The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-04

august IN the history OF Inc WOllu
One might have thought already that
Gods curse hung heavy over degen-
crate world, for there was an awe
some hush and feeling of vague ex-
pectancy in the sultry and stagnant air
The sun had long set, one blood-reo
cash like an open wound lay low IN
the distant west. Above, the stars
were shining brightly; and below, the
lights of the shipping glimmered IN
the bay. The two famous Germans
stood beside the stone parapet OF the
garden walk, with the long, low heav-
iIy gabled house behind them, and they
looked down upon the broad sweep OF
the beach at the foot of the great
chalk cliff on which Won Bork, like
some wandering eagle, had perched
himself four years before.
A remarkable man this Won Bork-
man who could hardly be matched
among all the devoted agents of the
Kaiser II was his talents which had
first recommended him for the Eglish
mission, the most important mission
of all, but since he had taken it over.
those talents had become more and
more manifest to the half-dozen PEG
pie in the world who were really in
touch with the truth. One of these
was his present companion, Baron Won
Herring, the chief secretary of the leg
alton, whose huge 100horse-pow
Benz car was blocking the country lane
as it waited to watt its owner back to
London.
$50 far as l can judge the trend of
events, you will probably be back in
Berlin within the week" the secretary
was saying. When you get there, my
dear Won Bork, I think you will be sur
prised at the welcome you will receive.
] happen to know what is thought in
the highest quarters of your work IN
this country" He was a huge man
the secretary, deep, broad, and tall
with slow, heavy fashion of speech
which had been his main asset in his
political career.
They are not very hard to deceive,
lie remarked. A more docile, simple
folk could not be imagined"
Il don't know about that" said the
other thoughtfully. They have
strange limits and one must learn tc
observe them 1t is that surface sim
plicity of theirs which makes a traI
for the stranger. Ones first impress
sion is that they are entirely soft
Then one comes suddenly upon some
thing very hard, and you know thai
yUu nave ItdCueu the IllllL, duu NUS
adapt yourself to the fact. They have
for example, their insular conventions
which simply must be Observed
Meaning, good form and that sor
of things" Won Bork sighed, as one
who had suffered much.
Meaning British prejudice in all it:
queer manifestations. AS an example
l may quote one of my own wors
blunders-I can afford to talk of m!
blunders, for you know my work wei
enough to be aware of my successes
1t was on my first arrival. | was in
vited to a weekend gathering at tn
country house of a cabinet minister
The conversation was amazingly in
discreet"
Won Bork nodded. "Tve been there
said he dryly.
Exactly. Well, I naturally sent
resume of the information to Berlin
Unfortunately our good Chancellor i
little heavy-handed in these matters
and he transmitted a remark which
showed that he was aware of wha
had been said. This, of course. too
the trail straight up to me. You've II
idea the harm that it did me. Their
was nothing soft about our British
hosts on that occasion, l can assur
you. | was two years living it dowT
Now you, with this sporting pose c
yours"
NO, no, don't call it a pose. A pos
is an artificial thing. This is quit
natural. l am born sportsman.
enjoy it,
well, that makes it the more effet
tive You yacht against them, 20
aunt with them. you play polo, 20
tr1, bpr in fOt1
INLAND takes the prize at Olympia.
nave even heard that you go tn
length of boxing With the young Off
ers. What is the result? Nobod
takes you seriously. You are goo
old sport quite a decent fellow fC
a German, a hard-drinking, night clu
knock-a bout-tOwn I'm a y-c a =
young fellow. And all the time tn
quiet country house of yours is tn
centre OF half the mischief in Englan
and the sporting squire the most a
tute secret-service man in Europ
Genius, my dear Won Bork-genius,
You flatter me, Baron. But ce
tainly | may claim that my four yea
in this country have not been unpr
ductive. I've never shown you Il
little store. Would you mind steppiT
in for a moment"
The door of the study open(
straight on to the terrace. Won Boz
pushed it back, and, leading the wa
he clicked the switch of the electr
light He then closed the door behiI
the bulk form which followed him, al
carefully adjusted the heavy curta
over the latticed window.
Some of my papers have gone
said he, when my wife and the nous
hold left yesterday for Flushing tn
took the less important with them.
must, of course, claim the protection
the embassy for the others"
Your name has already been fill
as one of the personal suite. There W
be r.. difficulties for you or your ba
gage OF course, il is just possib
that we may not have TO go. Englal
may leave France to her fate. We a
sure that there is no binding trea
between them
And Belgium"
Yes. and Belgium, too"
Won Bork shook his head. Il dol
see how that could be. There is
definite treaty there. She could nev
recover from such a humiliation"
"She would at least have peace
the moment"
But her honor?'
Tut, my dear sir, we live in a ut