The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-08-22

g. d suit of my mission TO
- South America, which had
saved the flagship Of the American
squadron from destruction. | had the
self-depreciation to acknowledge that
this event was purely the result OF
chance, and not due to any ability OF
mine; but Lord Lansdowne waved
aside my explanations.
my dear Adams" he said, please
remember from now on that a kings
courier is judged by the success or
failure of his mission-not by his
deserts. Results are all that are de-
sired, and it makes no particle OF dif-
ference how you obtain them"
| had begun to think that my posi-
ton was to be more or less sinecure.
when one morning my servant Talbot
ushered a little page boy, a youthful
scion of one of our noblest families,
into my lodgings at Half Moon street,
Piccadilly.
Are you Captain Adamth, thir?" he
lisped, with the blase insolence Of
IL or 13 summers.
"At your service" I replied, bow
Ing.
"Hith majethty dethireth your
prethenth Immediately at Tit. Jameth
palath," said the page, clicking his
heels and retiring with military sa-
lutte
wasted no time, but hurriedly
changing into my frock coat, l ran
bot al hat
upon my sleeve as I went. l reached
the front door in time to see the page
riding off in his automobile. | hailed
a taxicab and drove to the palace My
arrival was expected, and I was imme-
diately shown into a small room.
where | saw an elderly gentleman,
dressed in the conventional attire Of
London clUbuIan, bending over file
of newspapers. 1t vas his majesty.
He TUNED round the moment that
entered, came up, and shook hands
with me cordially, at the sane time
motioning to me to be seated. Then.
drawing up his own chair close to
mine, he began speaking with evident
anxiety.
Captain Adams" he said, II was
the first to regret the unfortunate ter
mination of your career in the diplO-
matte service, and was also the first
to suggest to Lord Lansdowne that
your abilities should be employed in
the less legitimate but unquestionably
more useful field. l have not forgot
ten your deeds of courage in the At
CHAN campaign Of 1897, and, with your
diplomatic training, you should be one
of my most useful aides. But now to
come to the point
AS you know, the kaiser has just
returned to Germany after a trip to
Morocco, and after making bellicose
speech there which has astonished Eu-
rope. All the nations are ranged up
for a diplomatic conflict, namely,
whether or not the kaiser shall be
compelled to submit his claims
against France to an international
tribunal.
Unfortunately, I have information
that the kaiser considers that, with
Russia weak and exhausted after her
war with Japan, and unable to help
France effectively, the moment has
arrived to crush his old enemy, hum.
BILE the republic so that she will never
rise again, exact tremendous indem.
nifty, and annex the northern prov
inces. I need hardly tell you that
Great Britain cannot see France con-
Quered by Germany, for this would
NEAR h. the kaiser would be the
don igure In the worlds politics
81 have positive information that II
Is his intention to make a public and
theatrical declaration Of war against
France from the balcony OF his palace
at Potsdam, within three or four days
Arraying himself in the uniform Of
Frederick the Great, brandishing his
sword and wearing the eagle helmet
he will, by this theatrical appeal
sweep the whole nation with him. A
all costs this must be prevented.
You will proceed to Potsdam, then
without delay, and demand an immedi
ate interview with the kaiser. In m!
name you will insist that he abandon
this project But, II he refuse, as h
probably will, then you will hand hin
this private communication which
now place in your hands, stating tina
any such action against the Frencl
will result in immediate war wit
England"
His majesty rose, indicating tina
the interview was at an end, and wit
a few appreciative words, and instruS
tons that I should not delay, dis
missed me. I went out of the palac
a victim of conflicting emotions. Prid
was dominant, pride at having bee
selected for so important duty-on
no less than that of preserving tn
peace of Europe. But with it wa
mingled, almost as strongly, the fea
of responsibility, the dread that I ha
: been given a task harder than coui
perform. For my success virtual
hung upon the kaiser's whim. An
two years at the Berlin embassy ha
tss5,rht me- that this was the Z factG