The White Lie

State for Foreign Affairs, crossed his big, business-like library at Bracondale Ha

ly. His age was about forty-three, though, in his well-cut evening clothes, he looked much younger; yet his face undoubtedly denoted strength and cleverness, a

o member of the Cabinet occupies such a position of grave responsibilities, for a false step upon his part, the revelation of a se

s is what a British Foreign Minister must do, a task the magnitude

contracted, his eyes were fixed blankly upon the big, l

; his hair, though a trifle scanty on top, was as yet untinged by grey, while he wore the en

norary attaché at the Embassy in Rome, and afterwards in Paris, to which was at

ft his writing-table, so busy had he been with the great pile of documents whic

had been fifty years in the service of h

nborough

erily, as his visitor entered. "Where hav

other. "I wanted to see y

wo men sh

ut invitation, he sank into an arm-chair, stretched out his legs, and

grey-faced stranger who, four days before, had sat in the schoolr

, passing his visitor the cigar-box. "I can see there'

critically, and then, rising suddenly, bit off the end vicio

several things. First, we know

men always get to know all there is to know. You'r

Long ago he had held a commission in the Tenth Hussars, but had resigned it to join the Secret Service, just as Dick Harborne had resigned from the Navy to become a cosmopolitan, and to be dubbed an adventurer by those in ignorance. That

ling them at Scotland Yard-eh

ave ascertained, was on one occasion very useful to us, would be dragged into

A wom

, and rather

London, and got here at eleven o

ing else-of gr

he pointed to the table. "Those are despatches from all the Embassies. The eternal Balkan trouble seems thr

explain. A copy of the secret report upon our last naval man

arl, starting, his

port is known in Germ

ness is there

position

l report has not yet

aked out from Whitehall,"

ust be ordered. I will teleph

ecret Service, a man whose coolness in great crises was always remarkable. When danger

of the report? Tell me, Darnboro

r by messenger," replied the Earl's visitor, seating himself and puffing thoughtfully at his cigar. "You will reco

tion. They ought to have done so long ago, and issued the confidential repor

ce is in question. But to resume. Blue's commander was given two hundred and thirty ships to Red's one hundred and seventeen,

ss in actual war, unless every British fightin

days later a truce was suddenly ordered from Whitehall. War was resu

t facts have our friends in Berlin got hold of

ts for home defence, a serious raid must entail a vit

Lord Bracon

Wear, Blyth, and Sunderland, putting twenty-four thousand men ashore. Thus, four of the most important ports and bases on the East Coast were captured within two days, together with the wireless stations at Cleethorpes, Hunstanton, and Ca

h hardening. "Very bad, Darnborough. It is to b

f the Secret Service s

ave been caused throughout the country. As it was, the enemy's submarines of the D and E classes, which were sent away to hunt on their own, established a reign of terror, getting to the entrance of Cromarty Harbour, which was our base, and torpedoing the sh

a long time, thoughtfull

s to Germany!" he exclaimed at la

in gravest danger. Why, only a few days ago the Post Office allowed Germany to lay an

Why, that was where poor Harborne

some time-upon a secret mission, poor fellow

ell between

g the truth. The Opposition will certainly not spare the Government the facts, and must, if disclosed, give an impetus to the campaign for universal

rtunately,

uation before it. All the clever diplomacy he had exercised with the Powers during the past five years had now been nullified, and E

rding our true strength. Our land defences were known to Germany, even to the most minute detail, all reported accurately and methodically by the enemy's spies liv

our friends across the North Sea, and most certainly they would

rning to where Darnbo

arborne. He was a sm

ice. You will recollect how he obtained the accurate clauses of the secret Japanese treat

ter. "When he told me I would not believ

Darnborough said. "I attended the inquest. Of

ou-eh, Da

have learnt the truth regarding the recent naval man?u

ing about a woma

ve indiscretion, which cost poor Harborne his life. Yet what is

was the

in certain negotiations regarding the purchase of copies of pl

arding her?" asked

and probably unaware who killed the man with whom s

he a

h milliner,

f Harborne's which

political undercurrents of Europe than any other living person. "His loss is very great to us, for he was a fine specimen

country ought to erect a monument, for he has laid down his life for his c

, took up the instrument, and responded to an urgent call from the House of Commons in Lon