Hospitals； on the other hand； provide for the poor what they ought
to be able to provide for themselves。 The one thing to avoid in
the giving away of money is pauperisation。 What do you think；
Florence？〃
His sister…in…law； who was seated at the other end of the table；
looked across at him with a bright but stereotyped smile。
〃I agree with you； of course； Miles。 I always agree with you。 Mr。
Fentolin has the knack of being right about most things；〃 she
continued； turning to Lord Saxthorpe。 〃His judgment is really
wonderful。〃
〃Wish we could get him to come and sit on the bench sometimes； then；〃
Lord Saxthorpe remarked heartily。 〃Our neighbours in this part of
the world are not overburdened with brains。 By…the…by；〃 he went on；
〃that reminds me。 You haven't got such a thing as a mysterious
invalid in the house； have you？〃
There was a moment's rather curious silence。 Mr。 Fentolin was
sitting like a carved figure； with a glass of wine half raised to
his lips。 Gerald had broken off in the middle of a sentence and
was staring at Lord Saxthorpe。 Esther was sitting perfectly still；
her face grave and calm； her eyes alone full of fear。 Lord
Saxthorpe was not an observant man and he continued； quite
unconscious of the sensation which his question had aroused。
〃Sounds a silly thing to ask you； doesn't it？ They're all full of
it at Wells； though。 I sat on the bench this morning and went into
the police…station for a moment first。 Seems they've got a long
dispatch from Scotland Yard about a missing man who is supposed to
be in this part of the world。 He came down in a special train on
Tuesday night … the night of the great flood … and his train was
wrecked at Wymondham。 After that he was taken on by some one in a
motor…car。 Colonel Renshaw wanted me to allude to the matter from
the bench； but it seemed to me that it was an affair entirely for
the police。〃
As though suddenly realising the unexpected interest which his
words had caused； Lord Saxthorpe brought his sentence to a
conclusion and glanced enquiringly around the table。
〃A man could scarcely disappear in a civilised neighbourhood like
this；〃 Mr。 Fentolin remarked quietly； 〃but there is a certain
amount of coincidence about your question。 May I ask whether it
was altogether a haphazard one？〃
〃Absolutely；〃 Lord Saxthorpe declared。 〃The idea seems to be that
the fellow was brought to one of the houses in the neighbourhood；
and we were all rather chaffing one another this morning about it。
Inspector Yardley … the stout fellow with the beard； you know … was
just starting off in his dogcart to make enquiries round the
neighbourhood。 If any one in fiction wants a type of the ridiculous
detective； there he is； ready…made。〃
〃The coincidence of your question；〃 Mr。 Fentolin said smoothly； 〃is
certainly a strange one。 The mysterious stranger is within our
gates。〃
Lady Saxthorpe； who had been out of the conversation for far too
long； laid down her knife and fork。
〃My dear Mr。 Fentolin！〃 she exclaimed。 〃My dear Mrs。 Fentolin！
This is really most exciting！ Do tell us all about it at once。 I
thought that the man was supposed to have been decoyed away in a
motor…car。 Do you know his name and all about him？〃
〃There are a few minor points；〃 Mr。 Fentolin murmured； 〃such as
his religious convictions and his size in boots； which I could
not swear about； but so far as regards his name and his occupation；
I think I can gratify your curiosity。 He is a Mr。 John P。 Dunster；
and he appears to be the representative of an American firm of
bankers； on his way to Germany to conclude a loan。〃
〃God bless my soul！〃 Lord Saxthorpe exclaimed wonderingly。 〃The
fellow is actually here under this roof！ But who brought him？
How did he find his way？〃
〃Better ask Gerald；〃 Mr。 Fentolin replied。 〃He is the abductor。
It seems that they both missed the train from Liverpool Street；
and Mr。 Dunster invited Gerald to travel down in his special train。
Very kind of him； but might have been very unlucky for Gerald。
As you know； they got smashed up at Wymondham； and Gerald； feeling
in a way responsible for him； brought him on here； quite properly；
I think。 Sarson has been looking after him； but I am afraid he has
slight concussion of the brain。〃
〃I shall remember this all my life；〃 Lord Saxthorpe declared
solemnly； 〃as one of the most singular coincidences which has ever
come within my personal knowledge。 Perhaps after lunch； Mr。
Fentolin； you will let some of your people telephone to the
police…station at Wells？ There really is an important enquiry
respecting this man。 I should not be surprised；〃 he added；
dropping his voice a little for the benefit of the servants；
〃to find that Scotland Yard needed him on their own account。〃
〃In that case；〃 Mr。 Fentolin remarked； 〃he is quite safe； for Sarson
tells me there is no chance of his being able to travel； at any rate
for twenty…four hours。〃
Lady Saxthorpe shivered。
〃Aren't you afraid to have him in the house？〃 she asked； 〃a man who
is really and actually wanted by Scotland Yard？ When one considers
that nothing ever happens here except an occasional shipwreck in
the winter and a flower…show in the summer； it does sound positively
thrilling。 I wonder what he has done。〃
They discussed the subject of Mr。 Dunster's possible iniquities。
Meanwhile； a young man carrying his hat in his hand had slipped in
past the servants and was leaning over Mr。 Fentolin's chair。 He
laid two or three sheets of paper upon the table and waited while
his employer glanced them through and dismissed him with a little
nod。
〃My wireless has been busy this morning；〃 Mr。 Fentolin remarked。
〃We seem to have collected about forty messages from different
battleships and cruisers。 There must be a whole squadron barely
thirty miles out。〃
〃You don't really think；〃 Lady Saxthorpe asked； 〃that there is any
fear of war； do you； Mr。 Fentolin？
He answered her with a certain amount of gravity。 〃Who can tell？
The papers this morning were bad。 This conference at The Hague is
still unexplained。 France's attitude in the matter is especially
mysterious。〃
〃I am a strong supporter of Lord Roberts；〃 Lord Saxthorpe said；
〃and I believe in the vital necessity of some scheme for national
service。 At the same time； I find it hard to believe that a
successful invasion of this country is within the bounds of
possibility。〃
〃I quite agree with you； Lord Saxthorpe；〃 Mr。 Fentolin declared
smoothly。 〃All the same； this Hague Conference is a most mysterious
affair。 The papers this morning are ominously silent about the
fleet。 From the tangle of messages we have picked up； I should say；
without a doubt； that some form of mobilisation is going on in the
North Sea。 If Lady Saxthorpe thinks it warm enough； shall we take
our coffee upon the terrace？〃
〃The terrace； by all means；〃 her ladyship assented； rising from her
place。 〃What a wonderful man you are； Mr。 Fentolin； with your
wireless telegraphy； and your telegraph office in the house； and
telephones。 Does it really amuse you to be so modern？〃
〃To a certain extent； yes；〃 Mr。 Fentolin sighed； as he guided his
chair along the hall。 〃When my misfortune first came； I used to
speculate a good deal upon the Stock Exchange。 That was really the
reason I went in for all these modern appliances。〃
〃And now？〃 she asked。 〃What use do you make of them now？〃
Mr。 Fentolin smiled quietly。 He looked out sea…ward； beyond the
sky…line； from whence had come to him； through the clouds； that
tangle of messages。
〃I like to feel；〃 he said； 〃that the turning wheel of life is not
altogether out of earshot。 I like to dabble just a little in the
knowledge of these things。〃
Lord Saxthorpe came strolling up to them。
〃You won't forget to telephone about this guest of yours？〃 he
asked fussily。
〃It is already done；〃 Mr。 Fentolin assured him。 〃My dear sister；
why so silent？〃
Mrs。 Fentolin turned slowly towards him。 She； too； had been
standing with her eyes fixed upon the distant sea…line。 Her face
seemed suddenly to have aged； her forced vivacity to have departed。
Her little Pomeranian rubbed against her feet in vain。 Yet at the
sound of Mr。 Fentolin's voice； she seemed to come back to herself
as though by magic。
〃I was looking where you were looking；〃 she dedared lightly；
〃just trying to see a little way beyond。 So silly； isn't it？
Chow…Chow； you bad little dog； come and you shall have your dinner。〃
She strolled off； humming a tune to herself。 Lord Saxthorpe watched
her with a shadow upon his plain； good…humoured face。
〃Somehow or other；〃 he remarked quietly； 〃Mrs。 Fentolin never seems
to have got over the loss of her husband； does she？ How long is it
since he died？〃
〃Eight years；〃 Mr。 Fentolin replied。 〃It was just six months after
my own accident。〃
〃I am losing a great deal of sympathy for you； Mr。 Fentolin；〃 Lady
Saxthorpe confessed； coming over to his side。 〃You have so many
resources； there is so much in life which you can do。 You paint；
as we all know； exquisitely。 They tell me that you play the violin
like a master。 You have unlimited time for reading； and they say
that you are one of the greatest living authorities upon the
politics of Europe。 Your morning paper must bring you so much that
is interesting。〃
〃It is true；〃 Mr。 Fentolin admitted； 〃that I have compensations
which no one can guess at； compensations which appeal to me more as
time steals on。 And yet …〃
He stopped short。
〃And yet？〃 Lady Saxthorpe repeated interrogatively。
Mr。。 Fentolin was watching Gerald drive golf balls from the lawn
beneath。 He pointed downwards。
〃I was like that when I was his age；〃 he said quietly。
CHAPTER XIX
Mr。 Fentolin remained upon the terrace long after the departure of
his guests。 He had found a sunny corner out of the wind； and he sat
there with a telescope by his side and a budget of newspapers upon
his knee。 On some pretext or another he had detained all the others
of the household so that they formed a little court around him。
Even Hamel； who had said something about a walk； had been induced
to stop by an appealing glance