The Tomahawk., 1915-12-02
Copyright, 1915, by w. G. Chapman)

"That fellow" he said caustically,
lis planning the ruin Of the British en-.
| pire. What are we thinking of, to
| have tolerated him all these years?
| If I 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, eh, general?" he
asked.
mo, confound you! But why should
we tolerate nest of vipers at the
heart of the empire?"
1.-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 2"
OC1ld4uCu IAO 6CACAo OIL. WY w IhCy
stir up this DEVILS shindy? listers
contented under our rule. Why can't
the others be? Is anybody hurting
'em?"
Launceford leaned forward and
dropped his voice as he spoke. per-
ceived the reason in the presence of
Hans, our German smoking-room at
tendant, who was ostensibly filling 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 a
source in Hamburger" he asked.
"Yes, I know" answered Burbidge,
at once model of decorum and pro-
priety.
Don't you suppose Redmond knows
that?" continued Launceford. Don't
you suppose he's playing devilish
deep game of his own?"
"Launceford," said the old general.
II made tour in Ireland three weeks
ago. Not a mission-just private
and partly professional tour. was
at 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 threats 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 disloyalist move
ment is original and how much is
fomented. Now, sir, what's Redmond's
game? II 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 If he's playing Ger
many's game too. take him"
/ shall not repeat the old generals
Internal suggestion. OF course he had
no such desire. But I think Bur-
bidges 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 q
vast crowd outside waited for the
news which would mean peace or war
in ireland, first, and then in England
also.
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 it was, only
few of us were aware. l had no.
ticed that Hans was long time filling
the match boxes, but he did not oc.
cupy very large place In my con-
seriousness just then. The fact Is, l,
too, was wondering just what part
John Redmond meant to play In the
drama that was then moving toward
its fulfillment even faster than any
one realized outside the Wilhelm
strasse and the Ballplatz.
] dined that night with my nephew,
young Tregarth, who was a heuten-
ant in the Household troops and en-
gagged to Lady Betty Mayne, the pref
test of all the maids-of-honor. AS
his fathers executor, had charge OF
his accounts, and he wanted to
wheedle me into reinvesting part OF
his capital in somewhat risky stock
paying high dividend. Naturally,
refused.
"Well, uncle" he said, when l had
convinced him that his protests were
unavailing, II shant repay you in
kind" He grinned. I think he had
OWNED something Of my mission.
1.-THE conference has failed" he said.
How do you know, Claude?" l in
CURED, for forms sake; and he grinned
again.
Its all right, uncle. You can take
it from me as gospel" he answered
They'll meet again tomorrow morn
| ing, Just for the show of the thing, be-
cause it wouldn't be altogether decent
- &ho 1,;ne, IN efon m, tho corond day.