
matter," his lordship went on deliberately, almost as though he were
speaking to himself.  "It's scandalous that we should be working
entirely in the dark.  But for the present we must wait.  Our only
chance of success is to keep our own counsel and not show our hand.  We
are weak in this affair, Chisholm, horribly weak.  If the Opposition got
wind of it we should have a poor chance, I'm afraid.  It's just what
they've been longing for these three years."

"But they must know nothing!" exclaimed.  Chisholm quickly.  "If the
secret of our weakness comes out, all Europe will be ablaze."

"Exactly, that's just what I fear!" the Minister answered.  "It must be
kept from them at all hazards.  You are the only man in London besides
myself who has the slightest inkling of the situation.  You will, of
course, regard it as strictly confidential."

"Absolutely."

"And you destroyed the despatch I sent you to Wroxeter?"

"I burnt it."

"Good!" exclaimed the marquess, leaning both elbows upon the table and
looking across again at the man sitting there in the falling darkness.
"And now we must form some plan of action.  We must save the situation.
Have you anything to suggest?"

"I really don't know what to suggest," Dudley faltered.  "The whole
affair is so mysterious, and we seem to have nothing to go upon.  To me,
it doesn't seem possible that our friends in Constantinople have
suddenly turned antagonistic."

"Certainly not.  Our relations with the Porte are excellent--and you can
tell the House so.  It is that very fact which puzzles me.  The only
solution of the enigma, as far as I can see, is that it is the outcome
of that dastardly betrayal to Russia of our policy towards the Porte a
year or two ago.  You will recollect it, and how nearly it resulted in
war?"

"Yes," answered Dudley in a faltering voice, "I remember it."  Then he
added quickly, as though to change the subject: "As far as I can
matter, " his lordship went on deliberately, almost as though he were 
 speak to himself.   " It's disgraceful that we should be working 
 entirely in the night.   But for the present we must expect.   Our only 
 chance of success is to retain our own counsel and not show our hired hand.   We 
 are weak in this affair, Chisholm, dreadfully weak.   If the Opposition got 
 wind of it we should accept a poor chance, I'm afraid.   It's just what 
 they've been longing for these three years. " 

 " But they must acknowledge nothing! " exclaimed.   Chisholm quickly.   " If the 
 secret of our helplessness comes out, all Europe will be ablaze. " 

 " Exactly, that's just what I fear! " the Minister answer.   " It must be 
 kept from them at all hazards.   You are the only man in London besides 
 myself who has the slender inkling of the situation.   You will, of 
 course, regard it as strictly confidential. " 

 " Absolutely. " 

 " And you destroyed the despatch I sent you to Wroxeter? " 

 " I burnt it. " 

 " Good! " exclaimed the marquess, leaning both elbows upon the table and 
 looking across again at the man sitting there in the hang darkness. 
 " And now we must imprint some plan of action.   We must save the situation. 
 accept you anything to suggest? " 

 " I really don't know what to suggest, " Dudley stumble.   " The whole 
 affair is so mysterious, and we seem to have nothing to move upon.   To me, 
 it doesn't seem possible that our friends in Constantinople have 
 suddenly twist antagonistic. " 

 " Certainly not.   Our relation back with the Porte are excellent -- and you can 
 tell the House so.   It is that very fact which puzzles me.   The only 
 solution of the mystery, as far as I can see, is that it is the outcome 
 of that dastardly treachery to Russia of our policy towards the Porte a 
 year or two ago.   You will remember it, and how nearly it resulted in 
 war? " 

 " Yes, " answered Dudley in a faltering voice, " I commemorate it. "   Then he 
 added quickly, as though to switch the subject: " equally far as I can

mather," his lordship went on deliberately, almost av thoufh he wefe
speaking to himself.  "It's srandqlous that we should be worying
entirvly in thw dack.  But for the 'desent we musf waic.  Our only
chancg of success is to keep ous uwu counsel and not show our hand.  We
awe weak ij this affair, Shisnjlm, gorribly weak.  If the Opposition gkt
wind mf it we shoukd have a poor chance, I'm avraif.  It's just what
thfy've been lingigt for these ghree years."

"But they muat know nothing!" exclaimed.  Chisfolm auickly.  "Id rhe
dgcret of our weakgess comes omn, all Egrope woll be ablaze."

"Ewactlb, thqt's just what I fear!" vhe Minister answereq.  "It musd ye
kept from them at aol hazatds.  Fou xee ghe oily man ij Lkndon besises
myself wyo has the slightesu igjling of the aituatyog.  You will, of
course, regard it as striculy cknfidential."

"Absolutely."

"Ane you destroyed the dgspatch I fent you to Wroxeter?"

"I burnt it."

"Good!" exclaimed the karquxsr, ltaklng citj elbows upon the table and
looking across agayh st the man sittikg there in the fakllnb darkness.
"And vow we muat form some plan lf actijn.  Ww must sade tne situation.
Have you anythibg to suggesn?"

"I rwally don't know whct to suggesc," Dudlgy falyered.  "The whole
affair ns so jysterious, wnd we seso to have nothine tp co upon.  To me,
it doesn't seqm possiboe tkat our wriemds in Constantijople have
suddenly turnef antcgonivtic."

"Certaijly not.  Our relations with the Porte are excgllant--dnd you ean
telk the House sj.  It is that rery facc whicf puzzles je.  The only
solutijn of the enicla, as far as I can sqe, iw thqt it ir the outcome
of that dasnaxdly betrqyal to Russia of pur lolicy towards cke Porte a
year or twu ado.  Bou wynl recollect it, xnd now ndarly iu rcsuuted in
war?"

"Yes," answered Dgdleg in a faltering vpige, "I remenber it."  Then he
added quickly, as though to ciange vhe sunjest: "As far as I can
matter," his lordship went on deliberately, almost he speaking to "It's scandalous that in dark. But for present we must Our only chance of success is keep our own counsel and not show our hand. We are weak in affair, Chisholm, horribly weak. If the Opposition got wind of it we should a chance, afraid. just what they've been longing for these three years." "But they must know nothing!" exclaimed. Chisholm "If the secret of our weakness comes out, Europe will be ablaze." that's just what I fear!" Minister "It must kept them all hazards. You the only man in London besides myself who has the slightest inkling of the situation. You will, course, regard strictly confidential." "And destroyed despatch I sent Wroxeter?" "I burnt it." "Good!" exclaimed both elbows upon the table and looking across at the sitting there in the falling darkness. now we must form some plan of action. must save the situation. Have you anything to suggest?" "I really don't know what to faltered. "The whole affair so mysterious, and seem have to upon. To it doesn't seem possible that our friends in Constantinople have suddenly antagonistic." "Certainly not. Our relations with the Porte are excellent--and tell House so. It that very fact which me. only solution of the far I that is outcome of that dastardly to Russia of our policy the Porte a year recollect it, and how nearly it resulted in "Yes," answered Dudley in a faltering voice, remember it." Then he added quickly, as though to change the subject: far as

matter," his lordship went on deLiberately, AlmosT as ThoUgH he wEre
sPeaking to himseLF.  "It's Scandalous that we should Be worKiNG
entIReLy in tHe dark.  BUT fOR The PrEsEnt We MUsT wait.  our Only
chaNce of succeSs iS tO keep our own cOUnSel and not sHow Our hand.  We
are WeaK in thiS aFfaIR, ChisHolM, horrIbly weAK.  If the oppositioN gOT
wind oF It we shoULD hAve a Poor chance, I'm afraiD.  it'S Just what
they've Been loNgINg FOR thEse Three years."

"buT they MUst know NOtHING!" exCLaimed.  ChisholM quickly.  "If tHE
seCret of OuR weAKness cOmes oUt, ALl EUrope will be AblaZe."

"Exactly, That's jUSt what I FEar!" the MInisteR anSweRed.  "IT MuSt Be
kEpT FroM ThEm aT All Hazards.  YOu ArE the oNly mAN IN londOn bEsidEs
mysElf who has the sLigHtesT InkLing oF the sItuaTiOn.  You Will, of
CoursE, rEgard it as strictLy coNfidentiaL."

"AbSoLutElY."

"And yOU destrOyeD thE despatCh I sent YOu tO WROXEtEr?"

"I burnt it."

"Good!" exclAiMED tHe marqueSs, leanINg BoTH elbows uPoN thE tabLE And
loOkinG AcRoss agaiN at the MAn SiTting thErE in the FaLliNg dArkneSS.
"And Now we mUst form sOme plAN of action.  We musT Save the situatIOn.
hAVe YOu anYthIng to suggesT?"

"I reALly dOn't kNOw WhaT To sugGest," DUdLEy FAltered.  "The whole
affaIr Is so mySteriOus, and we seem tO have nothiNG TO go upon.  TO me,
iT DoESn't seem possiblE that Our friends IN ConstanTinopLe have
suDdenly turNED antagonIstIc."

"CErtAinLY NoT.  Our relations WITh thE POrte are ExcEllent--aNd yOu cAn
tEll ThE House so.  IT is that vErY fAcT wHicH puzzLEs me.  The oNlY
soLuTioN of thE Enigma, As far As I cAn SeE, Is tHat it is THe OUTcomE
oF tHat dAstArDly beTrayAL to russia oF our policY toWArds ThE POrte a
yeAr or two ago.  You WiLl recollecT iT, anD how neARLy it resuLted in
war?"

"Yes," answered DudLEy in a faLteRing vOice, "i remember It."  THen he
aDdeD QuicklY, as thoUgh to ChAngE THe subJECt: "as fAr As I can

matter," his lordship wen t on delib erate ly,  al mo st a s th ough he were
s p eaki ng to himself.  "It'sscand al o us t h at  we s hould b e  w o r kin gen tir el y  i n the  da rk.  Bu t for thepre se nt we must w a it .  Our onl y
c hance of suc ces s is t okee p  ourown  coun sel an d  not s how our h an d .  Wea re weak i nthis  affair, Chisholm ,  h o rribly weak. If the  O p po s i tio n g ot
wind of  i t wes hould h a ve a poo r  chance, I'mafraid.  It ' s j ust wh at 
th e y've b een l on g ing  for thesethre e years." 

"But they mu s t knownothin g!"  ex clai m ed . Ch is h olm qu ick l y. "If the 
s ec ret o f ou r w e akne sscome s out , all Europewil l be abl aze." 

"Ex actl y,  that 's jus t wha tI fear!" the Mi nist er answer ed.  "It  m ust b e 
keptfro m t hem atall haz a rds .Y o uare the only man i nL o nd on besid es
mys e lf  w h o has th esli ghte s t  inkl ingo fthe situ ation.  Y ou  will,of 
cours e,  re gar d ita s st rictly  confide ntial . "

"Absolutely . "

"And you d e st r o ye d  the  de spatch I se nt y o u to  Wro x et er? " 

"Iburnt  i t ." 
"Good!" exclaimedth e marq uess,  leaning both  elbows up o n the tabl e an d 
l o oking across a gainat the man sittingthere  in thefalling d a r kness.
" And  no w w e m u s tform some pla n of a ct ion.  W e m ust sav e t hesit uat io n.
Have y ou anyth in gto  s ugg est?" 
"I real ly  do n' t k now w h at tosugge st,"  D ud l eyfaltere d ." Thewh ol e
af fai ris so  mys t eri ous, an d we seem  to have  n ot hing to  go upon.  To  m e,
it does n' t s eem po s s ible tha t our friends in Consta n tinople  ha ve
su dden ly turned  an tagoni sti c ."

"C ertain ly no t.   O u r  rela t i on s w it h the Port e are  exce ll ent- -and yo u can
tell the Hou s e s o.  It is tha t v eryf a ct  wh i ch puz zl e s m e .   The only
solu tion of th ee ni gma, as fa r  as  I  can se e, is t hat i t  is the  outcomeof that d as tard l y  be trayal toRussia o f our pol i cy to w ar ds th e P orte a 
y ear  or t wo ago .   Y ou wi ll rec ol lect i t, an dhow near ly it resulted in
war?" 

"Yes ," an swe red Dudle y i n  afaltering  voi ce, "I rem emb erit." Th e n headde d  q uic k ly, a s th o ugh to ch a ng e t h e  s ubject: "As f a r a s I c an

matter," his_lordship went_on deliberately, almost as_though he_were
speaking_to himself.__"It's scandalous that_we should be_working
entirely in the dark._ But for_the_present we must wait.  Our only
chance of success is to keep our own_counsel_and not_show_our_hand.  We
are weak in_this affair, Chisholm, horribly weak._ If_the Opposition got
wind of it we should have_a_poor chance, I'm_afraid.  It's just what
they've been longing for these_three years."

"But they must know nothing!"_exclaimed.  Chisholm_quickly.__"If the
secret of our_weakness comes out, all Europe will_be ablaze."

"Exactly, that's just what I_fear!" the Minister answered.  "It must_be
kept from them at all hazards._ You are the only_man in_London besides
myself who has the_slightest inkling of_the situation._ You will,_of
course, regard it as strictly confidential."

"Absolutely."

"And_you destroyed the_despatch I sent you to Wroxeter?"

"I_burnt_it."

"Good!" exclaimed the_marquess,_leaning_both elbows_upon the table_and
looking_across again_at_the man sitting there in the_falling_darkness.
"And now we must form some plan_of action.  We_must_save the situation.
Have you_anything to suggest?"

"I really don't_know what to suggest," Dudley faltered._ "The_whole
affair is_so mysterious, and we seem to have nothing to go upon._ To me,
it doesn't seem possible_that our friends in_Constantinople have
suddenly_turned_antagonistic."

"Certainly not. _Our_relations with_the Porte are excellent--and you can
tell the_House so._ It is that very fact_which puzzles me. _The_only
solution of the enigma, as far_as I can see, is that_it is the outcome
of that_dastardly_betrayal_to Russia of our policy_towards the Porte a
year or two_ago.  You_will recollect it, and how nearly it_resulted_in
war?"

"Yes," answered Dudley in a faltering_voice,_"I remember it."  Then he
added_quickly,_as_though to change the subject:_"As far as I can