his face.
Captain Adams" he began at last,
his majesty has commissioned me to
request your services upon a very SIM
pie mission, and yet one fraught with
many difficulties. 1t does not require
diplomacy-a quality which we can
tnd anywhere-but watchfulness, cour-
age, resourcefulness and silence, quail
ties n all OF which l believe you to
excel"
bowed and suffered my thanks.
Sir Edward Grey walked over to a ta-
BILE and took up a black leather wallet,
which he opened. Inside l perceived
a roll of parchment. Sir Edward Grey
closed the wallet and placed 1t in my
hands.
His majesty's government he said,
coming up to me and lowering his
voice until 1t became a whisper, has
just concluded a secret treaty of the
utmost moment with Spain. 1t binds
us, under certain contingencies, which
are by no means remote, to come to
assistance with all our military and
naval forces. In this wallet is the draft
copy. which you will take to King AL
fonso to sign. That is all"
began, but the foreign secretary
checked me.
mo, for Paris" he answered. "You
would never take that treaty to
Madrid. A certain great power is will
ing to move heaven and earth to dis
cover its contents. That 1t would not
be prescriptions in e%ndeavoring to
obtain 1t l can assure you. In fact,
my dear Adams, to be concise, German
spies have been watching the foreign
Office for weeks and the moment that
you entered you became a marked
man. So, what with Spanish br!gands
and the slow trains of the peninsula
and the Pyrenees to cross, I think it
is a safe prophecy that you would
e. reach Madrid. You may, how
eyer, get as far as Paris"
"Paris?" 1 repeated.
Eyes. So important are the issues
at stake that King Alfonso has gone
secretly to the Spanish embassy there,
where he will receive you tomorrow at
noon. Can you take the night boat
from Dover?"
Il WILL" I said, ''and I will deliver
the treaty safely tomorrow to his ma
jesty the king of SPAIN"
Again Sir Edward Grey looked at me
in that searching and yet half furtiye
manner.
That's we'll, then" he said at last.
But remember, Adams, you have to
deal with ~res0urceful and unscrupu-
lous enemies, who will never rest until
they have the treaty or until your mis-
sion is accomplished" He took up the
wallet, which l had laid down and.
with many a%djurations, urging upon
most emphatically that I should
not lose sight of its precious contents,
unless l had them about me, he
showed me to the door.
OF course I did not intend to leave
the treaty in its present location. l
intended, on my arrival at my lodgings
In Half Moon street, Piccadilly, to have
Talbot, my soldier servant, sew the.
In my coat, while l would
continue to guard the empty wallet.
But on the way downstairs the inspira-
ton came to me to withdraw the docu-
ment at once and place 1t in the bosom
of my shirt. AS I left the building a
sprucely-attired cabman urged his
horse up to the curb and leaned over
the box.
"Keb, sir?" he cried. He pressed the
spring which caused the doors to fly
open and instantly a grimy street-run-
ner, one of those men who follow pas
sengers in cabs for miles, in hopes of
being permitted to help with the bag
gage, snatched at my wallet, as though
to place it within for me. AS his fin
uoro o1ocod ,,pou ~ whoo1od on1