The Men Who Wrought

thoughts had been flowing along the troubled channel of affairs, all of which bore solely upon the purpose of his life. Now their flow had b

ificance who suddenly discovers that another hand has added some detail, which, while it is

with women until now had been the simple parrying of the feminine shafts levelled at him in the process of ordinary social intercourse in the position he occupied in life. He was by no means a ma

From his earliest youth, due to the death of his mother at his birth, he had never experienced a woman's influence upon his life, and thus he had been left to the riot of ima

tiful sex. Furthermore the contact had been brought about through those very ideals and purposes to which he had devoted his life. And, moreover, the wonder of it all was that his purpose was

Vla

he name. None at all. He told himself frankly it did not fit her. Furthermore it left him unconvinced that it truly belonged to her. Yet she said sh

her ardor, her beauty, and that extraordinary suggestion of mystery, conveyed in her costume, and the evasion of the detai

ich she had sought him out. She knew, and had seen, the realities of the threat which

me of all the troubled thought which had occupied him for so long. But she had told him he would hear from her again, and then that tiny whi

n had absorbed all that was in him, and a curious, deep, thrilling sensation of delight at the encounter had completely thrust into the background the purpose which had brought it about. All that which w

nted to think and dream, as all youth desires to think and dream, when the floodg

d. His father would have retired, and the library would be empty, so he passed up the oak stairway with the determina

ary the lights were still on, and he beheld his father's curly white head still

ned room towards him. His deep-set eyes were smiling as they we

ramble?" he enq

d flung himself upon a long

hed," he said, prepa

something as yet unspoken behind the reply. He

yet?" he enquired from

e eyes surveyi

," his fa

head

tely the unspoken word was to come. He

time of life. I think I must be getting old. The burden of private correspondence begins to weigh. I have always held that

ng legs. His bulk almost co

o the Briton. I only wonder a man of your vast fortune has clung to such habits so long.

political man," his

n consequence I am sa

do good with other folks' money. Answers to beggars, to would-be blackmailers, to public institutions whose chief asset is a carefully compiled list of likely subscribers, and the

ow with the point of his penholder-one

s adds importance to

eld out

d it again

t watching the concentrated brows of his so

widened questioningly. Ruxton had suddenly sat bolt upright, and a quick

l letters. V. V." Then he looked across at his startled parent. "I say, Dad, there's mystery

smiled his father. "Or any other hi

k with a laugh. Then he flun

n write to that man and give him a definite appointment at so

ed chair well away from the des

ht to to-night, Rux," he said, as he

ful, in the light of cold words, if that which he had to tell would carry the conviction which possessed him. It seemed impossible; and

think I have retained sufficient of our Yorkshire phlegm to get a right estimate of things, and the things which have happened to-night I am convinced are connected with the V. V. in that letter. I was on the cliffs, lying on the heather, looking out to sea, when a woman came along who had been endeavoring to h

his fathe

It's easier to say than to do-adequat

his story of his meeting with Vita Vladimir with all the simple force which was part of the Russian nature i

he vivid impression this Vita Vladimir had made upon his only son, and as yet he was not sure that he shared the boy's enthusiasm. However, long years of understanding had convinced him of Ruxton's clarity of judgment in vital matters, and his earnest

y comment at the conclusion of the story. Then he held the m

omment. He was anxious that his hard-hea

of it?" he demanded,

took some moments f

k. But the second and third I think can be dismissed. Why should our enemies make such an extraordinary proposal to you, or to anybody, short of a man important enough to be done away with? The suggestion of 'crank' is quite dispen

halt before the desk, and gazed down into his father's serious eyes. "There is mystery abroad, Dad. There is more than mystery. There is something tangible. A great and threatening danger

isguise my regret, my boy, but it is-in the light of your life's purp

more bitter feeling can be roused in the affairs of modern life. For once, however, Britain was far less divided than usual. Even prejudice, that blind, unreasoning, unthinking prejudice which usually characterizes the voter, who claims for himself "good citizenship," had s

new that, as Ruxton Farlow had said, the British housewife had determined upon that sweeping and garnishing so sadly needed, and

een summoned hastily and urgently by the new Prime Minister. He had found that electrical individual busily engaged in superintending the remova

y dismissed. The interview was brief. It was so brief that Ruxton, who understood and preferred such methods, was not a little disconcerted. There had been a hear

as beating high with a quiet exultation, for he had left the presence of the wonderful little man, who seemed to liv

a code wire to his father in Yorkshire that he might be the first person in the world to learn of his early triumph. Yes, he wanted his to be the first congratulations. He smiled to himself

gh in its architecture but drab of hue, might have been some structure of Gothic splendor. Even the impoverished trees which surrounded it had something of the verdant splendor of spring in them on this late summer afternoon. The sparrows and t

table and hurried up the stairway to his study. He had been interrupted in his correspondence by the Prime Minister's summons, and n

etary appeared. In a few moments these two were absorbed in their work with a thoroughness which was characteris

ernoon tea, and the two men took the opportunity

lit a cigar, while the secretary li

zing the moment to impart his good news. "We are raised fr

Cab

the Ca

e control the delight

Heathcote," he went on. "Now we are getting nearer to the position which will enable us to bring about

idealist's words which found ample reflectio

; he was a brilliant youngster who had determined upon a political career for himself, and had, with considerable shrewdness, pinned his faith

ordial enthusiasm. "And there'll be more to follow, or I

, and Heathcote rose to answer it. When he r

onically, and returned t

elopes. The first message was from his f

ed. Must see you at once. Inventor turned out

s. Then he deliberately tore it up into small

ng deeply. But in a moment all his preoccupation vanished as he glanced ove

shes. Do not let this success make you forget our meeting. Dare I hope that

en. He was never likely to forget. But in the midst of his emotion some freak of mind had caught and held the significance of this mys

y refolded Vita's message, and placed it i

s here will not require me just now. But you must notify me of anything important happening. Meanwhi

send it

think not