By Royal Command.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 185, 22 July 1911, Page 3 (Supplement)

By Royal Command.

COMPLETE STORY BY

VIVIAN GREY.

I Yes, my mind was made up, I would ; '!•> it. I »:i . tired to death of waiting ion inanagoi.s a ho M-ldnm could lx* seen, and. h ii'-n I. v accident tlr-y wore on i->; t’vn-ieiit monionts, had m things as A little Liter. W.-.ii-;. p:!rg t -or (.i i hap,, -end - a lim* .ih-:ig to remind me or drop in ; —. o .'o-a’rl-'O.'’ Those were the inevit..!>!*> **>i’.*ikts that greeted ;s t .•i ry turn, w Idle the shrug of tho siurdd-TS ac»;ompn living the words '-•'.owe! only too plaiulv I was not ■ifeHol. There were other*-, many . otnets av, thousands— ready to do for >’■•• ‘ - t money «’•.;•* 1 ■■•.-. only prepari'l to d> for a livin’* wage. It ”.av lie uan.anly for me to say so. but the rnnkhng spirit of discontent only reached bo ling point—caus- ' ing me to ki>*k over theatrical traces — when one day I saw a thousand-pound - motor *nr draw up nt one of our principal Landen theatres at the hour wiit-n treasury is pa.d. ; From the richly .ipholrtored autonobile a. fair vision alighted languidly rnd < ro* cd th * inti rvening pavement. i Pots* 1 <ni top «>f her w<!l-dres>cd coif- ; fare a largo Lat costing four or five ’ guineas iinrtulatecl gently in tho breeze. : Meanwhile the hriglit sniishiii'* played ’ Hde-nnd-scek amongst handsome <linit.onrls anti pearls vain.si at something like Cd')?, half hidden by the long cloak of sal*!*: tails uhi. h clung carcsringiv over an exnui-ite n of squir- - 1 el-cotoiirol silk I wait* l Viidi i few admiring 1- a)- : <*r, for a f*-w nnnutes until th • visir.n ' re-nppe «red. ealndv letting Imr salary * dr>i> through her fingers into a Ln-go gold chaiti purse. I counted tho amount it r. as just three golden a df- : sovereigns!

■ To repeat, from flint moment mr n.tnd was marl*’ up. Undonbtcdlv. the p-.iL 'ri.-.n was ovi r. roa <L <l. 1 m -t 5..--k *.t' t cr . r>• I. to cut, a i’li'g storv sbo-t. I did. For a long tti -.- 1 had L-e ii n bu •-! with the j n>t 'on tlmt- i:;.:.-*r-i i •.ri-i.t some big c. li'b.'iiy might >->—i ! >! * p: y. Mind, in foil >;:*'i<-o to -.v i-l’. I n -.-. . * imagined for a moment, when this nc.v rul*» o-'-f-iirr --d to »••*. of t-iking any mean mis anta- o. and. I.y passing •■>•••- : self off actnntlv a* the u< ■ it .. ii*<-e ’ part I ♦ nntonufl-'ti-I h ' ]■•’- , :t>ry or other triumph*:.

No. rise idea was simply to make myself up —I am a nm-t-w of art - rn-l l» • innm * i:tlv mi-tak-'n for somebody -a Li•' sor:w!,•.!*■ . i-lse. One** this was aecoinplished. I felt confident I sh.’iiW be appioa i’ed and my sorri*---'* cnliricd.

It wi..s a mad notion-a thousand to cue chance—l.ut still a chance, and. just as a drowning man eat<-h*'s at straws. 1 caught nt this. and. *.trange **• add. snceeo led le-vond my dr> Foi Innately, mv - ifiroL-. Lit over from the last tour, gave Irt ,s ;l -•*•'- ficicney of most t’lic-.gs I -hould in my n< w put of "inn -mr:*. end .i .si--.it to a leading . <-.-t'i-: : -•• oomph'-tod tli* n-st I ua~ ..cl f< r anything. It took a ;-;ra*d de;,l <.f inward re-olu-linn to iic’-vc* ri’. - if up for the initial ord d. for I d’t- .miii.-d my iir-t character .-Liuld Le n«.n« other than iiis Moj.-.-iiy-• - I was imt the I ' .-ht height, and the fact r-f the ar ru t potentate i.- iii;; on a friendly lisit to fhi* i-nuritry v-i>m*-<| ample warranty ftri my temerity. I: was a risky nnd daring stroke. ;>ud a ;-idli<-:i to on*> against wing snc.-O'-fnl from a financial point of i J was *-gotistie.d enough to L*l..-ve il umdd m ver b? a failure itc.r, an :i*ti.-t.ie »>iir — hut *b Lts and <lifiriiltw*s make gambL-rs r-.f m--t of ns at times, mi I gamMwl on th? l-ig deal, ami. sporting parlance, "put it all o'f tn ii'in.” A"-u-tamed •-> et ing m.vs -’f '’made up” in t’m vati'iiK characters I have pbiyed. 1 vas never more astonished nt my own .'ipfetrarc? than alien J k-i"! completed myself tlwnngldy ironi lie.-i(i to f.k■>t. .md stood air.* i-i a fr.-* '-.'it *-nt before my wardrobe gins ~ th.'* hi mg duplicate of 1 not onlv look-ft - ■- to the life as 1 sto-.d there .iiiniiring the figure 1 cut. but I a** once f nt* r- A the ‘-kin of the p.irt if it a glove and felt every inch iiiotmrci' Now. it is easy enough to satisfv <-rest'lf. • 'p'eiiliv when a looking-glass i, concernisl. hut how eb rut the v.0r1.l in gen rat? Could I be quite sure m>-l-ody .-<>.:<•! fail to r***-. ■•.-ni-e ? T ! :-':e -.■*-, tli.;> t*.ri>. and as I nmvmi-lv * uti.-.i. d erv ~:i. *! • 'J'v -s prep;:ratorv t> cut for th*’ first time in try a «;«»fd of approhen- •* -hot d:":”-ri my k.-.'’!-: like a c.f if *. wi’to '.

With no ■■■••tlh-d phiti as to Lo.v I ..Lritl.l precnod. I left i:>v apartr.ii’r.ts ti’id jiiioiK-tl into a taxi, indi-t'-liii't »h<* dri-iT to I :t ‘ li, -‘ ihnvn nt the Diis..’ of Vul-.'- rn':;r-'i. A valk ni.ip't the Mail on sv.<-h a fin-' .spritm inoriiiu.' ;<•; this would s.-,r>n satisfy as to v, hat fruro I r-irt. The C~- —<--il* .-In-tv up at my J. inat-.-.'i -isiiri-'y .••li.dit.-1 n'i-t paid th- man. who to mv int.-i-a' sat-id'.r-’.inii »t i' <1 in a <’nz<*d sort of way at me. er th-liS'.-ii tr-.ii>.' tn >-nsuci:i , i:T v here ii.- had sc;-!i mv far e hr-fom.

]’r.-'trnd.'no to t.iki- no n-itir? I_ sj.,-,r-’v u'alko-l tov.ards the <t -p< leadimz to the park. I had hnn-lv moved a fow p.or.h-’fi.ro a p>4i<-.- ill'!’ '-to;- and a sr-r/eailt. uno -.■.<.•* e inversing Lv the rni-imn. odd-tdv enn-'ht siitht of mo.

a.rd as I pn---.'d th-in by. instantly li.t.-d r.niitimi-Iv. as if r"spr>etin" rny v i-li -<> • st 11 tlv in.'-'-;. 'J->■:•■■■ mt my silk Lnt « itb mv f >■■<’- fir-'or l.v v.nv of ;><-km>v. 1.-d'X'.w-'it. I onil. 1 r.l a-niit.lv iwl r o_rnt int-*d J’>o ffod’.t of -tops i.ith very mixed fvr!Hi';-’. o’.it in*'l pride as an a< tor I'i -d with th- h.i-t inx’- tv r.s to the <mt-<-mio of the "’ii •! • . eonpLvl -nith Viijrm -.vo.id*- >rc< as to }•:.« 1 s'm::bl over Lv mv Royal t : ->n. Ml ‘ i ’ ’ '-- rjdmdlv !.< •.■ «.ff a- I sn-od.-d o-t-dv tf»« a rds Bii'-k--i’ .d’ -m P-rL'-o. i nero v. i y few p ripfo ;’> •' a'ld nv spirits rose •b* n I foil-id p.iss -■ —l.v raised t l, hat, in the c -• of L.entlomen. v.y -'-.- the -iadii'-s I»,h«! most I IvterontiaHy arid vharmiiiolv.

V. till th.. »!-. t T-» . '• -‘tom V. ts - irx; sew-siisiy lavished . >tii no imsnnrt’iE hand. 'fo r v. .is not. the sli.ht.-t dmibt ts to the cormd-t- '>;<■- ess of rev di'_-i‘-... I '■■>■ "• -.’w . >- . fol, \. •v ’ " ; r ” z ’ . . '. lie sl-’l-t:v co to eo>ne smartlv “to the si. "t’- ,• ’’ 1 espial .in •-■•-ipty i-ib that, ’’■■r-r.:-'at--iy v. vs iki a’d in tn rd in t ’nrr c-s,ml : rn’. s arose. "Jl* de I rk. mbby.” I < <|l -d o’lt. and within •t few minutes I was walkiim amidst th-' cream of Leanty, rank, and fashion.

It w,*s wonderful how a monarch’s whim to take a solitary stroll in 'dm park, on a fine spring morning, wi’-’i thoroughly respected. 1 was not inoi -.-tf’d o:ice_ by a single soul r.mongst tJiat patrician crowd, many *>f * hem ii otikl doubtless have given their v*ry for a nioni<>nt’s conversation. At last, nidi my right arm fairly ■piling with tho by no moans light task of incessant hat raising. T escaper. from th,- throng awl, seizin'’’ the ■fir-t opportunity, took another' taxi Lome.

Die nox-t day I carried out the same programme with ,-ne or tv.o minor al-t”r:>t-ons but beyond the fact that I rend with iiiinh interest the fact that I‘‘ •--•* that good nature which lias ma'k* him famous, was seen walking in ITvde Park yesterday, looking oxceedimJv fit am 1 well,” nothin* happened at all. 1 My ■ chemo, from a professional point o. view, sicuirxl a dead failure, and the gloomy foreboding that the only r<*snlt wnulrl I:o a visit from the police. .>r.<'m,il tin* only possible- outcome of my .colbardv undertaking. Imagine, then, my chagrin when, ex.'wtli thre- days alter f had dared to become a monarch's double, a card V. .S brought up to my rooms, on which was la'-onical'y inscribed: CHIEF INSPECTOR SLADE. C.l I) New Scotland Yard. •‘Show the gentleman u() .” f gasped te< bly. and ini!, my heart in mv boots 1 trembling!*- awaited results. My frock-eo;; £*>*;, ilk-hatted visitor aas most formal anrl polite; Le.ore _we had talked five minutes mv previous fears had vani-lmd into t.hiii .uc. and at the expiration of a quarter of an hour I was warndv shakin" my interview r'.* hand.

My expectat-ons had snc.-.w ded far h.’.vnnd my wildest dir-anis. I v.as of-li-ially engaged to »h>y the part of s ilotthlt- on a <-,-rtain forthe.unmg occasion for the sum of CSCX).

. Till’ great. d,,y at last arrived, and >T’. t , as o clock struck I found mvw'lt in tub evening dress once more .ook.ng ev.-ry iwh the — lolling >a'’k in the private brougham that ua« hastening me t*> the Palace. Painted *nn-ls ha,l b,...., in tJ)e -i uidow panels, an( j no ,, IK , j n t j l( , Streit, we ne-.'otiated "w „cd anvo’ie was inside at all.

Gm-e within the nnvatc apartment ft- the I alace 1 was given mv final * instructions. They -.-. to verv ’simple I It was the opening night ~f Tim J Royal London’s latest playhouse, awl | *be — had gra<-;o:tsly con .-nt.--| to ■ bi* pro .-nt. For a rcasmi, that v.as i afterwards explained, the inga-t viriJ tor had dochLd not to no- I na . ‘ take hi.s place. That ua* all. f A few minute later. coiiftiM'dlv woni i? . ,vI, - v 1 o, 11!iie ’,i fOI . [ ’../’(I for so trifling an errand. ] U as t ■• eng whi’-lo*! along in his Majesty's .own beautifully u: h'.Lt -re 1 ea rriagc- ■ drawn bv a n agnifi'ent pair o f pranI '.mg bar*.

Like *■!■.- in a <lr. n? I hoard the ‘■bouts ot the p<’>pl". and watched j th. in standing in excited groups v.avI nig their hand:-; and handkerchiefs a---i t 1- Royal equipage swung through the •veil ’ighiod streets. Now al) the traffic: >vas momentarilv *inpowlcd by tl-e polio.* along the v. bole lino of ‘routo. to tho theatre - allowing us to dart •.hrongh without a moment’s let or hindrance. Shall -I over for - t the sight on arrival at Tho Royal! r he vermilion and white awning outside th* private entrance the rod earI pot |o;i:-liing to the kwh—the suund j o; lusty throats ehooriiig to th” very | echo lb.’ footman, hat in hand, th'n 1 hoarse commands <f the police to , ’■.■'and back there”- the glint of dressi =l irt fronts of those* who had oome to j rreoivr* me finally. tho triumphant I'-.’-h of the L r.* as the - - ya- ' tioi’al Antfi’,-:u swe! , ed through th--' * amktcriiim. fhero lor a iwunent I [ stood at the Roy.d box. Godfrey \Var- . Joy. nctor. the cjn.siire of all eves, rci coiving i-’ivse panegyrical adulations, until, in a 'tile ’d-'rin r on cklLuiso, 1 sank into the gilt-bnck-’d ;:rm-liair | i- hind ni*‘, awi when the curtain at i.’st went up 1 v ipod tho big beads of I [•< rspiration that had e!iist”red on my * L:ow. | Ifi'U tho evening gra'iuallv nnic on. | how. I cannot, exactly rocolh-ct. Ones j or t’.rice >hid.« came t-> me in the in- | tor’awi I uotic -d |,i, I, I ther :*n anxious expr.-■•,ioii. and at ’ti ne, J tho'i'dit t-o w-is :ibou L 1 > -y | “C’nc*;,;*ig confidential, llowov-.': - . he I d.t( not. !.-■” at the finch', as I rose to ! !o;._vo the 1:«>K, he wliFpei-.xl in my car. | •‘Now don't forget. whan vor mav liappbn tho drive bnek to the Palaeo say nothing, and. shore all, do nothing. Keep your s-'at in tho ecn- | tro of tho carriage, and lav well back : I -should anything untoward hapnon keep I perfe.- t'-till. Be very oareftil about ih’s. or iii’' cf>ii<i-([in‘iiers mav b? sori-

A tram, -iinid-t the cho.-rs of an ox-i-iiitl crowd. I took mv pl-.ee ;.!-,ne in ti.e ’s carriage- followed, as f-it-nieidy. by .-mother in whii-h the Lisp ■■■-

tor and sii’incoiio <-Lr. "'my .-.nite" — were .‘c.ite-i. All. wont well until we entered the park by St. James's Cate, whin suddenly without the slfsht.-st warning, a man leaped out from the snrronnding black no— for a s.c>.rd time I I,vh< hl a tralignant fa-e at t’’e window- somethin!’ BrigM fljek'-red mnsiionfarilv in tfo' iiiv- of the <-.;rri:. .o laini.s, I'ollo-.-,--od by tv. o lend reports, and a bullet Ist :«ed bv my rhs ok. bury iny itself in th" ellsh'-'ns ;>>|| ". > o'l V. by h,y sid“. As tl-e < nrriawe fdfol v itb c’mking fumes-. f|,e splinh-rinr’ of ula«« told in-.' the <ii'-ei-ti:m of lollet number two. lb-:: i mv iustruei ions. I sot nr.- tf' -tli firmly together a::d sat tight. It v. as veil 1 did so. for still amHior report inng out. and a third would-!-." kadi'ii missive of death tore its wav through rhe carriage, spending its-af i -ri<d l --lv amidst the trees a hnndr-.''! y i-ds b. yon-!. The life of Godfrey 'Yuriev, the ’s double, wat snv.d by the mere sna'-c of two inches!

“You see.*' said the nip 'riutoadi nt ■’ >- he I. >:::!•■ I me t’”? • i si e'.! ’ire have bo< n offi-<->a’’;i-:i> i s. ~t , j i; s mono-maniae who h;-. : ! ,i ti.-ns! life -ill more ijnm . fori night ago this ■ ii nd (’--spite all efforts, . . i. fo ... z.i. _ .mid not -!>•?• trai'-d. 1 h w-» .> iwcvcr. he wrot" an •v»l'liiia •' i 1:■ : to the authorities. liif l exa-’t cont'-nts of which I cannot divulge, but the cri't of the note wns t«> the --fleet tiiat the attempt would fo irtad-* on the neon 'ion of his Ma irsTv’s v-sit tn The Royal. The exact tii -to and spot of this contemplated crime being omitttd. we were naturally at a loss to know how to sufficiently hire the maniac on to make his wild

attempt, and by so doing, effectually cook his goose.’ “This ire have done, for he’s safely under lock and key now, thanks to you, Mr. 'Warlev. You have earned a ration’s gratitude by your marvellous ii n person at ion. ” —“M. A. P. ”