tired eyes and more than a day's growth of beard upon his chin； had
accosted him。
〃Mr。 Brott； sir。 A word with you； please。〃
Brott held out his hand。 Nevertheless his tone when he spoke lacked
heartiness。
〃You； Hedley！ Why； what brings you to London？〃
The little man did not seem to see the hand。 At any rate he made
no motion to take it。
〃A few minutes' chat with Mr。 Brott。 That's what I've come for。〃
Brott raised his eyebrows； and nodded in somewhat constrained
fashion。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I am on my way to my rooms。 We can talk as we
go； if you like。 I am afraid the good people up in your part of
the world are not too well pleased with me。〃
The little man smiled rather queerly。
〃That is quite true；〃 he answered calmly。 〃They hate a liar and
a turn…coat。 So do I！〃
Brott stopped short upon the pavement。
〃If you are going to talk like that to me； Hedley；〃 he said； 〃the
less you have to say the better。〃
The man nodded。
〃Very well；〃 he said。 〃What I have to say won't take me very long。
But as I've tramped most of the way up here to say it； you'll have
to listen here or somewhere else。 I thought you were always one who
liked the truth。〃
〃So I do！〃 Brott answered。 〃Go on！〃
The man shuffled along by his side。 They were an odd…looking pair；
for Brott was rather a careful man as regards his toilet； and his
companion looked little better than a tramp。
〃All my life；〃 he continued； 〃I've been called 'Mad Hedley；' or
'Hedley； the mad tailor。' Sometimes one and sometimes the other。
It don't matter which。 There's truth in； it。 I am a bit mad。 You；
Mr。 Brott； were one of those who understood me a little。 I have
brooded a good deal perhaps； and things have got muddled up in my
brain。 You know what has been at the bottom of it all。
〃I began making speeches when I was a boy。 People laughed at me；
but I've set many a one a…thinking。 I'm no anarchist； although
people call me one。 I'll admit that I admire the men who set the
French Revolution going。 If such a thing happened in this country
I'd be one of the first to join in。 But I've never had a taste
for bloodshed。 I'd rather the thing had been done without。 From
the first you seemed to be the man who might have brought it about。
We listened to you； we watched your career； and we began to have
hopes。 Mr。 Brott； the bodies and souls of millions of your
fellow…creatures were in the hollow of your hand。 It was you who
might have set them free。 It was you who might have made this the
greatest； the freest； the happiest country in the world。 Not so
much for us perhaps as for our children； and our children's children。
We didn't expect a huge social upheaval in a week； or even a decade
of years。 But we did expect to see the first blow struck。 Oh； yes；
we expected that。〃
〃I have disappointed you； I know； you and many others；〃 Brott said
bitterly。 〃I wish I could explain。 But I can't！〃
〃Oh； it doesn't matter；〃 the man answered。 〃You have broken the
hearts of thousands of suffering men and women … you who might have
led them into the light； have forged another bolt in the bars which
stand between them and liberty。 So they must live on in the
darkness； dull； dumb creatures with just spirit enough to spit and
curse at the sound of your name。 It was the greatest trust God
ever placed in one man's hand … and you … you abused it。 They were
afraid of you … the aristocrats； and they bought you。 Oh； we are
not blind up there … there are newspapers in our public houses； and
now and then one can afford a half…penny。 We have read of you at
their parties and their dances。 Quite one of them you have become；
haven't you？ But； Mr。 Brott； have you never been afraid？ Have you
never said to yourself； there is justice in the earth？ Suppose it
finds me out？〃
〃Hedley； you are talking rubbish；〃 J3rott said。 〃Up here you would
see things with different eyes。 Letheringham is pledged。〃
〃If any man ever earned hell；〃 Hedley continued； 〃it is you； Brott；
you who came to us a deliverer； and turned out to be a lying prophet。
'Hell；' he repeated fiercely； 〃and may you find it swiftly。〃
The man's right hand came out of his long pocket。 They were in the
thick of Piccadilly； but his action was too swift for any
interference。 Four reports rang suddenly out； and the muzzle of
the revolver was held deliberately within an inch or so of Brett's
heart。 And before even the nearest of the bystanders could realise
what had happened Brott lay across the pavement a dead man； and
Hedley was calmly handing over the revolver to a policeman who had
sprang across the street。
〃Be careful； officer；〃 he said； 〃there are still two chambers loaded。
I will come with you quite quietly。 That is Mr。 Reginald Brott； the
Cabinet Minister； and I have killed him。〃
CHAPTER XL
For once；〃 Lady Carey said； with a faint smile； 〃your 'admirable
Crichton' has failed you。〃
Lucille opened her eyes。 She had been leaning back amongst the
railway cushions。
〃I think not；〃 she said。 〃Only I blame myself that I ever trusted
the Prince even so far as to give him that message。 For I know
very well that if Victor had received it he would have been here。〃
Lady Carey took up a great pile of papers and looked them carelessly
through。
〃I am afraid；〃 she said； 〃that I do not agree with you。 I do not
think that Saxe Leinitzer had any desire except to see you safely
away。 I believe that he will be quite as disappointed as you are
that your husband is not here to aid you。 Some one must see you
safely on the steamer at Havre。 Perhaps he will come himself。〃
〃I shall wait in Paris；〃 Lucille said quietly； 〃for my husband。〃
〃You may wait；〃 Lady Carey said； 〃for a very long time。〃
Lucille looked at her steadily。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃What a fool you are； Lucille。 If to other people it seems almost
certain on the face of it that you were responsible for that drop
of poison in your husband's liqueur glass； why should it not seem
so to himself？〃
Lucille laughed； but there was a look of horror in her dark eyes。
〃How absurd。 I know Victor better than to believe him capable of
such a suspicion。 Just as he knows me better than to believe me
capable of such an act。〃
〃Really。 But you were in his rooms secretly just before。〃
〃I went to leave some roses for him；〃 Lucille answered。 〃And if
you would like to know it； I will tell you this。 I left my card
tied to them with a message for him。〃
Lady Carey yawned。
〃A remarkably foolish thing to do；〃 she said。 〃That may cause you
trouble later on。 Great heavens； what is this？〃
She held the evening paper open in her hand。 Lucille leaned over
with blanched face。
〃What has happened？〃 she cried。 〃Tell me； can't you！〃
〃Reginald Brott has been shot in Piccadilly；〃 Lady Carey said。
〃Is he hurt？〃 Lucille asked。
〃He is dead！〃
They read the brief announcement together。 The deed had been
committed by a man whose reputation for sanity had long been
questioned； one of Brott's own constituents。 He was in custody；
and freely admitted his guilt。 The two women looked at one another
in horror。 Even Lady Carey was affected。
〃What a hateful thing；〃 she said。 〃I am glad that we had no hand
in it。〃
〃Are you so sure that we hadn't？〃 Lucille asked bitterly。 〃You see
what it says。 The man killed him because of his political apostasy。
We had something to do with that at least。〃
Lady Carey was recovering her sang froid。
〃Oh； well；〃 she said； 〃indirect influences scarcely count； or one
might trace the causes of everything which happens back to an absurd
extent。 If this man was mad he might just as well have shot Brott
for anything。〃
Lucille made no answer。 She leaned back and closed her eyes。 She
did not speak again till they reached Dover。
They embarked in the drizzling rain。 Lady Carey drew a little
breath of relief as they reached their cabin； and felt the boat
move beneath them。
〃Thank goodness that we are really off。 I have been horribly
nervous all the time。 If they let you leave England they can have
no suspicion as yet。〃
Lucille was putting on an ulster and cap to go out on deck。
〃I am not at all sure；〃 she said； 〃that I shall not return to
England。 At any rate； if Victor does not come to me in Paris I
shall go to him。〃
〃What beautiful trust！〃 Lady Carey answered。 〃My dear Lucille； you
are more like a school…girl than a woman of the world。〃
A steward entered with a telegram for Lucille。 It was banded in at
the Haymarket； an hour before their departure。 Lucille read it； and
her face blanched。 〃I thank you for your invitation； but I fear
that it would not be good for my health。 … S。〃
Lady Carey looked over her shoulder。 She laughed hardly。
〃How brutal！〃 she murmured。 〃But； then； Victor can be brutal
sometimes； can't he？〃
Lucille tore it into small pieces without a word。 Lady Carey
waited for a remark from her in vain。
〃I； too；〃 she said at last； 〃have had some telegrams。 I have been
hesitating whether to show them to you or not。 Perhaps you had
better see them。〃
She produced them and spread them out。 The first was dated about
the same time as the one Lucille had received。
〃Have seen S。 with message from Lucille。 Fear quite useless； as
he believes worst。〃
The second was a little longer。
〃Have just heard S。 has left for Liverpool； and has engaged berth in
Campania； sailing to…morrow。 Break news to Lucille if you think well。
Have wired him begging return； and promising full explanation。〃
〃If these；〃 Lucille said calmly； 〃belonged to me I should treat them
as I have my own。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I should tear them up。〃
Lady Carey shrugged her shoulders with the air of one who finds
further argument hopeless。
〃I shall have no more to say to you； Lucille； on this subject；〃 she
said。 〃You are impossible。 In a few days you will be forced to
come round to my point of view。 I will wait till then。 And in the
meantime； if you think I am going to tramp up and down those sloppy
decks and gaze at the sea you are very much mistaken。 I am going
to lie down like a civilized being； and try and get a nap。 You