When It Was Dark: The Story of a Great ConspiracyThorne, Guy
General
When It Was Dark: The Story of a Great Conspiracy
Thorne, Guy
Christian fiction; Conspiracies -- Fiction; England -- Fiction
"Mr. Spence starts for Palestine to-morrow morning, Marriott," he said.
"He is going straight through to Jerusalem as fast as may be. Oblige me
by getting out a route for him at once, marking all the times for
steamers and trains, etc., in a clear scheme for Mr. Spence to take with
him. Be very careful with the Continental timetables indeed. If you can
see any delay anywhere which will be likely to occur, go down to Cook's
early in the morning and make full inquiries. If it is necessary,
arrange for any special trains that may be necessary. Mr. Spence must
not be delayed a day. Also map out various points on the journey, with
the proper times, where we can telegraph instructions to Mr. Spence. Go
down to Mr. Woolford and ask him for a hundred pounds in notes and give
them to Mr. Spence. You will arrange about the usual letter of credit
during the day and wire Mr. Spence at Paris after lunch."
The young man went out to do his part in the great organisation which
Ommaney controlled.
"Then you'll be back between three and four?" Ommaney said.
"Yes, I'll go and pack at once," Spence answered. "My passport from the
Foreign Office is all right now."
He rose to go, vigorous, and with an inexpressible sense of relief at
the active prospect before him. There would be no time for haunting
thought, for personal fears yet. He was going, himself, to the very
heart of things, to see and to gain personal knowledge of these events
which were shadowing the world.
The door opened as he rose and Folliott Farmer strode in. With him was a
tall, distinguished man of about five-and-thirty; he was in evening
dress and rather bald.
It was Lord Trelyon, the Prime Minister's private secretary.
"I thought I would come myself with Mr. Farmer, Mr. Ommaney," he said,
shaking hands cordially. "Lord ---- will see you. He tells me to say
that if it is absolutely imperative he will see you. I suppose there is
no doubt of that?"
"None whatever, I'm sorry to say, Lord Trelyon," the editor answered.
"Farmer, will you take charge till I return?"
He slipped on his overcoat and a felt hat and left the room with the
secretary without looking back. Spence followed the two down the
stairs--the tall, athletic young fellow and the slim, nervous
journalist. These were just driving furiously towards the Law Courts as
Spence turned into Fleet Street on his way to Lincoln's Inn.
Fleet Street was brilliantly lit and almost silent. A few cabs hovered
about and that was all. Presently all the air would be filled with the
dull roar and hum of the great printing machines in their underground
halls, but the press hour was hardly yet.
The porter let him into the Inn, and in a few moments he was striking
matches and lighting the gas. Mrs. Buscall had cleared away the
breakfast things, but the fire had long since gone out. The big rooms
looked very bare and solitary, unfamiliar almost, as the gas-jets hissed
in the silence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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