The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-12-09

from the depths OF his morocco-coy-
cred chair.
"That fellow" he said ~causticaliy.
lis planning the ruin Of the British en-
pire. What are we thinking of, to
have tolerated him all these years?
II / had my way I'd whip the Irish
party out OF Westminster and hang
Redmond. Dillon, Healy and Devlin
on London bridge"
! could not help smiling at this sally,
knowing General Burbidge to be the
most kind-hearted of men, a valiant
soldier who would not have hurt a
flea. except in battle.
Launceford, of the home office,
tugged at his long mustache deprecat-
ingly.
You'd run the British empire on
the German model, Ell. general?" he
asked.
mo, confound you! But why should
we tolerate a nest of vipers at the
heart of the empire?"
"The Irish have done good service
in most of our wars, general" inter
posed Tarrant of the war office.
Then what's the matter with 'em?"
demanded the general. why do they
stir up this DEVILS shindy? listers
contented under our rule. Why can't
the others be? Is anybody hurting
emf"
Launceford leaned forward and
dropped his voice as he spoke. I per-
ceived the reason in thu, presence of
Hans, our German smc king-room at
tendant, who was ostens IDLY filing the
match boxes. The German peril was
already beginning to be understood
In the club rooms of London.
DO you know, general, that there
Is positive proof that the money paid
for the nationalist rifles came from q
source in Hamburg?" he asked.
YES, / know" answered Burbidge,
at once a model of decorum and pro-
priety.
Don't you suppose Redmond knows
that?" continued Launceford. Don't
you suppose he's playing a devilish
deep game of his own?"
"L~aunceford," said the old general.
Il made a tour In Ireland three weeks
ago. Not q mission-just a private
and partly professional tour. / was
at a little town in Fermanagh-Bally
something or other. What did / see?
Nationalist and Orange volunteers,
armed against each other, ready to
fly at each others thr pats the moment
the signal was given, and-practicing
shooting at the same target, by Harry!
Practicing at a target-a line OF tar
gets. rather. which they had bought
by Joint subscription. Where in the
world could you find such a spectacle
except in Ireland? That will show
you how much of this d~isloyalist move
ment Is original and how much is
fomented. Now, sir, what's Redmond's
game? If he's playing for Ireland
alone"
"Hang him on the London bridge?'
suggested Launceford quizzically.
mo, sir. Give the beggar what he
wants to stop his Internal trouble
making. But II he's playing Ger.
many's game too. take him"
I shall not repeat the old generals
internal suggestion. or course he had
no such desire. But / think Bur-
bidge's attitude was the normal atti-
tude of most Englishmen during those
terrible days.
And while they talked the confer
ence sat In Buckingham palace, and a
vast crowd outside waited for the
news which would mean peace or war
in Ireland, first, and then In England
also.
I have mentioned old Hans. the
smoking-room attendant. In those
days Englishmen were already begin
ing to suspect that Germany had built
a network OF espionage about their
country. How complete 1t was, only
a few OF us were aware. ! had mo-
ticed that Hans was a long time filling
the match boxes. but he did not &C.
cupy a very large place in my con
seriousness just then. The fact Is, I,
too. was wondering just what part
John Redmond meant to play In the
drama that was then moving toward
Its fulfllmept even faster than any
one realized outside the Wilhelm
strasse and the Ballplatz.
/ dined that night with my nephew.
young Tregarth. who was q lieuten-
ant In the Household troops and en-
gagged to Lady Betty Wayne. the pref
test Of oil the maids-of-honor. As
his fathers executor. / had charge of
his accounts, and he wanted to
wheed1e me into r~einvesting a part of
his capital In q somewhat risky stock
paying q high dividend. Naturally. l
refused.
"well. uncle" he said, when I had
convinced him that his protests we're
unavailing. ." shan't repay you in
kind" He grinned. I think he had
OWNED something Of my mission.
The conference has failed" he said.
"How do you know, Claude?" In
Quired. for forms sake; and he grinned
again.
TITS all right, uncle. You can take
Il from me ~ gospel" he answered
They'll meet again tomorrow morn
Ing, just for the show Of the thing. be
cause 4 wouldn't be altogether decent
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