THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 35, 6 March 1909, Page 3

THE STORYTELLER.

"FOILED." (By J. P. Bewick.) I. It was a very muggy afternoon, and I sat half dozing at the writing-desk in my office iu Temple Cilftmbeis. Suddenly I was aroused by hearing my aauie spoken. Turning quickly round, 1 saw a ta.l man with a heavy moustache aud the general bearing oi one who lias led a strenuous military career, lie was tu entire strauger to me. To say the truth, any visitor who came on business waa, and as for a brief—well, that was stranger still. This will explain the fact that I devoted considerably more attention to that hazardous and speculative source of income—journalism—than to my own profession. As weekly contributor to a paper which poured sarcasm on the heads if practically every living public personage, I had obtained considerable notoriety under the pseudonym of "A. S. lilakt." In tk« security of my anonymity I had, much to my own delight and to the no little satisfaction ot many juniors, even been bold enough to extract from the idiosyncrasies of cei'tan ollicials in the High Court matter for much very trenchant criticism. My real name had never been divulged to the public. The "copy" was typewritten and scut direct to the printers without any indication of its source. With these precautions I always felt secure. It was with no little surprise, therefore, that 1 heard my visitor say: "Mr. Malefariane, 1 have read with great pleasure, and, of course, interest, your articles in. Notabilities and Nonsense, aad I would like at once to assure you of the pleasure it i« to me to meet •Mr. A. S. Blake' face to face." I must confess that 1 was taken aback by this abrupt entree en niatierc. Noting my surprise evidently, my visitor hastened to add: "Oi course, my dear sir, X quite understand your annoyance that this should have leaked out, but I can assure you that the knowledge has not gone far, and I think I can promise you that it will go no further." - i "It is very kind ol you to volunteer that statement," I stammered. I was considerably nettled at the mans somewhat arrogantly suave manner, xou , are, I may remind you, aa entire strannet to me. If you have any business, please let us proceed with it. If you . have none, then please clear out and | convey your assumed knowledge ot thiß . Blake—whoever Blake may be—to some- i """fiardon me," he replied, keenly, eye- | ine me meanwhile, "1 forgot to Intro- . duce myself. My name is Kogers-Clif- | ford Kogers—private secretary to air ; Edwin Lancelot——" . i "What, Sir Edwin Lancelot, or tue , Foreign uffice, whom " , ' "Precisely, whom you pilloried so delightfully as an arrant blunderer only ] last week." . , , "Confound you and your absurd n - . tion as to the identity of a coatnbutor to some gutter organ, I answered sharply. "What exactly do you want , tß "Sir Edwin," lie continued, ignoring my interruption, "agrees with you en- j tirelv. He happens to have a very important commission to carry through, and he thinks your astuteness would De of service to Mm and useful to the , to have anything to do with , the business," I said determinedly. , "Oi course," he suggested, 'you would j be well paid for it." "I don't care if a king's ransom -were , attached to it. i won't undertake it. "Do you remember," he continued, slowly and deliberately, "" ntm S ''J) l article a few weeks ago about a certain ( gentleman who presides over the very , court in which you appear most? What | iwould that person say, do you thin*, , if he knew your identity?" i "I can't control his speeches. I "True, but I am sure you can easily , form a pretty accurate notion of what , the trend of his remarks would be. tJi , course, my dear sir, Idon'tprofessto ; know your precise feelings, but 1 think. , I may assume that you would seek an | occupation by ashing for eels on the , banks of the Styx rather than conduct a case in his court again. Now, come, , be reasonable. I have absolute proofs , that yofi are the author of that article. , Sir Edwin has sent me for you. lour , secret is ours alone., and there is no rea- , son why it should go further, uuless he paused impressively— "unless you , provoke Sir Edwin. Kow, do you under- ] stand?" . ... i i;- ' There are moments in life when tli=- , crction is the better part of valor. This : was such a moment, and I intimated to i my visitor that 1 was ready to listen to k "j have no proposition to place before , vou " he informed mc. "Sir Edwin will do that himself. It is sufficient to say , now that your services will be required for some days, as you may have to make a journey. lam to instruct you to pack your portmanteau and present your=eil at Sir Edwin's private residence witßra three hours from now—that is to say, at half-past six this evening. One thing more: you are to give reasons for your absence to no one—to no one. Good I had quite realised it my visitor had vanished as suddenly as he had come. . ,i. There was no getting atvay trom the fact—the man knew that I and Blake were one and the same person, ine idea was not very consoling to me, but, at the same time, I had his assurance that he would not use the information. There was no reason, moreover, why 1 should not accept the commission, had no ties whatever. There was no business to detain me in town, and anything which savoured of adventure was always welcome. . . Accordingly, at the appointed time l ~ presented my card to the footman at Sir Edwin's house, and was immediately ushered into his presence. His greeting was affable, although there was just a suspicion'of the autocrat about his manner. He seemed, however, in no great hurry to come to the point, and hefor giving me any particulars insisted upon mv having dinner with him; as I had not dined, I welcomed the offer. Dinner over, he opened the subject abruptly. "Now, sir," he said, as he offered me a cigar, "perlhaps you are waiting for an explanation of this peremptory and, to vou, I daresay, inexplicable summons. In the first place, then, I may tell you that you are not so entire a stranger either to me or to the Foreign Ottccas you appear to think. The task I you to undertake involves the utmost secrccv and despatch, and not oue of our regular staff is of the slightest use. All are too well known to ponents. You are not known to them ~ don't suppose," he continued ''you are aware-in fact, I don't see how you nossibly can be, since no hint of tn - S has yet leaked out in the papersthit there is at the present moment ■ Sgasssfszi's is conducting negotiations in ' That ° message depends o V^rttdJn-r e it"^e" T/er&e The mission. In addition to " a handsome fee from this Government, y° ur "histVu'forlnid hardly - Z UaSUss the consequence. C I Sed to the proposition immed-

continued Sir Edwin,, "a* 1 ■ ( i Wnre, you will probably ■watched. Here is a aa or- " dinary cigar, to judge by external I pearances. Carefully wrapped IQS,de,s £««*• y - w ;"'l c X, to tTiia in your ease with the otuei flrtinguiA it, I will pierce, the end-so. There is the possible contingency t on the pretext of detraudmg tl f toms you will )»e searched by the olh rials at the Blusteraman In all probability, however, you will he a „ lowed to smoke. In such an event> jna.y smoke this down to the extent I, A n inch. Carefully done, that should be Jong enough to serve our purpose, aftei •wMcfo it must be promptly extinguished. ¥on will find it excellent smoking, M added, smiling. Then, drawing close to me Sid lowering to voice to a whisper v- fiir Ei«3JJ raid impressively. "Should, f you by any chance he frustrated, yon a*e to go straigW on to his LoriUhip as f though nothing bad happened. Go just " a i tftough you were an ordinary visitor, it n>ike your belongings, and stay at least Ixme night hefore returning. It is, of Aurse, possible that you may have to Bring back a message to me. Remem- ■ tar this, however! if the message bo jtolen before you wmSHIw capital, you

will say to Lord lircton, Kcil predominates. Blue ii ou.y a necessity.' Thai is your message. -Now 1 need not detain you auy longer. i'ou will tiud a u.\ieub at the dour. Your portmanteau is already labelled. You have just tiuie to reach Liverpool street and catch yout train. Uoud-day, and aucceas to you.

.Uy u nival at lUavidi aud embarkatiou was uneventful. The wud lma bun iresheuiiig since tiie aKeruoon, and u.ia now blowiug a still gale, and ihere wo.every prospect that the short cruaaiug would be lairly rough. I'oriunaiciy j was able lo secure, even at that iaUhour, a private beuh, and Uolore leaving iiie,ijuuy 1 lay down. liut 1 was in no mood iur sleep. Whether 1 really slept at ail or not i uo not know. An> way, 1 was suddenly recalled Lo lull couaciousuesa by hearing the cabin-door baiig violently. Jumping out oi the bunk, i rushed across the cabin, opened the door quickly, and peered out. Inhere was no oue iu sight out a young steward half dozing on » stool.

"Here, boy," I called out, "who came out oi this cabin a moment ago?" "Which cabin?' he asked sleepily.

"This one," 1 said angrily. "You must have seen the person. Where did he go tor

'\No one came along here, sir. Leastways, not this last hour." "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure, sir/' '"But," 1 insisted, "1 locked the door before turning in, and it was uuloekcd wheu 1 opened it just now.'" "Ueggrag your pardon, sir," lie replied, "but you unlocked it yourself when J came to ask if you wanted anything last thing. Did you lock it again?" 1 remembered. 1 hud not. What a fool I had been! Hurriedly 1 returned to my berth. On the iloor lay my coat, and near it the eigar-case—closed. Hastily X opened: it, and, there, reposing securely where I had put it, was the pierced cigar. Alter all, I reflected, the coat could easily have been, thrown en the floor by the rolling of the ship, and, just as easily, the c>gar-case could have fallen out oi the coat pocket. 1 laughed at my fears. Some deck sound probably was the cause of my scare.

Hut I was in no mood for further sleep, so 1 dressed aud went on deck. We were just nearing the llook, and would be in good time to enable me to reach the lUusterauian capital in the

evening. > At tUe frontier the Customs formalities seemed less careful than usual. 1 was congratulating myself on being free from further molestation when 1 felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning round, 1 saw an inferior officer, -\ylio in an insolent tone insisted upon my returning to be searched. Xo have protested would only have increased suspicion. 1 followed the official, therefore, not into the ordinary searching-room, but into a private apartment, where, seated at a writing-desk, was a man wh was evi ; dentily the Chief. He rose at my approach, and said in perfect English:

"I believe I have the honor to address Mr. Jlacfarlane?" I bowed assent. "On a visit to Wilhelmsberg?" he ventured. "That is so." "Purely personal?" he enquired, eyeing mc closely. "Purely," 1 assured] him. "Very well," he remarked, returning to his writing, "I am sorry to trouble you. This is, as a matter of fact, merely a formal affair. Periodically we have to make a thorough search; we so treat one in every fifty passengers. You happen to be that one." Turning to two men who had entered as he was speaking, he said: "Search this gentleman closely." This the men proceeded to do with great deliberation, a great deal more carefully than was demanded by "a mere formality." They commenced with my hat. The lining was gently pushed aside so as to reveal and, incidentally, any document that might have been lurking there. Next came my overcoat, which I had thrown over the back of a chair. The pockets were divested of their contents, ily gloves were carefully laid on the table and elaborately probed and prodded. The innocentlooking travelling-rug was subjected to all sorts of torture.

While they were tlus occupied I took the cigar case out of my pocket, anil, assuming an air of unconcern foreign to my real feelings, I selected the "cigar which had been given me the previous evening by Sir Edwin Lancelot. Instantly the 'eyes of the Chief were upon me. The next moment lie resumed his writing and appeared as disinterested as ever iu what was happening to me. By this time the mesi, having lin isbed the readily portable articles, turned their attention to me. Xoting their movement, 1 lit the cigar with great carc so as to burn as little uf it as possible. As I had anticipated, they were goiug to make a close search of the clothes 1 was wearing. The examination was as cx-baustive as it was disagreeable. Once 1 raised a protest, but the massive uniformed figure at the desk might have beeu a statue for all the notice my objections received. lien they had done with me they continued their search in my portmanteau, and, as a preliminary, turned all the contents out on the table. During all this I had been noticing, not without- considerable uneasiness, that the cigar already showed nearly an inch of ash. The men were proceeding in a most esasperatingly leisurely fashion, and something would have to be done. I had beeu smoking 011 as slowly as possible. I tried to smoke slower still, wit'h .the inevitable result—the cigar went out altogether. "Something wrong with your cigar?' asked the Chief, who had evidently noticed my embarrassment. "Try one of these."

'"Thanks!" I replied, taking one from the box he handed across, "There's no need for you to nurse the old one,* he added, seeing that I 'had not Jet it -out of my hand. "Throw it on the flnor."

There was no help for it. T threw it down immediately in front of ine. In a few minutes more, the men had finished and left the room. The Chief told 'me I might go. Profuse apologies followed.

To leave that cigar lying on the floor was the very last thing I intended. At the same time I could not get it wlii.'e the Chief was there. To gain time asked him a few general questions as to the limits of luggage, the most rapid means of trans.it, and so on.

He replied with the greatest courtesy and relapsed into silence. Nothing I could do or say seemed to stimulate conversation or to distract hif attention for a moment. T dropped my matchbox near the cigar, hoping thus! to be able to pick up l>oth together, lie! 1 stopped folding his papers in order to j watch me narrowly. It was a tactical mistake on my part. Matters were be'coming desperate. 'J" make a dash at it would have been utter madness. The uniformed mau was dearly as determined to gain possession or the stump of my old cigar as I was. Had I seized it he -would have had mc overpowered in an instant.

Suddenly the door opened arid a gentleman entered. Ho walked straight across to the Chief and whispered something in his car. What he said I do not know, but both looked grave and left tlic room at once. In an instant I had picked up the cigar, leaving in its place the one lie had offered me. To relight it was the work -of a few seconds, but I had scarcely done so before the Chief returned. He found me leisurely adjusting the straps of my portmantenu. iM "Do you require any liioiv of toe': I askej.

"So, thanks.'' he replied, making a profound how. "I was just re turning to inform von of that fact." I caught up my belongings, and without further loss of time got into the train. ~ , I In due course I presented myselt bo'tore Lord Breton. He was evidently expecting mo, for as soon as mv name wa« announced T was ushered into his studv. After requesting me to be seated. he opened the conversation. "Mr. Macfarlanc. I believe: entrusted with a message from Sir F.dwin Lancelot; is it not so?" T nodded. "And your messageV _ f 'The message .is contained in tins cigar.'' T replied, drawing it from my ' "TTa!'' lie ejaculated us In- foved Witll it I,etwee-,1 his finsrers. "Rather an old rlndse, isn't it? T'sed to lie a common practice at one time, you know. So common, in fact, that it became en«tomarv when searching a man tor document 8 to nick his poekct-and the oigarche of course---and let him go on In?

'<-\Vlir. bb-5 mv soul! Whatever possessed von to smoke it?'' he continued, oliservhier the charred end. Had a snare, eh? "Well. well, let us see what it contains." ■ . , Suiting the action to the won! he carefully removed the outer leaf. Then he proceeded with great caution to un-

roll the inner leaves. It was iloiic wiHi the dexterity and deliberation of one lo whom the operation was by no ima.is no-velly. Suddenly he stopped. '"Conic over .here," he said, motioning me to the table, "and watch carefully as I go over the leaves." 11c turned them aside one by one. ' Are you ipiite sure this is tiie cigar?'" he asked. "Absolutely sure,'' I answered. "Why do you ask?" "Because," he replied, speaking with emotion, which lie sought to reslrain, ''because—it contains no message.''

, Again 1 was on the steamer. The lighu of Holland wove fast disappearing in the distance. It was after midnight, but the events of the past twentyfour hours kept lushing through my brain with a vividness that seemed to become intensified as the hours sped o:i. I recalled the utter incredulity with which 1 received the imormation that the message bad been intercepted. The look of contempt on the ambassador's face when I recounted the incidents of my journey, his satirical congratulation on the fact that 1 had reached Wilhelmslierg at all. 1 In* sarcastic wortKs'of thanks when 1 had sullieiently recovered my wits lo deliver the message: "tted prodominates; blue is only n necessity.'' All this was ma easily forgotten. I had been awakonod early that morning by Lord lii-elon's valet with a request to present myself at breakfast within twenty minute*. All expectancy, 1 wailed throughout the meal for .<oinc indication that my failure hail not been so utter as my overwrought nerves indicated to me: but none wa-> forthcoming. Alter the customary "tJood morning/' Lord' J.bvUm relapsed into silencv, and wd ate our meal without another word breaking the silence between us. It was only after he had finished that the ambassador turned to me.

"You will leave Wilhelm-sberg by the 11.32 this morning," lie said, ''atul go straight to Sir Kdwin. You will then have an opportunity or reporting to him all the pleasant incidents of your journey. No doubt he will be intensely amused.'-'

* Shortly afterwards I went upstairs to pack. To my dismay I found my portmanteau dripping wet! I called the servant.

"Here," T said, "what 011 earth's the meaning 01 this? How has my bag got ,wet like this?"

"Very sorry, sir," he replied, looking at it intently, "I know nothing at all about it. Give it to me, and I'll make enquiries and see if I can have it dried." As he was carrying the portmanteau downstairs he encountered Lord Breton, who at once noticed its condition.

"What the devil has happened now?" he exclaimed, for ho was not in the best of humors. "Has some fool been trying to see if it was watertight?" "Don't linow at all, my lord," replied the servant, "but it seems as though ii had received a thorough soaking; how I ain going to get it dry for this gentleman to take away in time I don't know."

"Yon can't," Lord Breton retorted. "Most extraordinary— most extraordinary!" he muttered; then aloud to the man, "Co and bring a portmanteau of mine. Mr. Macfarla.nc will, perhaps, be kind enough to use that instead of his own 011 this occasion." Lord Breton turned to me.

"I am extremely sorry this extraordinary accident should have occurred. 1 daresay, however, you will find my bag large enough, but, as you will observe, it looks as if it had travelled." The portmanteau given to me certainly luid seen due pays, as the French say. It was almost covered with labels in varying stages of wear and tear, and its whole appearance would have gladdened thu heart of the most aggressive globe-trotter America has ever sent to the Old World. It would have immediately given a man eutranec into a provincial travellers' club. But I was too ea»er to leave Wilhelmsberg to care for such considerations. I hoped there would be something in my delivery of the return message which would enable me to retrieve the follies of my out ward journey. A moment before, leaving, Lord Breton, in a few courteous words, wished me a safe and pleasant journej. 1 "What message am Ito deliver to Sir Edwin?" I asked, for he had given me none. "There, is no message, thank vou,' he answered. "Present yourself to Sir Edwin, that is all I expect you to do." Such were 'the thoughts which, as 1 have said, were, crowding' upon me as I watched the 'Dutch lights fade away. Tliey were not altogether pleasant thoughts. What my reception would be from Sir Edwin I could not eve" surmise..

All tilings have an end. however, even crossing the North Sea, and a few minutes after six the following morning we wore steaming into Harwich. Three hours later J presented myself before Sir Kdwin -Uncelol. Without waiting for any statement, from me he led me to the breakfast-room, where a meal was prepared for me. He apologised for having to leave me, and presently I heard him re-enter his study. Halt-au-hour later I was summoned to the study jnvself. I- found Sir Kdwin surrounded by a mass of correspondence. His secretary was seated at his side. "Is there no .message from WilheluwWrg';" he asketT me. "None whatever," I replied. y "Lord Breton says in his despatch. lh« secretary interrupted, "that Mr. Macfarla-,10 has a few very exciting incidents to relate." "Just so, just so," remarked Sir Edwin, "but I dou't think we will trouble h'llll now." Then, piclsing up a letter, he handed it across to ine with a request that I would read it. I recognised the letter at once. 1 had written it mouths ago. It was an application for the position of conlidcntial messenger lo the Foreign Office. "Well," he said, "do you renew that application?" "I am afraid, after what has Inopciied, that you would hardly consiibr it if 1 did," I replied. '•Oh, I don't know—l don't know," he retorted. "You haven't done so badly, considering the difficulties of the situation. At all events vou have safely carried the message to Wilhelmsberg and brought back a reply. •'Perhaps I had better explain," he added, seeing my look of amazement. "In the lirst place, the cigar I gave you did not contuiu the real message. In it was simply a jumble of letters ana figures which, had it lallen into other bauds, would at once- have been mistaken for cypher. It was my intention that it should be stolen. You were barclv -outside the house before one of my agents allowed himself lo be bribed into revealing the whereabouts of the message. It was stolen from you when you were embarking on the steamer. Your pocket was very cleverly picked a-ad tiie cigar-case replaced with of course, a cigar inside it precisely similar to yours. 1 daresay by this time a" the principal officials iu the Blusterainaii Foreign Office have severe headaches due to their efforts to decipher that apocryphal message." "Then how do you account for my being searched so closely by the Customs authorities?" 1 asked. ''There are two possible explanations," was the answer. "Either they were unaware that the precious (Joeument had already been secured, or tliey thought there might be a second message which would provide the key to the one they i already possessed." 1 "It may be so," I said, "but I still , fail to understand how you cau say I 1 have carried messages lo Wilhelmsberg 1 and back."

"Oh. that is perfectly simple!" lie answered. ".Since I hope to retain yon on our permanent stall I will let yon into [lie secret. On the backs of the luggage labels attached to your _ portmanteau a message was written hi invisible ink. Lord Breton was well aware of this. Your duty was to present yourself at all costs. You did so. 1 am sorry your own portmanteau suffered so badly in trying U> remove the labels, aulliough the one you brought back has suffered scarcely less. "These arc details, however, Make out vour account for expenses, and include the cost of purchasing a new bag. My secretary will attend to it. Good day!"