The Washington herald., 1914-12-20
Copyright. lslI.)


young and newly crowned Gar OF
all the RuSsias of rescript calling
upon the great military powers OF
the world to disband their armies
and dismantls their fleets, and in
auguratc an era of universal peace.
Everywhere the same question
was asked: What is behind this
rcscrIp pit :
Nobody was deceived, but every
one was disconnected for the mo-
ment. and | was disconnected like
the rest. | was more. | was ir-
resistiblv drawn on to attempt the
solution of a mystery which fasci-
mated me like difficult chess prob
lem set before an expert in the
game.
| could not afford, OF course, to
set about such an investigation
merely for my own amusement.
After waiting a decent time on the
chance that | might be sent for by
one of the governments most in
tercStcd in unraveling the schemes
OF the great Eurasian power, |
took the unusual step of going un-
asked to Profer my assistance to
the ambassador of a power to
which l have rendered important
services.
To my surprise and chagrin l
found myself repelled on the
threshold, the ambassador in ques-
ton, a diplomatist of great expert
cnce, declaring that there was
nothing to discover
Bah1ed in this direction. | was
casting about me for another eli
ent, when nv secretary came in to
me one morning with a dispatch
marked urgent, calling me TO pro-
coed Immediately to Constantine
pie, where my services were re
uuired by Muzafir Effendi. the
eunuch highest i'll the confidence
of Abdul Hamid.
What the business might be on
which NIuzaftir wanted me. |
neither knew nor greatly cared. |
took nv seat in the train that was
to bear me toward the Balkan
peninsula firmly resolved that his
business should give way to mine.
On reaching the shores of the
Bosphorus | found, as | had an
ticipated, that | was wanted to dis
entangle miserable intrigue of the
harem, the kind of work more
suited to a private detective than
to a man in my unique position.
Under anv other circumstances |
should have declined the task with
out more ado; as it was, | turned
Muzafhr's difficulty into my oppor-
tunitv
Listen to me-" | said to the
trembling eunuch, as soon as he
had finished conhding his tale to
nc; Il can save you, and | will
save YOU. but only on one COndi-.
tion-and that is that you procure
me a private and confidential audi
cnce with the Sultan, and that you
use your influence with him to
make him grant the request | have
10 make"
Twist and wriggle as he would,
the eunuch found he could get
nothing out of me. He gave in,
and his influence over the mind of
Abdul Hamid being unbounded, +
quickly found myself face to face
with the lean, dark, gaunt-eyed
Asiatic who styles himself Com
mander of the Faithful and Shad-
ow of God on Earth. As soon as II
mentioned the Peace Rescript he
interrupted me.
Il am not going to disarm. |
know what the Christian powers
are by this time. They always be-
gin to talk about peace when they
are secretly preparing to attack
somebody"
Il am afraid your majesty is
right" | admitted.
Then what do YOU say is the
object behind this Rescript?" he
demanded.
Il do not know. But | will un-
dertake to find out if your majesty
will furnish me with the necessary
means"
Abdul Halnid gave me a dis
trustful glance.
1T is an expensive thing to buy
information from the Council of
State" he grumbled
You are right. sire. And the
higher one goes the more expen-
sive it becomes. 1t is clear that
this has been engineered by per-
sons who are able to manage the
Gar himself, and such persons are
not likely to sell their own game
for much less than a million ru-