SHORT STORY.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 421, 12 May 1904, Page 7

SHORT STORY.

•- -,> «??£& S., f -*"*f **.*

Th* Force of Gircnmst^iliks

J'wai no: int® JernicgbSin was 6 the train, homeward-bcund, and rnsbinf WOffl the smiling plains of Savoy, thai - reaction came. 1 He quitted Some in astonishing healtl and spirits. Fresh despatches were in dited, though the Anarchist kept hii word, and the original documents travel Win the same trai*as the King's Mel to an aatounde&FndarBut a TiTid*BbllectioB f detafled anc ordered bow that the danger had passed could not fail to assert its influence, anc Herbert had neve* been bo HI Bince hj« contracted Nile fever as during that hoi and weary journey across Switzerland and France, as his route lay through tht Mcnt Cent's Tunnel. ■ Ho was so ill at Calais that he dreaded lest the passage should be rough. Bat toe sea was kind to him. The surface of the Straits mirrored a blue sky, and the sea-breexs gave him fresh vitality aa soon as the 'Calais-Douvras* swung clear of the long pier. It is a good sign in a man when he prodnceshu cigar-case. By the time Dover castle emerged triumphantly ont of a rammer base the King'smessenger was puffing away contentedly. The strain had ended. Thenceforth the memories of that quiet room in the Via Napcdi would crumble into forgetfulnees, just aa the hateful place itself would disappear under the Government edict that ordered its demolition. fife had chosen the quietest corner of the decs: ftrward of the bridge, and shared its recess with a esuple who did not seem to conrt observation. The man wic a distinguished-looling foreigner of railitary appeararcs, possibly aßounanian, though his clothes in no way differed from the attire worn nowadays by most Europeans of social prominence The lady with him was on unmistakable Parisienne, fragile, beautifully dre.-ssd, with a face and hair of the latest tints. She was veiled and wrapped in furs, shrouded from the outer air like a rare orchid t and Jerningham classed her aa one of the half-dcsen women whom, Paris delights to honour for a year aa ?stara/ though their lustre only illuminates the fringe of society. He would not have given either of them asecoad thought were it not for an incident that happened eome twenty minutes before the steamer entered Dover Harbour, * A lanky youth, carrying a small camera, came and sat disconsolately on a bench close at hand. A Btout man, unsteady on his feet, was discoursing volubly to a friend on the necessity of Britain's natal predominance, when the vessel's wheel was suddenly put hard aport, to clear a small fishing-vessel. The quick swerve B* Te .an .unexpected roll, and the fat man sat wrwn violently on the deck. Instantly the youth snapshotted him. - Hut an cffieer ran down from the bridge, sstjfci the camera, and threw it Overboard, saying sternly: 'I warned you before that taking photographs of passengers was forbidden. You know that one gentleman oomplainecl of you. Now you must put up with the c^Bblequenceß. , - "--*?s*■** The boy looked like to cry. His sallow face flushed, and he pro tested ehrflfy t * I meant no harm.' 'Perhaps not Neither wSI it do'you The sailor strode away, and the wouldbe photographer gaied ruefully at the sea, whickrjbad. swallowed his beloved EodtL 2 T* / m Jerninghim thought the action a very high-handed one. He approached the 'lt was too"bsd to treaf you in that way,* he said kindly. •>- The youth, striving vainly to affect indifference, summoned a Bicklysmile to 1 his aid. . * _ i: . ?-*. ■< ' I forget,' he answered.'' Who wouldn't forget when that fat chap flopped on the deck?' ' But to lose-ysur camera in that way—* * Oh, I don't blame the officer. He did tell me about it toon" after leaving Calais. It is all- the fault of those two*-••' "They reported n*ft to the captain,' fc ._. He pointed 'towards the* pair who occupied the "recess vacated by Jernrhgllftllffs ~. (j. y.'-M - ■■-■■<■ * They reported you ? said Herbert in 'Yes. xne lady is pretty enough not to object, I'm sure. .It is beastly rough on me, I'm an apprentice in a motor-car works, and I shan't Be able to buy another camera-4bia summer. - My people only allow me ten francs a week. And this is myhoHdny. Jolly fins b art, ain't it f JeTTiingbamwae eorrxip&the boy,, and he resolved to do a generous act •I taHH I*%ikjmd a spare camera in lsy rooms,' hs said. 'Give me your address, and I will send it to you/ ' WeU, you are a brick V exclaimed the other, with an eager, joy that more than - repaid Jerningham f oe,lh kind .design* An addrsln was forthcoming, and the boy, ha his thankfultneaff, confided that he had already taken three spools of negatives before theseoaflsoation. 'lll develop' them,' ha said enthusiastically, ' and send you prints oithe lot „Fve got you among 'em in two positions.' Jeiningbam laughed.. Next day he bought a quarter-plate instrument and forwarded it, and s little later he received a parcefa.of., photographs with a very grateful letter. Among the prints were two recognisable likeaeeseso! himself, and a very excellaat p"ctmje of the Parisienne and her escort. He slipped the pictures into his pocket intending to show thereto Lady Cecilia, as he was about to start for Cowee, where she was residing at the moment ' I meant you to have a quiet time for a couple of weeks, Jeraingnam/ said hia chSf, <ka| there is ,*.**Jal.tr» jto Montenegro, 'and T have bees asked to send you. You stand high in favour at the Forelgn'Dffice, go on like this, I fear you will soon be taken from my stsff. Are you able, to start to-night ?' „ This only meant that a telegram tc .-HCowes preceded -his -departure; 4rom Cross, to take once more the protracsteia flight over the map of Kurops which was now becoming so familiar t< him. Oddly enough, his chief's reference t< Montenegro was- the only-indication hi received as to the nature of his miaaioa He was handed despatches to the Britial charge d'affaires at Cettiage; but hi verbal instructions were to report himsal to the commander of the British gunboa | Panther' at Briadisi. He was glad that the route throng] Italy did not involve a too ejyrly return U Rome. -HsLiiad seen .enough of on the to'lasßrm'ror soml considerable time; and as he was forte nate eifohgh to travel by -the P. and 0 weekly, special, the journey was not onlj accelerated* but comfortable. Ten minutes after he boarded tin ' she steamed past tin picturesque tower that adorns the entrana to the tiny port, and Lieutenant-Com mander Short was explaining to him sonu Of toe worry that lay ahead. We are bound for Cattaro, across tin

g P&S^&i'-£*' ■»**» •' I JBapPtM ydu are fc *&il at ■-•- ""■■w' l ■"■'-• ■ a Jerningham nodded. lm 'I expected as much,' growled the a sailor. -The result is that for the next [. gtiue* weeks we will be prowliagabout the ,_, of fhat wretched littfti/fiDle, and - Sag, whipt incurriDg every sort of risk of j making a mistare, and causing trouble I with France or Germany*'.. .. T i" H^. at on earta isthe matter P' cried a Herbert, - '*'• ""*■ '■•• *■?*£;■■■ ■■' t N .^S 11 " 1 * 1 ? 1 " o **' m J« 4joy.-. importing j' * rifllß and ammunitioh to arm'the innocent 9 .Christians of Macedonia against the blood- . thirßty Turk. A wora3 set of pirates taan I ' the innocent Christians themselves never t existed, And it saems that a well-known Birmingham company haß supplied them j with a ship-load of stuft during the last t two months. The second is now en route, j and it is believed the cargo will be discharged near Cattato. Once' ashore, it will "be easily smuggled- through ■ Montenegro. The Germans at th# k same game, and a French ship passed my j homeward-bound, in ballast, two" days ago. I Of course, Britain must bs extra virtuous, and if this second consignment gets past

as, I, at any rate, shall hear about it. Confound every orthodox brigand mMacedoE:a, I say!* "■ j- • < * «Are the shippers known t' '■■ 'Bather! The Britannia Gan Coma J*bj of Birmingham.' ' ; '■?'"'■ 'And tie vessel?' •%% - ' Tuer«Siis,' of Glasgow—a slow old tub. .•She Biiled from Gcoie four days-ago. The odd thing ia that she cleared direct for C*ttaro. I suppose they thought there was no pee making a false declaration, and hoped to cawj the affair through onablcff. But the Turkish Ambassador proiested, and Montenegro s&js: 'We can do nothing'; so here I am, having come fcot-foot t com Malta to meefryou.' 'I am sorry to be the cbjtjet of your wtath, I, tor • • My dear fellow, I am only growling at luck. Have another split P' ' Bui- if the * Slis *is so slow/ remarked Jsrningham, ' ehe will not bo here for ■ another week.' .-• * ... - *#ar*4 'Not if she tries her leaky boUera to :- the uttermost. asain, the' arms may be landed somewhere en the coa'Bt, and she may be beating about a-week or more making the necessary arrangements.' ' If you fall in with her, what happens ?' * I can only sttfp lirer from' landing"the stuff at the request of the authorities. She can cruise the Adriatic for a year tinder "my nose, and I am powerless,: bo long as her captain lies to me about his consignees.' The outlook was not very cheerful," but - Jezningham. had,, peifoicv to make the best of it. At Cattaro be- m»t a busy -Consul. In view of trouble throughout

the Balkans, was aiming on owp account, and lha " Consul" assartd , Herbert that it waa a difficult—almost ■ impossible—task, to bsKwien' one class of importations and another. *"* *Mo|eoTßr/ he said, *1 have,done-mf duty in warning the home Government as to wha% was taking place. They send yon, to help me, r so you must take chargeSf the whole business. I will help you to the extent of my powers ; but you can see - for yourself that for me to devote all my time to examining suspioious steamers is out of the question.' Jerninghamhad not bargained for . such a devolution of responsibility, but 'he accepted it without demur, The instructions given to the Consul concerning him were specific enough. They; showed I faith in his ingenuity and tact, and. he " resolved to do Ids best. - News came, too, from Gibraltar, that the 'Sais* had coaled there, and was I delayed by a faulty crank. She might not reach Cattaro for rthight or three weeksi Commander Short's, temper at this. announcement became temporarily unbearable, and it was a great relief to all parties when a magnificent Bteam yacht, the 'Blue-bell,' flying the British flag, but no club burgee, steamed into the. bay about eight dajs after Herbert's arrival. It was quickly ascertained that her owner, •* a well-known sporting nobleman, .was on board, and had brought with him a.small party: of guests, thexr; objeotive l»u»<a/ . shooting expedition among ths 'Albanian. mountains. Lord visit to the ' Panther,' *nd he was instantly invited to * 'bring the crowd- to dinner, ~,,.. „. Three men came—his lordship, another youthful aristocrat, and the Marquis of 9 Lady Ceoilia's father J*. : I i To say that Jerningham was amazed at this sipange meeting is to feebly express his sentiments. He had never felt so H greater nonplussed as when the marqui*, a handsome mjw < and. veri lenergeWv i/o'_BCkiM must be of a falUjw, according to aUaocounte. Why» ". even Cecilia says that your adventures ar% talked of in the "Court. What on a ah - are you doing here P' _ * . _._, Jeningham was nervous enough in allconscience, but he managed ;i to say thatthe disturbed co-aditiens of affairs in the' nearer Turkish Provinces accounted for his prjeseKce at'Cattaro. ' "■"'■ ' Wheie did jou sail from V aßked ..Com- . mander Snort," addressing; Lord Ensmore.

•From Marseilles. We left there on the fifth,' or ten days earlier. . m - «*■ Jerhiagham fancied that the Marquis of Clovelly shot an angry glance at his«T&~ Stn |L or!ed ?J the3flaJfor. £ * Ton' must t it. eae* the ' Bluebell' came rpiitf : the. P£at : this mnrßitio-T should have thoiuzht aha was f 11' T iwenty I' erfea callyi; 'Her engines are a- new'experiSMttnf by Baad'a.- c Ptenty of fofeWibl vibration, smajl. consumption. I.assure • 'Lip us go flie mar<sqjb, and Herbert was now quite car- 0 tain that his prospective but unknowing m fathejr-in-lawi regarded Ensmo're as* a taikativeass. -'H- ■--":» - Late that evening, when he called on the Council, before" retiring to' hia hotel, ', the latter said:.« *-, ■„ . jfe ' I hear that the Marquis of Clovelly is - on board the big yachtrwhioh arrived to-day. • Tee, I dined in his • Well, of course, you know who he is V»f 'Not.particularly. Why, should .he* interest mei—from your point of view, -'-'My B<x>d sir, he is*chairman of the Gun Company, He has ' evidently come here to "look after the* ■ . 4 interest of hiß firm, and bos that they are paid tin hard cash before the goods are handed over/ _ ~ Art imbroglio with a veageancs 1 Lady " Cecilia's father interested ia gun-run-aisfgl and he, Jernijigham, deputed Jx>V 1 frustrate hia designs by every means in his power. What a misfortune! Success Or; failure in his mission was now fraught with disaster. He either became discredited in the

eyes of the Foreign Office, pr earned the lasting hatred Of a he hoped to be abls scon l <Hi hl B daughter 5 * band. # I Heugggi by the [Catastrophe. AftSjt vainly.Veedeavouriag fto stroll about in ; the" cool air rani daybreak. Ha f ound,fl6me considerable commotion in soon explained. A bigh Montenegrin #^l^lSf» oß 'yl 0 depart iot Gettinge Carriage at 2 a.m.

He waited to eee the great man's departure, and eves in his despairing perplexity he found room for some surprise in the fact that tlje distinguished gravelWith him was a lady, but, alas 1 a far different individual to the dainty _^Mieienr;e, trilt jW . -, ■ v ., .. •'Whoare'theyP* asked Herbert,* when they had driven pfk « . ? The, Princess Maria of-.Montenegrg,' answeredthe interpreter in German. ' Oh, he iB tne husband, the Comptroller of Military 5 Stores- All the high officials have to marry the royal ladies, as the reigning hoosa is poor, and the government salaries must be kept for their benefit.' & J .

Even t e distraught King's-Messenger w as forced to smile aj he remembered a certain photograph in Ah.4 pocket of. a Norfolk jacket among 'his " belongings. What would Prmcefis? Maria say to the Comptroller of >MilitaryrStores if she flaw it?

He wandered about the quays during but at five o'clock lie felt tired. He fell fast asleep, He was., awakened, by C.ramander Short, 'whose amazement was undisguised at finding him already dressed.

* Whstfs the matter P Not ill, I hope f' oriedttfeeailor. , r l

'No, not ills only : worried."" ' *So ami P Hera's a sice kettle of fish. It seems that the Marquis of Ciovelly. is is cur true bird. Every ounce of ammunition, ever j riflo and bayonet, is on board the' Bluebell."

Jerningham was wtae awake now. Here wbb another complication. . • How do you know P» he criWd: '• 'Some of my men and some of- the Bluebell's! crew, got drunk together last night; but the.yachtsmen were able to carry less liquor, and one of our chaps wormed out d! a confiding firemajn-tnat transhipped stha lot Id -the of- Morocco"; and the stuff J migYt easily have been landed under our", very noses when the ' Bluebell' warped up to-the quay for coal.* . "% * "'"* * What are we going to dbf" ''/ - '■* *Bo! Why, ;warn the noble gunrunners that the game is up. They mast find a market elsewhere.- Le.t 'em go to Constantinople' and' bribei some Turk to buy the' consignment!. Anyhow, I will see not a easeiQes ashore here. You had better come with? me and interview the 1 enterprising marquis,' he. added. ._.'..,., *'Oh, hang it all!' groaned Jerningham. «I want to marry his daughter!' He bowed his head between his hands: A* | -The %\ q£ hj%. .'• '¥? By Jovej' he said> j^Wnati akmix up I' * takes, at) heed of love, affairs. ** * w " Eight men" pulled them off .Lord Ensmore received -iSfcemj e'xpreMng Ms" pt&6u*e ; at : - thjair early call.;? ~% ■■_ \ j.« AstsM * ■'"f'He was not bo pleased when Commander Short explained his'business at the interview which followed in the chart-houEe.

The Marquis of Ciovelly, too, beeame very sallow as Jernisgha%read his, instructions from the :';BeSeign Office. Evasion was useless. efil the Brittian Gun Company took the whole onus on hijnßelf. *'»-•-:,, . : \J}^ ' Lord Ensmore regarded the latter as a' mere bit of fun,' he began; but the owner? of ' I stood heeaid.' 7 , Oh, do shut up I' 'shouted the maiqnio. ' It is bad enough to incur such a tremen- ] dous loss as: this speculationmußt prove without blurting out ourbusiness to the I world.' :,; i -....%:■ -:■";■ ","":.■ *J am sorry,' said Commander Short lacoHicallyjJ'hukorders are,orders,and.; must be obeyed.' to trifle twenty knbte, LordSnamOre, thei'Panther' can do twenty-two. is too bad,' growled the older man. is, Commander -Short, fthat I have%> case. All I can do is to ask Lord to take: our: cargo back to 'Gibraltar, where the. ,«Safe' is" still ilaid gtoK The venture, is 'entirely ray |||fn,slEd the risk lies with me. T admit

' Jerningham, who had his own reasons bent over the letter oKnitrueMbHß from the Foreign Office. Does any one here know how long it takes to reach Cettiage?' he- asked. ' About five hours in a diligence,' answered Captain Short •- -'■■■ 'Perhaps I may be able to arrange the difficulty,' answered Herbert/quietly. «I> casmot*. promise there &i ! a cbin'«ei-a remote 'chance—that.';!, may iatfrrce' bhe of M6atenegrd-to deal with yon, not at revolutionary prices, it is true, but in a way that would saves any actual loss;'. ' '.;■•') 'By Jove! if you cadld/'I would believe all Billy haa written about you,' the marquis.' premise>was given and accepted". TEaVeyeniag Jerningham was in Cettdnge. He presented himself at the villa of the Comptroller Of Military Stores, j£jj* have but recently returned from. 'Berlin and Paris,' his- Excellency condescended to explain, 'and I made contracts in those - -> 1 You also visited London,' said Herbert, 'No/ he.said. ' There was nothing to be gained by doing so.' "' "\ ' ". . 'Jour Excellency IprgetsMhe yuur/' "mured • f the Channel intthe.; %tJalais-I&nvrej' on * ihe Mh Yon :wex&iho«glßitlea¥ '-*** qfc&msms i-<iffisi Excellency took the absurd little photograph, and examined it closely. At that instant the' Princess JuMia*.entered.* v , 'AlexWl'mecrik *****£ ***£* •*« Cohiingp darlii\g.«Br mur,] I shall be pleased to. have your company daring the tomorrow morning.! r followed liis wife, only "stopping to Jight ia-'cigllttette'witfi thevtin^roHs'i* 9 paper; \v» gt *%. *" '.^= : ':- ss6f@s?;~ & ?»,-. •■ The youthful recipient of the Kodak. wis much surprised to rec&ive a telegram from ifar-off MoHtenegro asking' Mm toforward his set of filmß used on the 'CalaisDouvres.' But he obeyed, and ten day* later Jerningham saw bonds for a large amount handed to the Marquis of Clovelly ■ inlpayment for military stores, gj. ; •- What Lady Cecilia thought, and what sKefWJote, were different, yet alike. ' r .'lsn't he » darlingP'— she thought. ' Even my father thinks the world of him,' ■

Bat she wrote, on a telegraph form: ' What is this magic I hear of P Come and Bee me on Thursday at foftr.*