Once Upon A Time

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Once Upon A Time

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Once Upon A Time, by Richard Harding Davis This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Once Upon A Time
Author: Richard Harding Davis
Release Date: October 19, 2005 [EBook #16908]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: "Then, how did you suppose your sister was going to read it?"]

ONCE UPON A TIME
BY
RICHARD HARDING DAVIS

ILLUSTRATED

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK 1912
Copyright, 1910, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

TO
GOUVERNEUR MORRIS

CONTENTS
A Question of Latitude 1
The Spy 37
The Messengers 73
A Wasted Day 97
A Charmed Life 125
The Amateur 151
The Make-Believe Man 193
Peace Manoeuvres 247

ILLUSTRATIONS
"Then, how did you suppose your sister was going to read it?" Frontispiece FACING PAGE
Schnitzel was smiling to himself 52
"Schnitzel, you certainly are a magnificent liar" 58
"I think," said Ainsley, "they have lost their way" 90
"Was it you," demanded young Andrews, in a puzzled tone, "or your brother who tried to knife me?" 108
Mr. Thorndike stood irresolute, and then sank back into his chair 116
"Do I look as easy as that, or are you just naturally foolish?" 182
She was easily the prettiest and most striking-looking woman in the room 188

A QUESTION OF LATITUDE
Of the school of earnest young writers at whom the word muckraker had been thrown in opprobrium, and by whom it had been caught up as a title of honor, Everett was among the younger and less conspicuous. But, if in his skirmishes with graft and corruption he had failed to correct the evils he attacked, from the contests he himself had always emerged with credit. His sincerity and his methods were above suspicion. No one had caught him in misstatement, or exaggeration. Even those whom he attacked, admitted he fought fair. For these reasons, the editors of magazines, with the fear of libel before their eyes, regarded him as a "safe" man, the public, feeling that the evils he exposed were due to its own indifference, with uncomfortable approval, and those he attacked, with impotent anger. Their anger was impotent because, in the case of Everett, the weapons used by their class in "striking back" were denied them. They could not say that for money he sold sensations, because it was known that a proud and wealthy parent supplied him with all the money he wanted. Nor in his private life could they find anything to offset his attacks upon the misconduct of others. Men had been sent to spy upon him, and women to lay traps. But the men reported that his evenings were spent at his club, and, from the women, those who sent them learned only that Everett "treats a lady just as though she is a lady."
Accordingly, when, with much trumpeting, he departed to investigate conditions in the Congo, there were some who rejoiced.
The standard of life to which Everett was accustomed was high. In his home in Boston it had been set for him by a father and mother who, though critics rather than workers in the world, had taught him to despise what was mean and ungenerous, to write the truth and abhor a compromise. At Harvard he had interested himself in municipal reform, and when later he moved to New York, he transferred his interest to the problems of that city. His attack upon Tammany Hall did not utterly destroy that organization, but at once brought him to the notice of the editors. By them he was invited to tilt his lance at evils in other parts of the United States, at "systems," trusts, convict camps, municipal misrule. His work had met with a measure of success that seemed to justify _Lowell's Weekly_ in sending him further afield; and he now was on his way to tell the truth about the Congo. Personally, Everett was a healthy, clean-minded enthusiast. He possessed all of the advantages of youth, and all of its intolerance. He was supposed to be engaged to Florence Carey, but he was not. There was, however, between them an "understanding," which understanding, as Everett understood it, meant that until she was ready to say, "I am ready," he was to think of her, dream of her, write love-letters to her, and keep himself only for her. He loved her very dearly, and, having no choice, was content to wait. His content was fortunate, as Miss Carey seemed inclined to keep him waiting indefinitely.
Except in Europe, Everett had never travelled outside the limits of his own country. But the new land toward which he was advancing held no terrors. As he