Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-05-13

"Giye me a chance and see If I viii
take itw l cried. Besides, as you say,
men ought to make their chances and
not wait until they are given. Look at
Cllye-just clerk, and he conquered
India! By George. I'll do something in
the world yetT
She laughed at my sudden Irish ef-
feryescence. "Why not?" she said.
"You have everything a man could
have-youth, health, strength, educa-
tion, energy. l was sorry you spoke.
And now / am glad-sO glad-if 1t
wakens these thoughts in you!"
"And if | do
Her dear hand rested like warm vel
vet upon my lips. "Not another word,
sirl You should have been at the office
for evening duty half an hour ago
only hadn't the heart to remind you.
Some day, perhaps, when you have
won your place in the world, we shall
talk 1t over again"
And so it was that found myself
that foggy November evening pursu-
ing the Camberwell tram with my
heart glowing within me and with the
eager determination that not another
day should elapse before 1 should find
some deed which was worthy of my
lady. But who-who in all this wide
world could ever have imagined the in
credible shape which that deed was to
take or the strange steps by which
was led to the doing of it?
l always liked McArdle, the grabbed,
old, round backed, red headed news
editor, aud l rather hoped that he
liked me OF course, Beaumont was
the real boss, but he lived in the rare
fled atmosphere of some Olympian
height, from which he could dstin-
guish nothing smaller than an inter
national crisis or a split in the cabi-
net Sometimes we saw him passing
in lonely majesty to his inner sanctum,
with his eyes staring vaguely and his
mind lowering over the Balkans Or the
Persian gulf. He was above and be-
yond u.s. But McArdle was his first
lieutenant, and it was he that we
knew. The old man nodded as | en-
tered the room, and he pushed his
spectacles far up ON his bald fore
head
"Well, Mr.. Malone, from all l hear,
you seem to be doing very we'll" said
he in his kindly Scotch accent.
l thanked him..
"The colliery explosion was excel
lent. So was the Southwark fire. You
have the true descreeptlve touch. What
did you want to see me abOut?"
"TO ask a favor"
He looked alarmed, and his eyes
Stunned mine. Tut tut! What is
it?"
"Do you think, sir, that you could
possibly send me ON some mission for
the paper? l would do my best to put
1t through and get you some good
copy"
What sort Of meesion had you in
your mind, Mr. MaloneT"
"Well, sir, anything that had adyen-
ture and danger in 1t. l really would
do my very best. The more difficult 1t
was the better 1t would suit me-"
"You seem very anxious to lose your
life"
"To Justify my life, sir"
McArdle was plunged in thought for
some minutes.
81 wonder whether you could get on
friendly-or at least on talling-terms
with a modern Munchausen," he said
at last. "You seem to have a sort Of
genius for establishing relations with
people-sympathy, l suppose, Or animal
magnetism, or youthful vitality, or
something. l am conscious Of It my
self"
"You are very good, sir"
$50 why should you not try your
luck with Professor Challenger Of En-
more ParkT
dare say looked little startled.
Challenger I cried. professor
Challenger, the famous zoologlst!
Wasn't he the man who broke the skull
of Blundell Of the Telegraph"
The news editor smiled grlmly.
"Do you mind2 Didn't you say 1t
was adventures you were afterl"
1T is all in the way Of business sir"
| answered.
zone moment, sir l added 81 am
not very clear yet why ! am to inter.
view this gentleman? What has he
doneY
The face flashed back again.
"Went to South America on a soil
tary expedeetlon two years ago. Came
back last year. Had undoubtedly been
to South America, but refused to say
exactly where, Began to tell his ad.
ventures in a vague way, but some
body started to pick holes, and he Just
shut up like an oyster. Something
wonderful happened, or the mans
champion liar, which is the more prob
able supposeetlon Got so touchy that
he assaults any one who asks ques-
lions and heaves reporters doun the
stairs. In nay opinion he's just homl.
cidal meglomaniac with a turn for
science. That's your man, Mr., Malone
Now, of you run and see what you
can make Of him. You're big enough to
look after yourself. Anyway, you are
oil safe, Employers liability act, you