Show A SECRET C RE T OF O F THE TH SERVICE E p SERVI p CE By Copyright Walter 1904 by Street Str et Makee Smith 0 4 I HAWKINS had I an ambition on Now It Is not an un unusual f usua usual thing for a man to tor r have an ambition m but the ambition as in Har liar Harkins kins ns c e play be a very 4 T I for tor a man manto manto to have haveIt h ve veIt v It possessed larl long ere the doors of Ox Oxford Oxford ford had bad closed behind I 0 i him and hIs ls parchment scroll Perhaps it was X because of at its It I early ad advent advent advent vent that larkIn ac accepted acI c I it so seriously 4 N but however that may maybe maybe mayE E I be the fact remains that r he planned to l it itI I with a calmness and andI I courage at once com corn commendable cornI I and af unceasing I He had devoted himself to languages history and law and with Ith his college days behind him had entered upon a postgraduate course In journalism theatricals and telegraphy According to Harkins such studies fitted a man for fori i such an ambition Also according to So the same au authority authority authority when hen a man m had fitted himself he needed but butto butto to occupy oca py an and a d await lt the call cal of o opportunity V VIt W WIt o Harkins H Into In o oan It this belief which had finally led an t athe ithe Strand Sand A ATo To h pH tor and the gular guests of the tel Harkins was vas was a person who wh acquaintance was well worth cultivating and for that thit reason Harkins many gratuitous W 8 and a an d drank more drinks s than tha he h otherwise would His MIs was always sure to ta tobe tobe tabe be of Interest He seemed to know something of every everybody everybody everybody body and nd a a little litHe o Of everything every thing He frequently sit silt In the gallery when the fhe he Lor Lords Js were ere in III session never missed an art exhibit t attended lectures was a familiar at the playhouses and alto altogether altogether gether Sether had hd h 1 been accepted as a a for tor the thelast th last six months In Th appearance he was a taU tall dark and rather hand handsome some fellow tellow of ot splendid physique robust health and good carriage carn c ge Indeed there th r was an unmistakably mill tary air h m and ando one on ui suppose sUPpose him htman himan an officer on half pay pa were It not for his incompatible youth Harkins had just turned turn 30 and an he looked it itA ItA itA A few tew men recognized his hi card an actor V here hare and hero here recalled his hispanic name In hi minor roles upon upon the r Y hills bills of several metropolitan successes success su cess s while many of the British fourth estate held him In peculiar rever reyer reverence reverence ence nce because beC of a I series of or daring articles that he had bad written ten anonymously for the Times Th re Tho Tar a Tale of Corruption and had been sud suddenly suddenly denly concluded conc by the he authors author s banishment b I from the czars domains But Harkins had hd nearly precipitated ted an International crisis before he finally 11 laid down his ls pen and returned to England It was the money which he made maae upon this important assignment which permitted Harkins six months of idle idleness idleness Idleness ness otherwise known by men ll like e Harkins as waiting Ii for opportunity Paring miring this waiting Harkins had found lon to 10 tow cut his name with a diamOnd lid upon the window pane pano of his room Moreover considerable stationery had bad been consumed for tor a similar purpose The signature was always the t e same s me Anders Ander Harkins Ha S 3 S SOnco Once nc the chambermaid tired of cleaning up the mess messof messof of signatures from the floor had pinned one In a con conspicuous place pice above A V tie the mirror But she h had altered l It HUght Before the suffixed letters she had added a 11 Targe large A and Harkins took the hint The Incident had the salutary effect of recalling him to his proper mental condition He saw that he h had been dwelling too long lon up nitis ambition and mania was becoming serious ts ln t f s a 4 I 0 t y T Tf fL I l r rl rt l t II L t tf f l Or c 4 II 0 I 1 lUil If I Y T i f fI I 1 1 I I It 7 1 Ii IDI II ii iiI I H Hj M t l JV 1 V j i t t 11 ITy My reward will be P b your YO r jQ the c said Melvin kindly ki dIy One day toward the end ond of his capital he decided to compromise with opportunity He lie l looked ke up pp an n old family friend tri nd one Lord Lor Melvin whom w om he knew could say MY saya y ya a good word for him at the front fI 1 Its deuced hard to land that sort of thing Melvin Melvln gravely assured asur the e aspirant as became be am his hI years y ar That T ut branch is made up of picked men men who who have served their time How can a man serve his time as you call It Ive told you my experience and I rather guessed it would de dc This war In the East Hast has forced me to an issue I r know Russia quite well I speak the language And I speak sneak German and French Ive le even ve had bud a turn at telegraphy I tell you ou Lord Melvin this is a n most serious thing with me met Its the ambition of my ny life Ambitions are serious us things said s 14 Lord Lora ord Melvin M with witha a touch pf pC f Irony tron that escaped d HarkIng Do you y y thInk there ther is Js any doy choice h for me tue If It thero Ill go SQ back to tho stage or oj th TI TIBy TZ V By the way those articles r ou 11 wroth wrote w tc last winter c u 0 q may Y be favorable le J You ou sent sen ine ie copies of them thep you know They arrested a st you In n St t Petersburg P they thc Yes Yea I r recall It n quite distinctly You were very nervy and the service needs men of nerv nerve Of Ot 0 course but Lord Melvin broke off abruptly abrupt y and an ap Into thought from which he Ie emerged r 4 to t say Ill do O I can an f r you Anders I know the assistant chief quite q lt well quite well hear bear from me In Inthe inthe the course of a week w ek or so There Ther was a dismissal I In his tone ad nd after ft t thanking him h withdrew The reference to his hl Russian R lap experience I pe e recalled re al many things thing to tp Harkins mind d as s lie his iii way w through ondon j crowded crow ed streets to th o hi hotel Yelled d threats had been made against his ls life lIte before re he had finally left the country of the Bear but he be had faced face them fearlessly and since his return had almost for forgotten gotten goHen all aU about them True to t his hla word Lord Melvin MelVI called upon lim a week w ek k katar later atar late It was snowing this February 1 Y afternoon and Har Harkins kins stood at tt t his window down into the white mantled below Byan B a examination exan of his hs bank book b g he had bad made the startling discovery that by Saturday with all aU bills paid he would have ave remaining r to tp his credit just 5 That Tha was ilS why he thought pf of many morbid things thin while he be stood there here at his window but mainly of the horrible fall that confronted his pride and the death of his ambition His meditations were interrupted at this point by the unexpected call of Lord Melvin Come In Harkins called In answer answer to his knock Ah Ah there you are called MelvIn as he thrust i his hea in jn the partly open door Youve got news Harkins could see It In j his face Some drawled the other as he entered in In n his hi anxiety Harkins neglected all formalities and ands so s the the tw two men remained remained standing one talking ng as s fast falt faltas as he could the other talking as a s fast fa t as II the he frs could make him talk N When do I begin Where Do I go to the front frontI I dont know now whore where send you youIt If youre ac accepted accepted accepted Then it is Ia not decided Not yet but you are to report to Mr Dever Diever at midnight tonight Rather ather unusual hour but ut hes e head e d dover over heels in work and I suppose that will wUl be his only chance to attend YO And theres nothing definite As much as there could be They f Y would W l hardly accept a man for the service upon up n my ray mere BaYBO T eyll want to see ee you and 14 ask lIE a few questions que I 5 presume Where will I find him Ho He has a temporary office in the Way W V t Department And and they really reany want wan more more men menSo menSo So he e told me rne Good B they want experience e l men eh Oh Of However I plugged hard r him your record and all that thaL Yes EYes yes But ne merely shook his head p Negatively Si Yes yS Then I made a l to t him Offered Orr T 1 to buy the berth wr l x Jie HJ listen listene 1 g iY y l lup up by requesting to see you yU ou favorable Well Veil I 1 felt so sure ure of you ou that I ventured to buy you something useful Melvin paused to take tak t k from roo his hs pocket two revolvers pf ot a th caliber I t the ti j ate te and ai aji the Initials l of the tho giver ger were engraved ir V VI I dont know how to 10 thank you Lord LOrd Melvin for all aU your kindness ana these Youve overwhelmed mev me found voice to say ay My reward will be your admission to the service said 1 Ill l leave you to t Q thi think k It over over p Anders And is lie prompt in keeping the appointment t and not a word to lo a soul You understand A lump of t gratitude came cam up lii In Harkins flarkins throat and sent him into 11 a fit of ot coughing co from which he recovered recovered ered cred to find his benefactor gone It had come at last After nfl all a the years of worry and nd waiting t arid and nd toll toU He lie was tempted t to raise the window and shout the good news ys to the world but he choked his wild spirit into silent submission just as ar some someI h I one on rapped upon his door He lie gathered tog ther ll of his hl dignity before condescending to open it But Bu It Jt was only a messenger boy bo with Ith a 11 note Harkins signed for tor it with a flourish and tore the envelope open Walt Wait he said there may roa be an answer but to his surprise the boy had gone one Dismissing the incident from his hi mind he turned tp t the note pote It was from Frank ffrank Sydney Sydn Y editor of the Times and am ran as 3 follows s sP Iari P Vt Anders n e at at St S tP Petersburg rl VIr djs jI I against whom you were Tso so bitter Ip In your our articles ar cles last ast st winter whIter wl Is said to be back backs s k N of it From what w t I TI can n understand they have ae marked you you for a quick voyage to Paradise Par adise This may sound rather r ther dramatic but I give ft It to you for tor whatever you may m y deem Jt H J Q b I i BT Harking Harkins reread the he rote note several times Scratched his head ea diligently and then burst Into a laugh lau Sydney was mistaken ri It was by l no means m qs dramatic but far would not dare cI e harm one on of o his y sub subjects subjects Sydney had wasted a five fly minutes in typewriting the warning Harkins put the note DOte no away and began packing his two trunks t so o sure lure did he be e feel eel that opportunity hid had at last apt made Its visit Ills His new ney W would Y ld force or e him t q abandon b his ls present pres nt quarters and nd his togs tos s and md trinkets would be stored lW When at last Ia he had hd completed pl t I his ls it was W 3 6 and d he want w down tp Q dinner fY i note noe had ad come corri between him and aud his runk trunk several ev eva raJ times 5 in J the interim After ordering his meal m J jie PE e tried to rea read zead t the he evening paper pa cJ It H was w wa filled Wt war W r pew news and In n ii turn P the he heW war W wax news seemed s m d filled filed with h warnings to tg Anders A inde d r Harkins He assured himself h lt at Russia a was vs Vii much h too Q busy with the th mikado to bother about a small man Englishman who had told the bitter truth uth of their political rottenness But Bu Bt his fancy tancy persisted 4 until it had ha peopled the t e dining room Muscovites As A s he turned t to his li evening paper after aner satisfying himself that Q t he lie b was ws safe for tor the present pr a visitor en entered terell the Ue and rat Eat at down t the t opposite side sid of f Harkins table When Harkins again lifted his eyes he looked into the face fac acA of a Russian who he was Intuitively certain ce n had been closely scrutinizing him For a moment he was dumfounded d but the th nonchalance flon of the th newcomer l Wc mer disarmed d him of ot suspicion Why should riot pot a Russian eat cat at a dinner J n r In lq II the he Strand Hotel JIp e Ills His fears fers te r were Were not only groundless but ut preposterous sl He gathered sufficient courage at length to address ls the stranger in his hs s native tongue He Ie learned le lea ed that t at he had fled fi d from Russia Ru sla in tn order to tp avoid avol conscription n he h heven even expressed 4 a hope that th t the Japs J ps would o d win w tie the le and nl explained e that th Jt meant m fr freedom the Russian millions m lOW now in the h slavery pf p taxation ta atlon Indeed the conversation became so engrossing that Harkins H entirely forgot note no e and might never pave have received it so far as his lf memory plop seemed con conr conc on c It was w not hot until pat he hat half haf finished his dipper dinner that t at his hi l Interest ret in ln n the th personality t of o c his strange stran e neighbor r was awakened aw ned nedAn An awkward pause had fallen tallen upon uP n their fir talk and lJ r ps taking advantage of o the Russians apparent attention to his food examined eo his features closely They were unmistakably J y Russian lI p The fh forehead for d the nose nope the eyes the t e a t the but t ff paused abruptly Jy and let l t his hilj hi fork for 9 fall u Il upon 1 p bis 1 plate The T beard beard was w s false sc Harkins knew the use u e crepe repe arid and tJ f too well to b be deceived He his appetite and except for the merest bite of o this tiia pr that iha to o hide i e his ii troubled attitude hla i dinner went untested When W ep he felt eIt that he h could cout leave eave the th table t without wl Cu arousing suspicion h b did so He Be e tried walk w n p o out of f o othe the dl lpg V om slowly and but against his will wUl he h almost ran to tP the door thence to t the stairway thence t nc but ut the stranger confronted him at the t e foot toot Of the stai s1 having made Dade a hasty J circuitous it u passage PIl age with the th evident t purpose se of pf heading him off p 0 He carried l p nakIn i in one land while w H the l other r Ielda h 1 a 8 a pot note tp 3 d HarkIns You drop this he h asks ask J in h I English I think not Harkins Answered D shrinking perceptibly Your Yo r name nama is s Harkins Harkins was tempted for tor the moment to down disown him himself hm himself self but his hl tongue dropped pid an rm tJ before he M Mould could stop top it L a 8 aThe The envelop en V sippe It Is Js to you So It Is Oh yes yes Thanks Hatkins replied d nervously as he accepted the note and started up the stairway i Upon U non the third step he be paused d and M watched w hed the he Rus Russian RusIan Russian sian Ian until he was w s certain that t a he had adre returned to the t e to t finish his dinner and then tb n hg he hI continued up to o his room He entered n quickly closed and locked h the door and lighted the gas gasH He H glanced at the note in his hand which he had taken from the broken envelope Why of course it was his How stupid and needlessly needle sly frightened frighten d he be had been b en enIt It was ws Wll the t e note he had received from Sydney Sydn yand and yet he be e could c uld have sworn that he packed Pack d note In the top op tray of hi h trunk and that t t Jt tt t was W wa now under lock lck and key k y But ut this was it beyond doubt L It was the he same note not verbatim typewritten hp te as was wai custom even to the th he signature He opened his trunk trun and there in the top tray just where he thought he had placed it was note A |