It was on this day, at the reassembling of Parliament, that Fraide’s great blow was to be struck.  In the ten days since the affair of the caravans had been reported from Persia public feeling had run high, and it was upon the pivot of this incident that Loder’s attack was to turn; for, as Lakely was fond of remarking, “In the scales of public opinion, one dead Englishman has more weight than the whole Eastern Question!” It had been arranged that, following the customary procedure, Loder was to rise after questions at the morning sitting and ask leave to move the adjournment of the House on a definite matter of urgent public importance; upon which—­leave having been granted by the rising of forty members in his support —­the way was to lie open for his definite attack at the evening sitting.  And it was with a mind attuned to this plan of action that he retired to the study immediately he had breakfasted, and settled to a final revision of his speech before an early party conference should compel him to leave the house.  But here again circumstances were destined to change his programme.  Scarcely had he sorted his notes and drawn his chair to Chilcote’s desk than Renwick entered the room with the same air of important haste that he had shown on a previous occasion.

“A letter from Mr. Fraide, sir.  But there’s no answer,” he said, with unusual brevity.

Loder waited till he had left the room, then he tore the letter open.  He read: 

“My dear Chilcote,—­Lakely is the recipient of special and very vital news from Meshed—­unofficial, but none the less alarming.  Acts of Russian aggression towards British traders are reported to be rapidly increasing, and it is stated that the authority of the Consulate is treated with contempt.  Pending a possible confirmation of this, I would suggest that you keep an open mind on the subject of to-night’s speech.  By adopting an anticipatory—­even an unprepared—­attitude you may find your hand materially strengthened.  I shall put my opinions before you more explicitly when we meet.

“Yours faithfully,
Herbert Fraide.”

The letter, worded with Fraide’s usual restraint, made a strong impression on its recipient.  The thought that his speech might not only express opinions already tacitly held, but voice a situation of intense and national importance, struck him with full force.  For many minutes after he had grasped the meaning of Fraide’s message he sat neglectful of his notes, his elbows resting on the desk, his face between his hands, stirred by the suggestion that here might lie a greater opportunity than any he had anticipated.

Still moved by this new suggestion, he attended the party conclave that Fraide had convened, and afterwards lunched with and accompanied his leader to the House.  They spoke very little as they drove to Westminster, for each was engrossed by his own thoughts.  Only once did Fraide allude to the incident that was paramount in both their minds.  Then, turning to Loder with a smile of encouragement, he had laid his fingers for an instant on his arm.