The Four Feathers

apeless block of buildings which frowns like a fortress above Westminster. A stranger crossing St. James's Park southwards, over the suspension bridge, at night, who chanced to lift his eyes and see

room of this flat that the simple ceremony took place. The room was furnished in a dark and restful fashion; and since the chill of the wea

sourceful face and black eyes of a remarkable activity, and Lieutenant Willoughby, an officer of quite a different stamp. A round forehead, a thick snub nose, and a pair of vacant and protruding eyes gave to him an aspect of invincible stupidity. He spoke but seldom, and never to the point, but rather to some point long forgotten which he had since been laboriously revolving in his mind; and he continually twisted a moustache, of which the ends curled up toward his eyes with a ridiculous ferocity,-a man whom one would dismiss from mind as of no consequence upon a first

er, the great danger, was swelling like a thunder-cloud. A year had passed since a young, slight, and tall Dongolawi, Mohammed Ahmed, had marched through the villages of the White Nile, preaching with the fire of a Wesley the coming of a Saviour. The passionate victims of the Turki

xt on which three of the four men talked. In a rare interval, how

, an officer of ours," he explained to Durrance, "but he was dining with a big man in the War

of the dominant subject. But it was not about the p

Dublin," he said with a shade of embarras

rom the tablecloth and loo

e asked

back engaged

ted his glas

men were securely conscious of it; they estimated it at its true, strong value; it was a helpful instrument, which would not wear out, put into their hands for a hard, lifelong use; but it was not, and never had been, spoken of between them. Both men were grateful for it, as for a rare and undeserved

lad of your good wishes. It was you who in

ed a moment of silence, during which he sat with his eyes u

level voice. "I did

say it. But Captain Trench's sharp, quick, practical voice,

any difference

ced his cigar b

ortunity to rise from the table and cross to the window, where he stood with his back to his compan

be said. On the one side, of course, there's my father, my career, su

huck your commissio

onstituted authority," said Trench, with a lau

"Dermod is old, his estates are going to ruin, and there are other things. You know, J

tch-word. "If you want any whiskey, rap twice on t

y weighing his words, and still intently looking ac

e, of her county. She has the love of it in her bones. I do not think that she could be quite happy in India, or indeed in any place whic

lare from Pall Mall striking upward to the sky, and the chains of light banked one above the other as the town rose northward, and a rumble as of a million carriages was in his ears. At his feet, very far below, lay St. James's Park, silent and black, a quiet pool of darkness in the midst of glitter and noise. Durrance had a great desir

e to him his closest attention. But it was evident that Harry Feversham was giving reasons s

versham," he said, "with

illoughby, obediently fo

and as their empty glasses rattled on th

out from the window. Feversham said, "Come in;

not so much stunned as thoughtful. And in the room there was a complete silence. Feversham's three guests averted their eyes. Durrance turned again to his window; Willoughby twisted his moustache and gazed intently upward at the cei

ak. But he thought the better of it, and so dropped again to the consideration of this message. And in a moment or two the silence was s

a man listening, and listening thoughtfully, just as he had read thoughtfully. In the years which followed, that moment was to recur again and again to the recollection of each of Harry's three guests. The lighted room, with the bright homely fire, the open window overlooking the myriad lamps of London, Harry Feversham seated

sed. He crumpled the telegram loosely in his hands, tossed it into the fire, and then, le

re took hold upon the telegram and shook it, so that it moved like a thing alive and in pain. It twisted, and part of it unrolled, and for a second lay open and smooth of creases, lit up by the flame and as yet untouched; so that two or t

He had moved back again into the room. Like his co

three weeks' time. There is to be a

aff." The talk thus came round again to the chances of peace and war, and held in that quarter till the boom of the Westminster cloc

o-morrow," said Du

l Mall, however, they parted company, Durrance mounting St. James's Street, while Trench and Willoughby crossed the road into St.

tleton's addr

Willoughby answered,

im tell Trench something and he tells Trench nothing, I am curious as a philosopher to know what that something is! Castleton is the only other officer of our regiment in London. It is likely, therefore,

little of Trench's meaning, neverthe

he hailed a passing cab. A moment later th