n the smoking-room of a London club. They were alone. That
is scarcely to be wondered at, for it was far past midnight. Moreover,
it was not a large club, and even when the place was most frequented
large numbers were seldom present. Three of the men were chatting
cursorily about a defeat of the Government which had taken place that
night, but the fourth, by far the most striking looking man of the
quartette, sat almost by himself, moody and silent.

They were all young men. The oldest had barely reached his thirty-fifth
year, while the youngest was evidently less than thirty. All of them
gave evidence of being young men of leisure, and each of them could
claim to belong to that class which is vaguely termed English gentlemen.

"Will the Government resign, think you?" said one.

"No," another replied.

"Why? It could hardly be called a snatch division."

"No, but governments do not resign unless the country is against them."

"Which it is."

"In a sense, yes; but in another sense, no. The question to-night was a
brewer's question. Well, if they resigned and went to the country, they
would be returned again. The brewers, for whom the Government has been
fighting, would be sufficiently strong at the polls to secure the return
of their supporters."

"Which is a strong reason why the Government will resign."

They went on discussing the question, neither saying anything worthy of
record. They seemed to be deeply interested, however; perhaps because
two of them were Parliamentary candidates. The man who sat apart,
however, took no note of the conversation. He could by listening
carefully have heard all that was said, but his mind seemed elsewhere.
Neither did he speak to the others, although he knew each one
intimately. Of what he was thinking it would be difficult to tell. There
was a strange, vacant look in his eyes, and his face was very pale.

He seemed utterly oblivious of the time, and although a waiter hovered
near, as if to remind the party that he was very sleepy, this young man
especially took no note of his presence.

Presently he aroused himself, and rang a bell which stood on the table
at his elbow.

The waiter came towards him sleepily.

"Whisky," he said.

"Yes, sir."

"A large one."

"Yes, sir."

"And make haste about it."

The waiter left the room, while the others glanced at each other
significantly.

"How many is that to-night?" said one in a low voice.

"Heaven knows, I don't. H