the car。 I have had no sleep。〃
Mr。 Fentolin's face was full of kindly sympathy。
〃My dear fellow；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I am selfish； indeed！ I should not
have kept you here for a moment。 You had better go and lie down。〃
〃I'll go directly；〃 Gerald promised。 〃Can I speak to you for one
moment first？〃
〃Speak to me Mr。 Fentolin repeated； a little wonderingly。 〃My
dear Gerald； is there ever a moment when I am not wholly at your
service？〃
〃That fellow Dunster； on the platform； the first moment I spoke to
him； made me feel like a cur；〃 the boy said； with a sudden access
of vigour in his tone。 〃I told him I was on my way to a golf
tournament； and he pointed to the news about the war。 Is it true；
uncle； that we may be at war at any moment？〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃A terrible reflection； my dear boy；〃 he admitted softly； 〃but； alas！
the finger of probability points that way。〃
〃Then what about me Gerald exclaimed。 〃I don't want to complain；
but listen。 You dragged me home from a public school before I could
even join my cadet corps。 You've kept me banging around here with
a tutor。 You wouldn't let me go to the university。 You've stopped
my entering either of the services。 I am nineteen years old and
useless。 Do you know what I should do to…morrow if war broke out？
Enlist！ It's the only thing left for me。〃
Mr。 Fentolin was shocked。
〃My dear boy ！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You must not talk like that！ I am
quite sure that it would break your mother's heart。 Enlist； indeed！
Nothing of the sort。 You are part of the civilian population of
the country。〃
〃Civilian population be d…d！〃 the boy suddenly cried； white with
rage。 〃Uncle； forgive me； I have stood all I can bear。 If you
won't let me go in for the army … I could pass my exams to…morrow
… I'm off。 I'll enlist without waiting for the war。 I can't bear
this idle life any longer。〃
Mr。 Fentolin leaned a little forward in his chair。
〃Gerald！〃 he said softly。
The boy turned his head； turned it unwillingly。 He had the air of
a caged animal obeying the word of his keeper。 A certain savage
uncouthness seemed to have fallen upon him during the last few
minutes。 There was something almost like a snarl in his expression。
〃Gerald！〃 Mr。 Fentolin repeated。
Then it was obvious that there was something between those two； some
memory or some living thing； seldom； if ever； to be spoken of； and
yet always present。 The boy began to tremble。
〃You're a little overwrought； Gerald；〃 Mr。 Fentolin declared。
〃Sit quietly in my easy…chair for a few moments。 Walt until I have
examined Mr。 Dunster's belongings。 Ah！ Meekins has been prompt；
indeed。〃
There was a stealthy tap at the door。 Meekins entered with the
small dressing…case in his hand。 He brought it over to his master's
chair。 Mr。 Fentolin pointed to the floor。
〃Open it there； Meekins；〃 he directed。 〃I fancy that the pocket…book
you are carrying will prove more interesting。 We will just glance
through the dressing…case first。 Thank you。 Yes； you can lay the
things upon the floor。 A man of Spartan…like life； I should imagine
Mr。 Dunster。 A spare toothbrush； though； I am glad to see。 Pyjamas
of most unattractive pattern。 And what a taste in shirts！ Nothing
but wearing apparel and singularly little of that； I fancy。〃
The dressing…case was empty； its contents upon the floor。 Mr。
Fentolin held out his hand and took the pocket…book which Meekins
had been carrying。 It was an ordinary morocco affair； similar to
those issued by American banking houses to enclose letters of credit。
One side of it was filled with notes。 Mr。 Fentolin withdrew them
and glanced them through。
〃Dear me！〃 he murmured。 〃No wonder our friend engages special
trains！ He travels like a prince； indeed。 Two thousand pounds； or
near it； in this little compartment。 And here； I see； a letter； a
sealed letter with no address。〃
He held it out in front of him。 It was a long commercial envelope
of ordinary type； and although the flap was secured with a blob of
sealing wax； there was no particular impression upon it。
〃We can match this envelope； I think；〃 Mr。 Fentolin said softly。
〃The seal we can copy。 I think that； for the sake of others； we
must discover the cause for this hurried journey on the part of Mr。
John P。 Dunster。〃
With his long； delicate forefinger Mr。 Fentolin slit the envelope
and withdrew the single sheet of paper which it contained。 There
were a dozen lines of written matter； and what appeared to be a
dozen signatures appended。 Mr。 Fentolin read it； at first with
ordinary interest。 Then a change came。 The look of a man drawn
out of himself； drawn out of all knowledge of his surroundings or
his present state； stole into his face。 Literally he became
transfixed。 The delicate fingers of his； left hand gripped the
sides of his little carriage。 His eyes shone as though those few
written lines upon which they were riveted were indeed some message
from an unknown； an unimagined world。 Yet no word ever passed his
lips。 There came a time when the tension seemed a little relaxed。
With fingers which still trembled； he folded up the sheet and
replaced it in the envelope。 He guarded it with both his hands and
sat quite still。 Neither Gerald nor his servant moved。 Somehow；
the sense of Mr。 Fentolin's suppressed excitement seemed to have
become communicated to them。 It was a little tableau； broken at
last by Mr。 Fentolin himself。
〃I should like；〃 he said； turning to Gerald； 〃to be alone。 It may
interest you to know that this docu which Mr。 Dunster has brought
across the seas； and which I hold in my hands； is the most amazing
message of modern times。〃
Gerald rose to his feet。
〃What are you going to do about it？〃 he asked abruptly。 〃Do you
want any one in from the telegraph room？〃
Mr。 Fentolin shook his head slowly。
〃At present；〃 he announced； 〃I am going to reflect。 Meekins； my
chair to the north window … so。 I am going to sit here；〃 he went
on； 〃 and I am going to look across the sea_and reflect。 A very
fortunate storm； after all； I think； which kept Mr。 John P。 Dunster
from the Harwich boat last night。 Leave me； Gerald； for a time。
Stand behind my chair； Meekins； and see that no one enters。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sat in his chair； his hands still gripping the wonderful
document； his eyes travelling over the ocean now flecked with
sunlight。 His eyes were fixed upon the horizon。 He looked steadily
eastward。
CHAPTER VI
Mr。 John P。 Dunster opened his eyes upon strange surroundings。 He
found himself lying upon a bed deliciously soft； with lace…edged
sheets and lavender…perfumed bed hangings。 Through the discreetly
opened upper window came a pleasant and ozone…laden breeze。 The
furniture in the room was mostly of an old…fashioned type； some of
it of oak； curiously carved； and most of it surmounted with a coat
of arms。 The apartment was lofty and of almost palatial proportions。
The whole atmosphere of the place breathed comfort and refinement。
The only thing of which he did not wholly approve was the face of
the nurse who rose silently to her feet at his murmured question：
〃Where am I？〃
She felt his forehead； altered a bandage for a moment； and took his
wrist between her fingers。
〃You have been ill；〃 she said。 〃There was a railway accident。 You
are to lie quite still and not say a word。 I am going to fetch the
doctor now。 He wished to see you directly you spoke。〃
Mr。 Dunster dozed again for several moments。 When he reopened his
eyes； a man was standing by his bedside； a short man with a black
beard and gold…rimmed glasses。 Mr。 Dunster； in this first stage of
his convalescence； was perhaps difficult to please； for he did not
like the look of the doctor； either。
〃Please tell me where I am？〃 he begged。
〃You have been in a railway accident；〃 the doctor told him； 〃and
you were brought here afterwards。〃
〃In a railway accident；〃 Mr。 Dunster repeated。 〃Ah； yes； I remember！
I took a special to Harwich … I remember now。 Where is my
dressing…bag？〃
〃It is here by the side of your bed。〃
〃And my pocket…book？〃
〃It is on your dressing…table。〃
〃Have any of my things been looked at？〃
〃Only so far as was necessary to discover your identity；〃 the doctor
assured him。 〃Don't talk too much。 The nurse is bringing you some
beef tea。〃
〃When；〃 Mr。 Dunster enquired； 〃 shall I be able to continue my
journey？〃
〃That depends upon many things；〃 the doctor replied。
Mr。 Dunster drank his beef tea and felt considerably stronger。 His
head still ached； but his memory was returning。
〃There was a young man in the carriage with me；〃 he asked presently。
〃Mr。 Gerald something or other I think he said his name was？〃
〃Fentolin；〃 the doctor said。 〃He is unhurt。 This is his relative's
house to which you have been brought。〃
Mr。 Dunster lay for a time with knitted brows。 Once more the name
of Fentolin seemed somehow familiar to him； seemed somehow to bring
with it to his memory a note of warning。 He looked around the room
fretfully。 He looked into the nurse's face； which he disliked
exceedingly； and he looked at the doctor； whom he was beginning to
detest。
〃Whose house exactly is this？〃 he demanded。
〃This is St。 David's Hall … the home of Mr。 Miles Fentolin；〃 the
doctor told him。 〃The young gentleman with whom you were travelling
is his nephew。〃
〃Can I send a telegram？〃 Mr。 Dunster asked； a little abruptly。
〃Without a doubt；〃 the doctor replied。 〃Mr。 Fentolin desired me to
ask you if there was any one whom you would like to apprise of your
safety。〃
Again the man upon the bed lay quite still； with knitted brows。
There was surely something familiar about that name。 Was it his
fevered fancy or was there also something a little sinister？
The nurse； who had glided from the room； came back presently with
some telegraph forms。 Mr。 Dunster held out his hand for them and
then hesitated。
〃Can you tell me any date； Doctor； upon which I can rely upon
leaving here？〃
〃You will probably be well enough to travel on the third day from
now；〃 the doctor assured him。
〃The third day；〃 Mr。 Dunster muttered。 〃Very well。〃
He wrote