higher。 〃Mr。 Fentolin； if the truth must be told； I have heard of
you before and been warned against you。 I decline to accept any
longer the hospitality of your roof。 I insist upon leaving it。
If you will not provide me with any means of doing so； I will walk。〃
He made a motion as though to rise from the bed。 Meekins' hand very
gently closed upon his arm。 One could judge that the grip was like
a grip of iron。
〃Dear me；〃 Mr。 Fentolin said； 〃this is really very unreasonable of
you！ If you have heard of me； Mr。 Dunster； you ought to understand
that notwithstanding my unfortunate physical trouble； I am a person
of consequence and position in this county。 I am a magistrate；
ex…high sheriff； and a great land…owner here。 I think I may say
without boasting that I represent one of the most ancient families
in this country。 Why； therefore； should you treat me as though it
were to my interest to inveigle you under my roof and keep you there
for some guilty purpose？ Cannot you understand that it is for your
own good I hesitate to part with you？〃
〃I understand nothing of the sort；〃 Mr。 Dunster exclaimed angrily。
〃Let us bring this nonsense to an end。 I want my clothes； and if
you won't lend me a car or a trap； I'll walk to the nearest railway
station。〃
Mr。 Fentolin shook his head。
〃I am quite sure；〃 he said； 〃that you are not in a position to
travel。 Even in the dining…room just now I heard a disturbance for
which I was told that you were responsible。〃
〃I simply insisted upon having my clothes；〃 Mr。 Dunster explained。
〃Your servant refused to fetch them。 rerhaps I lost my temper。
If so； I am sorry。 I am not used to being thwarted。〃
〃A few days' rest …〃 Mr。 Fentolin began。
〃A few days' rest be hanged！〃 Mr。 Dunster interrupted fiercely。
〃Listen； Mr。 Fentolin；〃 he added； with the air of one making a last
effort to preserve his temper； 〃the mission with which I am charged
is one of greater importance than you can imagine。 So much depends
upon it that my own life； if that is in danger； would be a mere
trifle in comparison with the issues involved。 If I am not allowed
to continue upon my journey at once； the consequences may be more
serious than I can tell you； to you and yours； to your own country。
There！ … I am telling you a great deal； but I want you to understand
that I am in earnest。 I have a mission which I must perform； and
which I must perform quickly。〃
〃You are very mysterious；〃 Mr。 Fentolin murinured。
〃I will leave nothing to chance；〃 Mr。 Dunster continued。 〃Send
this man who seems to have constituted himself my jailer out of
earshot； and I will tell you even more。〃
Mr。 Fentolin turned to Meekins。
〃You can leave the room for a moment；〃 he ordered。 〃Wait upon the
threshold。〃
Meekins very unwillingly turned to obey。
〃You will excuse me； sir；〃 he objected doubtfully； 〃but I am not at
all sure that he is safe。〃
Mr。 Fentolin smiled faintly。
〃You need have no fear； Meekins；〃 he declared。 〃I am quite sure
that you are mistaken。 I think that Mr。 Dunster is incapable of
any act of violence towards a person in my unfortunate position。
I am willing to trust myself with him … perfectly willing； Meekins。〃
Meekins； with ponderous footsteps； left the room and closed the door
behind him。 Mr。 Fentolin leaned a little forward in his chair。 It
seemed as though he were on springs。 The fingers of his right hand
had disappeared in the pocket of his black velvet dinner…coat。 He
was certainly prepared for all emergencies。
〃Now； Mr。 Dunster；〃 he said softly； 〃you can speak to me without
reserve。〃
Mr。 Dunster dropped his voice。 His tone became one of fierce
eagerness。
〃Look here；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I don't think you ought to force me to
give myself away like this； but； after all； you are an Englishman；
with a stake in your country； and I presume you don't want her to
take a back seat for the next few generations。 Listen here。 It's
to save your country that I want to get to The Hague without a
second's delay。 I tell you that if I don't get there； if the message
I convey doesn't reach its destination； you may find an agreement
signed between certain Powers which will mean the greatest diplomatic
humiliation which Great Britain has ever known。 Aye； and more than
that！〃 Mr。 Dunster continued。 〃It may be that the bogey you've been
setting before yourself for all these years may trot out into life；
and you may find St。 David's Hall a barrack for German soldiers
before many months have passed。〃
Mr。 Fentolin shook his head in gentle disbelief。
〃You are speaking to one；〃 he declared； 〃who knows more of the
political situation than you imagine。 In my younger days I was in
the Foreign Office。 Since my unfortunate accident I have preserved
the keenest interest in politics。 I tell you frankly that I do not
believe you。 As the Powers are grouped at present； I do not believe
in the possibility of a successful invasion of this country。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 Mr。 Dunster replied eagerly； 〃but the grouping of
the Powers as it has existed during the last few years is on the
eve of a great change。 I cannot take you wholly into my confidence。
I can only give you my word of honour as a friend to your country
that the message I carry is her only salvation。 Having told you as
much as that； I do not think I am asking too much if I ask you for
my clothes and dressing…case； and for the fastest motor…car you can
furnish me with。 I guess I can get from here to Yarmouth； and from
there I can charter something which will take me to the other side。〃
Mr。 Fentolin raised the little gold whistle to his lips and blew it
very softly。 Meekins at once entered； closing the door behind him。
He moved silently to the side of the man who bad risen now from the
bed； and who was standing with his hand grasping the post and his
eyes fixed upon Mr。 Fentolin； as though awaiting his answer。
〃Our conversation；〃 the latter said calmly； 〃has reached a point；
Mr。 Dunster； at which I think we may leave it for the moment。 You
have told me some very surprising things。 I perceive that you are
a more interesting visitor even than I had thought。〃
He raised his left hand； and Meekins； who seemed to have been
waiting for some signal of the sort； suddenly； with a movement of
his knee and right arm； flung Dunster hack upon the bed。 The man
opened his mouth to shout； but already； with lightning…like
dexterity； his assailant had inserted a gag between his teeth。
Treating his struggles as the struggles of a baby； Meekins next
proceeded to secure his wrists with handcuffs。 He then held his
feet together while he quietly wound a coil of cord around them。
Mr。 Fentolin watched the proceedings from his chair with an air of
pleased and critical interest。
〃Very well done； Meekins … very neatly done； indeed！〃 he exclaimed。
〃As I was saying； Mr。 Dunster；〃 he continued； turning his chair；
〃our conversation has reached a point at which I think we may
safely leave it for a time。 We will discuss these matters again。
Your pretext of a political mission is； of course； an absurd one；
but fortunately you have fallen into good hands。 Take good care of
Mr。 Dunster； Meekins。 I can see that he is a very important
personage。 We must be careful not to lose sight of him。〃
Mr。 Fentolin steered his chair to the door； opened it； and passed
out。 On the landing he blew his whistle； the lift almost immediately
ascended。 A moment or two later he glided into the dining…room。 The
three men were still seated around the table。 A decanter of wine；
almost empty； was before Doctor Sarson； whose pallid cheeks； however；
were as yet unflushed。
〃At last； my dear guest；〃 Mr。 Fentolin exclaimed； turning to Hamel；
〃I am able to return to you。 If you will drink no more wine； let
us have our coffee in the library； you and I。 I want to talk to
you about the Tower。〃
CHAPTER XV
Mr。 Fentolin led the way to a delightful little corner of his
library； where before the open grate； recently piled with hissing
logs； an easy chair had been drawn。 He wheeled himself up to the
other side of the hearthrug and leaned back with a little air of
exhaustion。 The butler； who seemed to have appeared unsummoned
from somewhere among the shadows； served coffee and poured some
old brandy into large and wonderfully thin glasses。
〃Why my house should be turned into an asylum to gratify the
hospitable instincts of my young nephew； I cannot imagine；〃 Mr。
Fentolin grumbled。 〃A most extraordinary person； our visitor；
I can assure you。 Quite violent； too； he was at first。〃
〃Have you had any outside advice about his condition？〃 Hamel
inquired。
Mr。 Fentolin glanced across those few feet of space and looked at
Hamel with swift suspicion。
〃Why should I？〃 he asked。 〃Doctor Sarson is fully qualified； and
the case seems to present no unusual characteristics。〃
Hamel sipped his brandy thoughtfully。
〃I don't know why I suggested it；〃 he admitted。 〃I only thought
that an outside doctor might help you to get rid of the fellow。〃
Mr。 Fentolin shrugged his shoulders。
〃After all；〃 he said； 〃the matter is of no real consequence。 Doctor
Sarson assures me that we shall be able to send him on his way very
shortly。 In the meantime； Mr。 Hamel； what about the Tower？〃
〃What about it？〃 Hamel asked； selecting a cigar from the box which
had been pushed to his side。 〃I am sure I haven't any wish to
inconvenience you。〃
〃I will be quite frank；〃 Mr。 Fentolin declared。 〃I do not dispute
your right for a moment。 On the other hand； my few hours daily down
there have become a habit with me。 I do not wish to give them up。
Stay here with us； Mr。 Hamel。 You will be doing us a great kindness。
My nephew and niece have too little congenial society。 Make up your
mind to give us a fortnight of your time； and I can assure you that
we will do our best to make yours a pleasant stay。〃
Hamel was a little taken aback。
〃Mr。 Fentolin；〃 he said； 〃I couldn't think of accepting your
hospitality to such an extent。 My idea in coming here was simply
to fulfil an old promise to my father and to rough it at the Tower
for a week or so； and when that was over； I don