Singularly privileged in a constant, personal contact with
Fraide, he learned many valuable lessons of tact and
organization in those five vital days during which the tactics
of a whole party hung upon one item of news from a country
thousands of miles away. For should Russia subdue the
insurgent Hazaras and, laden with the honors of the
peacemaker, retire across the frontier, then the political
arena would remain undisturbed; but should the all-important
movement predicted by Lakely become an accepted fact before
Parliament rose for the Easter recess, then the first blow in
the fight that would rage during the succeeding session must
inevitably be struck. In the mean time it was Fraide's
difficult position to wait and watch and yet preserve his
dignity.
It was early in the afternoon of March 29th that Loder, in
response to a long-standing invitation, lunched quietly with
the Fraides. Being delayed by some communications from Wark,
he was a few minutes late in keeping his appointment, and on
being shown into the drawing-room found the little group of
three that was to make up the party already assembled--Fraide,
Lady Sarah--and Eve.
Pages:
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258