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THE
Masquerade?
By KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON,
Author of "The Circle," Etc.
Cnpyrldil, 1003, 1004.
I CONTIXUED.l
I
It wns on this day, at the reassem
bling of parliament, that Frnlde's great
Mow was to 1h struck. In tlio ton
days slnoo llio nlTiilf of I ho earn vans,
had boon reported from Persia public
feeling had run high, and It was upon
the pivot of this Incident that Letter's
attack was to turn, for. as I.akeley was
fond of remarking, "lu the scales of
public opinion one dead Enulishnian
has more weight than the whole east
ern question." It had been arranged
that, following the customary prore
dure, I .odor was to rise after questions
at the morning sitting and asl: leave to
move the adjournment of the house on
a definite matter of urgent public im
portance, upon which leave having ;
been granted by the rising of forty
members in ids support the way was
to lie open for Ills definite attack at
the evening sitting. And it was with
u mind attuned to this plan of action
that he retired to the study Imme
diately he had breakfasted and settled
to a final revision of his speech before i
n early party conference should com-'
pel him to leave the house. Hut here
Jignln circumstances were destined to
change his programme. Scarcely had
ho sorted his notes and drawn his chair
to Chllcote's desk than Kenwlck outer- j
oil the room with the same nlr of Im
portant haste that he had shown on a
previous occasion.
"A letter front Mr. Fralde, sir. But
there's no answer," he said, with un
usual brevity.
Loder waited till ho had left the
room; tlieu ho tore tho letter open. He
read:
My Donr Chllcote Lakclcy Is the re
cipient of special and very vital nrws
from Meshed unofficial, but none tho
Icsh alarming. Acts of Russian apKres
slon toward llrltlah traders are reported
to lio rap.dly Increasing, and It Is stated
that tho authority of tho consulate. Is
treated with contempt. Fending a possi
ble confirmation of this, I would suggest
that you hoop nn opt n mind on the sub
ject of tonight's speech. Uy adopting an
anticipatory own an unprepared atti
tude you may find your hand materially
fUrenglhcniMl. I shall put mv opinions bc
fote yon more explicitly when wo meet.
Yourn faithfully,
HERBERT FKA1DE.
The letter, worded with Frnlde's usu
nl restraint, made a strong Imptsflsion
.u i.v recipient, i - .ht that his
s.ee( b might not o.il. cMiress opinions
.ikoady tacitly held, but voice a situa
tion of intense and national Impor
riuv, struck hiin with full force. For
many minutes after he had grasped
the meaning of Frnlde's message ho
Ktit neglectful of his notes, his elbows
resting on tho desk, his face between
bis hands, stirred by tho (suggestion
that here might lie a greater opportu
nity than any lie had anticipated.
Still moved by this new suggestion,
lie attended the party conclave that
Ph-alde had convened and afterward
lunched with and accompanied his
leader to tho house. They spoke very
httlo as they drove to Westminster,
fr each was engrossed by his own
thoughts. Only once did Fralde allude
to the incident that was paramouut'ln
bath their minds. Then, turning to
I,oIer with a smile of encouragement,
he laid his lingers for an instant on
Jrls arm.
"Chllcote," he had said, "when the
rime comes, remember you have all
ny conlldence."
Looking back upon that day, Loder
rrften wondered at tho calmness with
which he bore the uncertainty. To sit
apparently unmoved and wait without
emotion for news that might change
tho whole tenor of one's action would
have tried the stoicism of tho most,
experienced; to tho novice It was well
rrfgh unendurable. And It was under
these conditions and fighting against
these odds that ho sat through the long
afternoon In Chllcote's place, obeying
tho dictates of his chief. But If tho
day was fraught with dlfllcultlcs for
Wm It was frnught with dullness and
HsnppoIntmcnt for others, for tho un
dercurrent of Interest that had stirred
at the Easter adjournment and risen
vrlth added force on this first day of
the now session was gradually but
mirely threatened with extinction as
hour after hour passed bringing no
wggestion of tho battle that had on
every side been tacitly expected.
RIowly and unmistakably speculation
And dissatisfaction crept into tho nt
mospherc of the house as moment suc
ceeded moment and tho opposition
made no sign. Was Frnldo shirking
Hie nttack or was ho playing n waiting
gamo? Again and ngaln the question
nrose, filling tho air with n passing
flicker of Interest, but each time It
Ffirang up only to die down ngnln na
Hio ordinary business of tho day drag
ged Itself out.
Grad.unlly, as tho afternoon wore, on,
by Harper t Brother!
daylight began to fade. Loder, sitting
rigidly In Chllcotc place, watched
with suppressed Inquiry tho faces of
the men who entered through the con
stantly swinging doors, but not one
face, so eagerly scanned, carried the
message for which he waited. Monot
onously and mechanically the time
passed. The government, adopting a
neutral attitude, carefully skirted nil
dangerous subjects, while the opposi
tion, acting under Fralde's suggestion,
assisted rather than hindered the pro
gramme of postponement. For the mo
ment the eagerly anticipated reassem
bling threatened dismal failure, and It
was with a universal movement of
weariness and relief that at last the
house rose to dine.
But there are no possibilities so elas
tic as those of politics. At half past 7
the house roe lu a spirit of boredom
and disappointment, and at 8 o'clock
the lobbies, the dining room, the entire
space of the vast building, was stirred
into activity by the arrival of a single
telegraphic message.
The new development for which
Fraide had waited on me indeed, hut it
came with a force he had little antici
patod. With a thrill of awe and con
sternation men heard and repeated the
iistoiiuding news that, while personal
ly exercising ills authority on behalf of
British traders. Sir William Brlce
Field, consul general at Meshed, had
been tired at by a Ilusslan olllcer and
Instantly killed.
The Interval Immediately following
the receipt of this news was too con
fused for detailed remembrance. Two
ideas made themselves slowly felt a
deep horror thnt such an event could
obtrude Itself upon our high civiliza
tion and a strong personal dismay that
so honored, distinguished and esteem
ed n representative as Sir William
Brlce-Fleld could have been nllowed to
meet death In so terrible a manner.
It was lu tho consciousness of this
feeling, tho consciousness that in his
own person be might voice not only
the feelings of his party, but those of
the whole country, that Loder rose an
hour later to make his long delayed
attack.
lie stood silent for a moment, as he
had done on nn earlier occasion, hut
this time his motive was different.
Boused beyond any feeling of self con
sciousness, he waited as by right for
the full attention of the house: then
quietly, but with self possessed firm
ness, he moved the motion for adjourn
ment. Like n match to a train of powder
the words set fiame to tho excitement
that had smoldered for weeks, and lu
nn atmosphere of stirring activity, n
scene of such tense and vital concen
tration as tho house lias rarely wit
nessed, ho found inspiration for his
great achievement.
To give Loder's speech In mere words
would be little short of futile. The
gift of oratory Is too Illusive, too much
a matter of eye and voice and Individ
uality, to allow of cold reproduction.
To those who heard him speak on that
night of April IS the speech will re
quire no recalling, and to those who
did not hear him there would be no
substitute In bare reproduction.
In the moment of action It mattered
nothing to him that his previous prepa
rations were to a great extent rendered
useless by this news that had conic
with such pnrnl.v.liig effect. In the
sweeping consciousness of his own
ability ho found added joy In the free
dom It opened up. IIo ceased to con
sider that by fate he was a Conserva
tive, bound by traditional convention
alltiiM. In that great moment he knew
himself sufficiently n man to exercise
whatever Individuality Instinct prompt
ed. IIo forgot the didactic methods by
which ho had proposed to show knowl
edge of his subject, both as a past and
n future factor In European politics.
With his own strong appreciation of
present things he saw nml grasped tho
vast present Interest lying beneath his
hand.
For fifty minutes he held the Interest
of the house, speaking Insistent!" fe
lessly, comninndlngly on the Inr : 1
need of action. He unlieslt.iiln -I
pointed out that tho news which h.n
just readied England was not s t in-,
nn appalling fact as a sinister v- m- -to
those in whose keeping lay th" - '
of the country's Interests. Last! . w
a flno touch of eloquence, he p-t' 1 t .
uto to tho stendfnst fidelity of sm h i
as Sir Wllllnm Brlce-Fleld. w'i . '
ever political eompllentli- -home,
pursue their duty uus
on the outposts of tho emp're.
At his Inst words there wm
tho silence that marks a ":
then nil at once, with v
presslvo force, tho storm of
broke Its bounds.
I Snfm
'i . ii is i 1 1
iJkjR. Ill
DRESS
o arc showing a full line
Goods of the
t-e, ;iiul l'iun nil C.Mdds
' nds .uul l''i 1 "-I G h)',
hairs from
l wool IMaitii, ;6 inches
'' intom Mohaiis
pon iicck .uiaiiKMi
1' 1 r it.. . c: n. .
1 ir.uiicni 1 u-i 1 tiii, ts ' iviuc ; 1 .uu
it . ntceil T If- l.i Silk, 30 pi wide 25
i' ill (It Soil, ,b inches wi-i. 1.0
HH'Se Silk. .'7 I idles (I. 50
tin; line of M m-eline .in 1 La Sirone ilh. O14
S Hoi ted .old I IK I i, 1 S hsc's, etc , IS t 6c
Percales, Etc.
26 in. Percales 7c
32 in. Percales 10c
36 in. Percales ". . . 12 Ac
( iinliains 7 to 1 2c
Madras 15 to iSc
Muslin Underwear
We have a full lino of
Ladies' Muslin Underwear.
Collars
Turnover . 7 to 50c
Stock Collars 15 to 60c
Tfe sMs otsYi3&Z
fc O Cf.
&333B
'OSL
It wns one of those stupendous hursts
of feeling Unit no etiquette, no decorum,
Is powerful enough to quell. As he re
sumed his seat, very pale, hut exalted
as men are exalted only once or twice
In a lifetime, It rose about him clamor
ous, spontaneous, undeniable. Near at
hand were the faces of his party, excit
ed and triumphant; across the house
wore tho faces of Sefborough and his
ministry, uncomfortable and disturbed.
The tumult swelled, then fell away,
and In the partial lull that followed
Fralde leaned over (lie back of his seat.
Ills quiet, dignified expression wns tin
nltered, but his eyes wero Intensely
bright.
"Chllcote," he whispered, "I don't con
gratulate you or myself. I congratu
IF.
HBWHOM
mm
late the country on possessing u great J
man!"
Tho remaining features of the do-'
bate followed quickly one upon the .
other. Tho electric atmosphere of the
house possessed n strong Incentive
power. Immediately Loder's ovation 1
had subsided, tho undersecretary for
foreign affairs rose and In a careful
and nonlncrlmlnatlng reply defended
the attitude of tho government.
Next came Fralde, who, in one of his
rare and polished speeches, touched
with much feeling upon his personal
grief at tho news reported from Persia
and made emphatic Indorsement of Lo
der's words.
Following Frnldo came one or two
dissentient Liberals, and then Sof bor
ough himself closed the debnto. Ills
speech wns masterly and fluent; but.
though any disquiet udo ho may hnvo
felt was well disguised under n tone of
reassuring ease, the attempt to reha
bilitate his position already weakened
In more than ono direction w?s a tnsk
beyond his strength.
Amid extraordinary excitement thjj
division followed, and with It n gjvori
ment defeat.
It wns not until hnlf an hour f't.r
tho votes had been taken thnt Lo '"",
freed ut last from persistent eongrntu
iMtlons, found opportunity to oof tor
ICve. In accordance with a prninlsn
made thnt morning, ho wns to fiiid her
waiting outside the ladles' gallery at
the close of tho dehntc.
I"leugng'ng himself from tho group
o' men who had surrounded and fob
lo-ve 1 li'm down the lobby, hio discard
0 1 tho lift and ran up tho nnirrow stair
con !?( hing tho landlu, ho went
I
Dry Goods
GOODS
of Spring and Slimmer Dress
latest patterns.
. inches wide, ;n . . 12U; P
;i in vies wide, ;u.. 25c
30c 10 $1 00
w de soc, 6c
6oe
25c t
1.. . .... ""71
ttt.rAl.VSiT;'8,w.r.v
Urx' !',:i'l'L'Wr -ja
I; iH h'' '"V ' iti
1 .Maitmi
m H'dm
l 75c.
a to 40c.
.splHLS&dSjU,
Red
fiHBrf1W0 COB
forward hurriedly. Then with a certain
nbrupt movement he paused. In the
doorway leading to the gallery Eve
was waiting fur him. The place was
not brightly llg'nted. and she wns stand
ing In the shadow, but It needed only a
gianco to ussure his recognition. He
could almost hnvo seen In the dark that
night, so vivid were his perceptions.
IIo took a step toward her, then again
ho stopped. Iu a second glance lie real
ized that her eyes were bright with
tears, and It was with the strangest
sensation ho had ever experienced thai
the knowledge Hashed upon him. Here
also he had struck the same note the
long coveted note of supremacy. It had
rung out full and clear as ho stood In
Chllcote's place dominating the house;
it had besieged him clamorously as ho
pa"cd along tho lobbies amid 11 sea or
friendly hands ami voices; now In tho
quiet of the deserted gallery It came
home to hi.111 with deeper meaning from
the eyes of Chllcote's wife.
Without a thought he put out his
hands and caught hers.
"I cou'ldn't get away," he said. "I'm
afraid 1 'm very late."
With a smllo that scattered her tears,
Eve looked up. "Aro you?" she sakl.
laughing a little. "I don't know what
tho ll'.ne is. I scarcely know whether
It's t.dglit or day."
Ht'ill holding ono of her hands, lie
drew her down tho stairs, but as they
rea-cliod the last step she released her
fingers.
'in the carriage," she said, with an
other little laugh of nervous hnpplness.
'At the foot of the stairs they wero
fiurrouniled. Men whoso faces Loder
"barely knew crowded nbout him. Tho
intoxication of excitement wns still In
tho air tho Instinct that a now force
had made Itself felt, n new epoch been
entered upon, stirred prophetically In
every mind.
Passing through tho enthusiastic con
course of men, they came unexpected
ly upon Fralde and Lady Sarah sur
rounded by a group of friends. Tho
old statesman enmo forward Instantly
and, taking Loder's arm, walked with
him to Chllcote's waiting brougham.
IIo said llttlo as they slowly made
their way to tho carriage, but tho pres
sure of his fingers wns tense and nn
unwonted color showed In his face.
When Eve and Loder had taken their
soats, ho stepped to the edgo of the
curb. Tliey wero alone for "the mo
ri
Iff'.
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?waLra lk il
ii.T.wri.t'.'esj r.Twd"
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Infants'
Long Dresses
Infants' Lfnij Urt-ssts at 35c
to ?i.oo.
Infanis' Loti"; Skins, 25 to 50c
Infants' Short I usses, 25 to
Inlants bhort Skirts, at 20c
Gloves
While Silk (ilovcs at
50c
Long- wrist ed Black
Gloves, $i.2v
I
Cloud Mr.
9
j8777?Be QE3B'
ment, and, leaning close to the car
riage, ho put his hand through tho
open window. In silence ho took Eve's
fingers and held them lu 11 long, affec
tionate pressure; then he released tlioui
and took Loder's hand.
"Good night, Chllcote," ho said. "You
have proved yourself worthy of her.
Good night." He turned quickly nml
rejoined his waiting friends. In an
other second the horses had wheeled
round, and Eve and Loder wero cur
ried swiff ly forward Into tho darkness.
In the great moments of man's llfo
woman comes bcforcr-uiul after. Somo
shadow of this truth was In Eve's
mind as she lay back In her seat, with
closed eyes nml parted lips. It seemed
that life came to her now for the first
time came lu the glad, proud, satisfy
ing tide of things accomplished. This
was her hour, and the recognition of It
brought the blood to her face in n sud
den happy rush. There had been no
need to precipitate Its coming; It had
been ordained from the first.
Whether she desired It or no, whether
she strove to draw It nearer or strove
to ward It oh", Its coming had been In
evitable. She opened her eyes sudden
ly and looked out Into tho darkness, tho
darkness throbbing with multitudes of
lives, nil waiting, all desiring fulfill
ment. She was no longer lonely, no
longer aloof. She was kin with all this
pitiful, ndmirable. sinning, loving hu
manity. Again tears of pride and hap
piness filled hor eyes. Then suddenly
the thing sho had waited for came to
pass.
Loder lenned close to hor. She was
conscious of his nearer presence, of his
strong, masterful personality. With a
thrill that caught her breath she :' It
his arm about her shoulder ,:.id he d
tho sound of his voice.
"Eve," ho said, "I love you. Ho m
understand? I love you," and, drawing
hor close to him, ho bent and kissed"
her.
With Loder, to do was to do fully.
When he gave, ho gave generously;
when ho swept aside a harrier, ho left
no ston standing. IIo hnd boon slow
to reco'nle his capacities, slower still
to rcco'juk'.u his feeling, Hut now that
the l:n viedse came ho received It-
"'life f'ufce rflx.)
Gel of those, i i-ks we are giv
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