en will
return to her father immediately all will be forgiven. White spot on
foreleg. Mother very anxious and desires to return thanks for kind
enquiries. Answers to the name of Ponto. _Bis dat qui cito dat._"

What did it mean? For Lionel it had no secrets. He was reading the
revelation by one of his agents of the skeleton in Lord Fairlie's
cupboard!

Lord Fairlie was one of the most distinguished members of the Cabinet.
His vein of high seriousness, his lofty demeanour, the sincerity of his
manner endeared him not only to his own party, but even (astounding as
it may seem) to a few high-minded men upon the other side, who admitted,
in moments of expansion which they probably regretted afterwards, that
he might, after all, be as devoted to his country as they were. For
years now his life had been without blemish. It was impossible to
believe that even in his youth he could have sown any wild oats;
terrible to think that these wild oats might now be coming home to
roost.

"What do you require of me?" he said courteously to Lionel, as the
latter was shown into his study.

Lionel went to the point at once.

"I am here, my lord," he said, "on business. In the course of my
ordinary avocations"--the parliamentary atmosphere seemed to be
affecting his language--"I ascertained a certain secret in your past
life which, if it were revealed, might conceivably have a not undamaging
effect upon your career. For my silence in this matter I must demand a
sum of fifty thousand pounds."

Lord Fairlie had grown paler and paler as this speech proceeded.

"What have you discovered?" he whispered. Alas! he knew only too well
what the damning answer would be.

"_Twenty years ago_," said Lionel, "_you wrote a humorous book_."

Lord Fairlie gave a strangled cry. His keen mind recognized in a flash
what a hold this knowledge would give his enemies. _Shafts of Folly_,
his book had been called. Already he saw the leading articles of the
future:--

"We confess ourselves somewhat at a loss to know whether Lord
Fairlie's speech at Plymouth yesterday was intended as a supplement
to his earlier work, _Shafts of Folly_, or as a serious offering to
a nation impatient of levity in such a crisis...."

"The Cabinet's jester, in whom twenty years ago the country lost an
excellent clown without gaining a statesman, was in great form last
night...."

"Lord Fairlie has amused us in the past with his