table before him。
〃Here is the despatch； Mr。 Mace；〃 he said； 〃and here is the
translation。〃
〃English Ambassador demands immediate explanation of arrest of
Duke Souspennier at Waldorf to…night。 Reply immediately what
charge and evidence。 Souspennier naturalised Englishman。〃
Mr。 Mace sprang to his feet with an oath。 He threw aside the
curtain which shielded the room from the larger apartment。
〃Horser； come here； you damned fool！〃
Horser； with a stream of magnificent invectives； obeyed the summons。
His host pointed to the message。
〃Read that！〃
Mr。 Horser read and his face grew even more repulsive。 A dull
purple flush suffused his cheeks； his eyes were bloodshot； and the
veins on his forehead stood out like cords。 He leaned for several
moments against the table and steadily cursed Mr。 Sabin； the
government at Washington； and something under his breath which he
did not dare to name openly。
〃Oh； shut up！〃 his host said at last。 〃How the devil are we going
to get out of this？〃
Mr。 Horser left the room and returned with a tumbler full of brandy
and a very little water。
〃Take a drink yourself；〃 he said。 〃It'll steady you。
〃Oh； I'm steady enough；〃 Mr。 Mace replied impatiently。 〃I want to
know how you're going to get us out of this。 What was the charge；
anyhow？〃
〃Passing forged bills；〃 Horser answered。 〃Parsons fixed it up。〃
Mr。 Mace turned a shade paler。
〃Where the devil's the sense in a charge like that？〃 he answered
fiercely。 〃The man's a millionaire。 He'll turn the tables on us
nicely。〃
〃We've got to keep him till after the Campania sails； anyhow；〃
Horser said doggedly。
〃We're not going to keep him ten minutes；〃 Mace replied。 〃I'm going
to sign the order for his release。〃
Horser's speech was thick with drunken fury。 〃By … I'll see that
you don't！〃 he exclaimed。
Mace turned upon him angrily。
〃You selfish fool！〃 he muttered。 〃You're not in the thing； anyhow。
If you think I'm going to risk my position for the sake of one
little job you're wrong。 I shall go down myself and release him；
with an apology。〃
〃He'll have his revenge all the same；〃 Horser answered。 〃It's too
late now to funk the thing。 They can't budge you。 We'll see to
that。 We hold New York in our hands。 Be a man； Mace； and run a
little risk。 It's fifty thousand。〃
Mace looked up at him curiously。
〃What do you get out of it； Horser？〃
Horser's face hardened。
〃Not one cent！〃 he declared fiercely。 〃Only if I fail it might be
unpleasant for me next time I crossed。〃
〃I don't know！〃 Mace declared weakly。 〃I don't know what to do。
It's twelve hours； Horser； and the charge is ridiculous。〃
〃You have me behind you。〃
〃I can't tell them that at Washington；〃 Mace said。
〃It's a fact； all the same。 Don't be so damned nervous。〃
Mace dismissed his clerk； and found his other guests； too； on the
point of departure。 But the last had scarcely left before a servant
entered with another despatch。
〃Release Souspennier。
Mace handed it to his companion。
〃This settles it；〃 he declared。 〃I shall go round and try and make
my peace with the fellow。〃
Horser stood in the way； burly； half…drunk and vicious。 He struck
his host in the face with clenched fist。 Mace went down with
scarcely a groan。 A servant； hearing the fall； came hurrying back。
〃Your master is drunk and he has fallen down；〃 Horser said。 〃Put
him to bed … give him a sleeping draught if you've got one。〃
The servant bent over the unconscious man。
〃Hadn't I better fetch a doctor； sir？〃 he asked。 〃I'm afraid he's
hurt。〃
〃Not he！〃 Horser answered contemptuously。 〃He's cut his cheek a
little； that's all。 Put him to bed。 Say I shall be round again by
nine o'clock。〃
Horser put on his coat and left the house。 The morning sunlight
was flooding the streets。 Away down town Mr。 Sabin was dozing in
his high…backed chair。
CHAPTER IX
Felix； after an uneventful voyage； landed duly at Liverpool。 To
his amazement the first person he saw upon the quay was Mr。 Sabin；
leaning upon his stick and smoking a cigarette。
〃Come； come； Felix！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Don't look at me as though I
were a ghost。 You have very little confidence in me； after all； I
see。〃
〃But … how did you get here？〃
〃The Campania； of course。 I had plenty of time。 It was easy enough
for those fellows to arrest me； but they never had a chance of
holding me。〃
〃But how did you get away in time？〃
Mr。 Sabin sighed。
〃It was very simple；〃 he said。 〃One day； while one of those
wonderful spies was sleeping on my doormat I slipped away and went
over to Washington； saw the English Ambassador； convinced him of my
bonafides； told him very nearly the whole truth。 He promised if I
wired him that I was arrested to take my case up at once。 You sent
the despatch； and he kept his word。 I breakfasted on Saturday
morning at the Waldorf； and though a great dray was driven into
my carriage on the way to the boat； I escaped； as I always do … and
here I am。〃
〃Unhurt！〃 Felix remarked with a smile； 〃as usual！〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃The driver of my carriage was killed； and Duson had his arm broken；〃
he said。 〃I stepped out of the debris without a scratch。 Come into
the Customs House now and get your baggage through。 I have taken a
coupe on the special train and ordered lunch。〃
Before long they were on the way to London。 Mr。 Sabin； whilst
luncheon was being served； talked only of the lightest matters。
But afterwards； when coffee was served and be had lit a cigarette；
he leaned over towards Felix。
〃Felix；〃 he said； 〃your sister is dear to you？〃
〃She is the only creature on earth；〃 Felix said； 〃whom I care for。
She is very dear to me； indeed。〃
〃Am I right；〃 Mr。 Sabin asked； 〃in assuming that the old enmity
between us is dead； that the last few years has wiped away the old
soreness
〃Yes；〃 Felix answered。 〃I know that she was happy with you。 That
is enough for me。〃
〃You and I；〃 Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃must work out her salvation。 Do
not be afraid that I am going to ask you impossibilities。 I know
that our ways must lie apart。 You can go to her at once。 It may
be many； many months before I can catch even a glimpse of her。
Never mind。 Let me feel that she has you within the circle； and I
without； with our lives devoted to her。〃
〃You may rely upon that；〃 Felix answered。 〃Wherever she is I am
going。 I shall be there。 I will watch over her。〃
Mr。 Sabin sighed。
〃The more difficult task is mine；〃 he said； 〃but I have no fear of
failure。 I shall find her surrounded by spies； by those who are
now my enemies。 Still； they will find it hard to shake me off。 It
may be that they took her from me only out of revenge。 If that be
so my task will be easier。 If there are other dangers which she is
called upon to face； it is still possible that they might accept my
service instead。〃
〃You would give it？〃 Felix exclaimed。
〃To the last drop of blood in my body；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃Save
for my love for her I am a dead man upon the earth。 I have no
longer politics or ambition。 So the past can easily be expunged。
Those who must be her guiding influence shall be mine。
〃You will win her back；〃 Felix said。 〃I am sure of it。〃
〃I am willing to pay any price on earth；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃If
they can forget the past I can。 I want you to remember this。 I
want her to know it。 I want them to know it。 That is all； Felix。〃
Mr。 Sabin leaned back in his seat。 He had left this country last
a stricken and defeated man； left it with the echoes of his ruined
schemes crashing in his ears。 He came back to it a man with one
purpose only； and that such a purpose as never before had guided
him … the love of a woman。 Was it a sign of age； he wondered； this
return to the humanities？ His life had been full of great schemes；
he had wielded often a gigantic influence； more than once he had
made history。 And now the love of these things had gone from him。
Their fascination was powerless to quicken by a single beat his
steady pulse。 Monarchy or republic … what did he care？ It was
Lucille he wanted； the woman who had shown him how sweet even defeat
might be； who had made these three years of his life so happy that
they seemed to have passed in one delightful dream。 Were they dead； annihilated； these old
ambitions； the old love of great doings； or
did they only slumber？ He moved in his seat uneasily。
At Euston the two men separated with a silent handshake。 Mr。 Sabin
drove to one of the largest and newest of the modern hotels de luxe。
He entered his name as Mr。 Sabin … the old exile's hatred of using
his title in a foreign country had become a confirmed habit with
him … and mingled freely with the crowds who thronged into the
restaurant at night。 There were many faces which he remembered；
there were a few who remembered him。 He neither courted nor shunned
observation。 He sat at dinner…time at a retired table； and found
himself watching the people with a stir of pleasure。 Afterwards he
went round to a famous club； of which he had once been made a life
member； but towards midnight he was wearied of the dull decorum of
his surroundings； and returning to the hotel； sought the restaurant
once more。 The stream of people coming in to supper was greater
even than at dinner…time。 He found a small table； and ordered some
oysters。 The sight of this bevy of pleasure…seekers； all apparently
with multitudes of friends； might have engendered a sense of
loneliness in a man of different disposition。 To Mr。 Sabin his
isolation was a luxury。 He had an uninterrupted opportunity of
pursuing his favourite study。
There entered a party towards midnight； to meet whom the head…waiter
himself came hurrying from the further end of the room； and whose
arrival created a little buzz of interest。 The woman who formed the
central figure of the little group had for two years known no rival
either at Court or in Society。 She was the most beautiful woman in
England； beautiful too with all the subtle grace of her royal descent。
There were women upon the stage whose faces might have borne
comparison with hers； but there was not one who in a room