The Judgment House

end of the front row of stalls the first night of "Manassa" rose to his feet. It was Adrian Fellowes, slim, well groom

elfish man I've ever known," Jas

or she pretended not to do so, and the words were sai

child, and he has always had the best of everything and given nothing for it." Turning aga

n," Fellowes replied, and, shaking hands with Byng, who gave hi

n," Jasmine said,

y or more!" remarke

woman's! But selfish, as I said, and useful, too, is Adrian. Yes, he really is very useful. He would be a private secretary beyond price to any one who needed such an article. He has tac

their man was not particular, and that he would not "try on." The result was a looseness and carelessness of good things-giving him, in a way, the look of shambling power. Yet in spite of the tie a little

r an equerry, or a lord-chamberlain, I'll remember 'Adrian.' In these days one ca

n me a little, and I like to hear you touch things off with raillery. But, seriously, if you can ever put anything in that

good fortune, daring and wealth to speculate. But I will remember him, if you say so. I don't like to think t

ed: "Fellowes will want to get married some day. That face and m

"Oh dear, no, Adrian is

one of the elements of successfu

t angrily self-conscious; but she instantly put the reflection away, for if ever any man travelled by the str

the safer we are. Now, please, tell me everything-of the inside, I mean-about Cecil Rhodes and the Raiders. Is Rhodes overwhelmed? And Mr. Chamberlain-you have seen him?

r a man is the greater the crash when

d collapsed. Even the bad great man gone leaves a sense of desolation behind. Power-power, that is the thing of all," she said, her eyes shining and her small fing

a child had, too, a decision and a firmness in keeping with the perfectly modelled head and the courageous poise of the body. There was something regnant in her, while, too, there was something sumptuous and sensuous and physically thrilling to the senses. To

heard that sound? In the clear height of that plateau the air reverberates greatly; and there's nothing on earth which so much gives a sense of power-power that crushes-as the stamps of a great mine pounding away night and day. There they go, thundering on, till it seems to you that some unearthly power is hammering the world into shape. You get up and go to the window and look out into the night. There's the d

ly. "When the stamps pound no more, and the power is

d the red flare were to die, it would be frightening in more ways than one. But I see what you mean. There might be a sense of peace, but the

l, if the stamps on t

don't want to think of it. As you say, there'd be a ghastly sen

esh, said: "Well, this Jameson Raid, if it is proved that Cecil Rhodes is m

o say at this distance. One must be on the spot

on, but hesitated. At last she ventured, and

, to prevent the worst. The papers say you have a political mind-the statesman's intelligence,

then he answered: "Fleming is going to South Africa, not myself. I stay here to do W

of her skin gave a delicate beauty to the faint rose of her cheeks-that rose-

sary, when would you

ing goes to-mo

e for a special Providence," she murmured, and the c

ttack; but here was a girl who, with her friendly little fortune and her beauty, could marry with no difficulty; who, he had heard, could pick and choose, and had so far rejected all comers; and who, if she had shown preference at all, had shown it for a poor man like Ian Stafford. She had courage and simplicity and a downright mind; that was clear. And she was capable. She had a love for big things, for the things that mattered. Every word she had ever said to him had understanding, not of th

moment before? Was it possible that she was really interested in him, perhaps because he was different from the average Englishman and not of a general pattern? She was a woman of brains, of great individuality, and his own individuality might influence her. It was too good to be true; but there had ever been something of the gambler in him,

frica would you have remembered my name for a

red, gaily. "Dear sir, I am called Hold-Fast. My f

me among yo

ious of me, won't you? I never did you any harm,

urage when I ask you to let me inside your 'tiny' circle.

sensationally important. Why, I am only a pebble on a shore like you

earnestness, "I am prouder than I can say that you will let me be a friend of yours! I li

once. He was a big man, big as can be

ed. "If I had lived in Pizarro's time, I'd hav

be a friend of mine, there are those who will think that in one way you ha

ings like that," she murmur

and her eyes brimmed wit

her hands in his and his

ed a repulse which could never be overcome. "Will you, and all of y

give her that; but power was the craving of an ambitious soul. There were other things. There was the desire of the heart, the longing which cam

She was conscious that the servant

is waiting," th

e. She read the page with a strange, tense look, closing her eyes at

er to wait. I wil

t week," she added, turning to Byng again. "But won't

don put in. I shall be as near the centre as though I lived

ul to have power to do things like t

rrow m

now, and she tried to restore him. "Please, will you telephone me when you arrive at

wish it. I shall arrive at ten to-morrow

room then. I've got a telephone instrume

hand in good-bye. When he had gone, with a new, great hope in his heart, she

d St. Petersburg. I think I've got my chance at last. I w

signe

; "and Fate is not kind to you, Ian," she ad

io destino!" But who was her desti

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