edless and irritating, for generally I
manage to get the news I am in quest of; but in several instances, owing
to his opposition, I have not only not got the news, but other papers
have. Now, since the general raking we have had over this Austrian
business, quite aside from the fact that we published the exact truth,
this stupid old official duffer has taken it upon himself to be
exceedingly sneering and obnoxious to me, and I confess I want to take
him down a peg. He hasn't any idea that I know as much about this
business as I do--in fact, he thinks it is an absolute secret; yet, if
I liked, I could to-morrow nullify all the arrangements by simply
publishing what is already in my possession, which action on my part
would create a _furore_ in this country, and no less of a _furore_ in
Russia. For the sake of amity between nations, which I am accused of
disregarding, I hold my hand.

"Now, if you get possession of that communication, I want you to
telegraph to me while you are _en route_ for London, and I will meet you
at the terminus; then I shall take the document direct to this official,
even before the regular messenger has time to reach him. I shall say to
the official, 'There is the message from the high personage in Russia to
the high personage in England. If you want the document, I will give
it to you, but it must be understood that you are to be a little less
friendly to certain other newspapers, and a little more friendly to
mine, in future.'"

"And suppose he refuses your terms?"

"He won't refuse them; but if he does I shall hand him the envelope just
the same."

"Well, honestly, Mr. Hardwick, I don't think your scheme worth the
amount of money it will cost, and, besides, the chance of my getting
hold of the packet, which will doubtless be locked safely within a
despatch box, and constantly under the eye of the messenger, is most
remote."

"I am more than willing to risk all that if you will undertake the
journey. You speak lightly of my scheme, but that is merely because you
do not understand the situation. Everything you have heretofore done has
been of temporary advantage to the paper; but if you carry this off, I
expect the benefit to the _Bugle_ will be lasting. It will give me a
standing with certain officials that I have never before succeeded in
getting. In the first place, it will make them afraid of me, and that of
itself is a powerful lever when we are trying to get information which
they