FranciscoAssociated Press newsit concerns you； that is； not
really concerns you； but I thought； we thought〃…as though
signalling for help； the admiral glanced unhappily at his aide…
〃we thought you'd like to know。 Of course； to us；〃 he added
hastily； 〃it's quite superfluousquite superfluous； but〃
The aide coughed apologetically。 〃You might read； sir；〃 he
suggested。
〃What？ Exactly！ Quite so！〃 cried the admiral。
In the fading light he held close to his eyes a piece of paper。
〃San Francisco； April 20；〃 he read。 〃Rueff； first sergeant； shot
himself here to…day； leaving written confession theft of regimental
funds for which Swanson； captain； lately court…martialled。 Money
found intact in Rueff's mattress。 Innocence of Swanson never
questioned； but dissatisfied with findings of court…martial has
left army。 Brother officers making every effort to find him and
persuade return。〃
The admiral sighed happily。 〃And my wife；〃 he added； with an
impressiveness that was intended to show he had at last arrived
at the important part of his message； 〃says you are to stay to
dinner。〃
Abruptly； rudely； Swanson swung upon his heel and turned his face
from the admiral。 His head was thrown back； his arms held rigid
at his sides。 In slow； deep breaths； like one who had been dragged
from drowning； he drank in the salt； chill air。 After one glance the
four men also turned； and in the falling darkness stood staring at
nothing； and no one spoke。
The aide was the first to break the silence。 In a polite tone； as
though he were continuing a conversation which had not been
interrupted； he addressed the admiral。 〃Of course； Rueff's written
confession was not needed；〃 he said。
〃His shooting himself proved that he was guilty。〃
Swanson started as though across his naked shoulders the aide had
drawn a whip。
In penitence and gratitude he raised his eyes to the stars。 High
above his head the strands of the wireless； swinging from the
towering masts like the strings of a giant Aeolian harp； were
swept by the wind from the ocean。 To Swanson the sighing and
whispering wires sang in praise and thanksgiving。
THE GOD OF COINCIDENCE
The God of Coincidence is fortunate in possessing innumerable
press agents。 They have made the length of his arm a proverb。 How
at exactly the right moment he extends it across continents and
drags two and two together； thus causing four to result where but
for him sixes and sevens would have obtained； they have made
known to the readers of all of our best magazines。 For instance；
Holworthy is leaving for the Congo to find a cure for the sleeping
sickness； and for himself any sickness from which one is warranted
never to wake up。 This is his condition because the beautiful
million…heiress who is wintering at the Alexander Young Hotel
in Honolulu has refused to answer his letters； cables； and appeals。
He is leaning upon the rail taking his last neck…breaking look at
the Woolworth Building。 The going…ashore bugle has sounded；
pocket…handkerchiefs are waving； and Joe Hutton； the last visitor
to leave the ship； is at the gangway。
〃Good…by； Holworthy！〃 he calls。 〃Where do you keep yourself？
Haven't seen you at the club in a year！〃
〃Haven't been there in a yearnor mean to！〃 is the ungracious
reply of our hero。
〃Then； for Heaven's sake；〃 exclaims Hutton； 〃send some one to
take your mail out of the H box！ Every time I look for letters
I wade through yours。〃
〃Tear them up！〃 calls Holworthy。 〃They're bills。〃
Hutton now is half…way down the gangplank。
〃Then your creditors；〃 he shouts back； 〃must all live at the
Alexander Young Hotel in Honolulu！〃
That night an express train shrieking through the darkness
carried with it toward San Francisco
In this how evident is the fine Italian hand of the God of
Coincidence！
Had Hutton's name begun with an M； had the H in Hutton been
silent； had he not carried to the Mauretania a steamer basket for
his rich aunt； had he not resented the fact that since Holworthy's
election to the Van Sturtevant Club he had ceased to visit the
Grill Cluba cure for sleeping sickness might have been discovered；
but two loving hearts never would have been reunited and that story
would not have been written。
Or； Mrs。 Montclair； with a suit…case； is leaving her home forever
to join handsome Harry Bellairs； who is at the corner with a
racing…car and all the money of the bank of which he has been
cashier。 As the guilty woman places the farewell letter against
the pin…cushion where her husband will be sure to find it； her
infant son turns in his sleep and jabs himself with a pin。 His
howl of anguish resembles that of a puppy on a moonlight night。
The mother recognizes her master's voice。 She believes her child
dying； flies to the bedside； tears up the letter； unpacks the suit…case。
The next morning at breakfast her husband； reading the newspaper；
exclaims aloud：
〃Harry Bellairs；〃 he cries； 〃has skipped with the bank's money！ I
always told you he was not a man you ought to know。〃
〃His manner to me；〃 she says severely； 〃always was that of a
perfect gentleman。〃
Again coincidence gets the credit。 Had not the child tossedhad
not at the critical moment the safety pin proved untrue to the man
who invented itthat happy family reunion would have been
impossible。
Or； it might be told this way：
Old Man McCurdy； the Pig…Iron King； forbids his daughter Gwendolyn
even to think of marrying poor but honest Beef Walters； the baseball
pitcher； and denies him his house。 The lovers plan an elopement。
At midnight Beef is to stand at the tradesman's entrance and whistle
〃Waiting at the Church〃； and down the silent stairs Gwendolyn is to
steal into his arms。 At the very same hour the butler has planned with
the policeman on fixed post to steal Mother McCurdy's diamonds
and pass them to a brother of the policeman； who is to wait at the
tradesman's entrance and whistle 〃Waiting for the Robert E。 Lee。〃
This sounds improbableespecially that the policeman would
allow even his brother to get the diamonds before he did； but；
with the God of Coincidence on the job； you shall see that it
will all come out right。 Beef is first at the door。 He whistles。
The butleran English butlerwith no ear for music； shoves into
his hands tiaras and sunbursts。 Honest Beef hands over the butler
to the policeman and the tiaras to Mother McCurdy。
〃How can I reward you？〃 exclaims the grateful woman。
〃Your daughter's hand！〃
Again the God of Coincidence scores and Beef Walters is credited
with an assist。 And for preventing the robbery McCurdy has the
peg…post cop made a captain； thus enabling him to wear diamonds
of his own and raising him above the need of taking them from
others。
These examples of what the god can do are mere fiction； the story
that comes now really happened。 It also is a story of coincidence。
It shows how this time the long arm was stretched out to make two
young people happy； it again illustrates that； in the instruments he
chooses； the God of Coincidence works in a mysterious way his
wonders to perform。 This time the tool he used was a hat of green felt。
The story really should be called 〃The Man in the Green Hat。〃
At St。 James's Palace the plenipotentiaries of the Allies and of Turkey
were trying to bring peace to Europe； in Russell Square； Bloomsbury；
Sam Lowell was trying to arrange a peace with Mrs。 Wroxton； his
landlady。 The ultimatum of the Allies was： 〃Adrianople or fight！〃
The last words of Mrs。 Wroxton were： 〃Five pounds or move out！〃
Sam did not have five pounds。 He was a stranger in London； he had
lost his position in New York and that very morning had refused to
marry the girl he lovedPolly Seward； the young woman the Sunday
papers called 〃The Richest Girl in America。〃
For any manfor one daythat would seem to be trouble enough； but
to the Sultan of Turkey that day brought troubles far more serious。
And； as his losses were Sam's gain； we must follow the troubles of
the Sultan。 Until； with the aid of a green felt hat； the God of
Coincidence turns the misfortunes of the Sultan into a fortune
for Sam； Sam must wait。
From the first days of the peace conference it was evident there
was a leak。 The negotiations had been opened under a most solemn
oath of secrecy。 As to the progress of the conference； only such
information or misinformationif the diplomats considered it better…
as was mutually agreed upon by the plenipotentiaries was given to
a waiting world。 But each morning； in addition to the official report
of the proceedings of the day previous； one newspaper； the Times；
published an account which differed from that in every other paper；
and which undoubtedly came from the inside。 In details it was far
more generous than the official report； it gave names； speeches；
arguments； it described the wordy battles of the diplomats； the
concessions； bluffs； bargains。
After three days the matter became public scandal。 At first； the
plenipotentiaries declared the events described in the Times were
invented each evening in the office of the Times； but the proceedings
of the day following showed the public this w