y is true."

"True, certainly, where the offenders are men from the ranks. But in
this case, where the offender is an officer, it does not transpire that
justice has been administered with the same impartial hand." "That,
sir," answered O'Moy sharply, testily, "is because he is missing."

The Secretary's thin lips permitted themselves to curve into the
faintest ghost of a smile. "Precisely," he said.

For answer O'Moy, red in the face, thrust forward the dispatch he had
received relating to the affair.

"Read, sir--read for yourself, that you may report exactly to the
Council of Regency the terms of the report that has just reached me from
headquarters. You will be able to announce that diligent search is being
made for the offender."

Forjas perused the document carefully, and returned it.

"That is very good," he said, "and the Council will be glad to hear of
it. It will enable us to appease the popular resentment in some degree.
But it does not say here that when taken this officer will not be
excused upon the grounds which yourself you have urged to me."

"It does not. But considering that he has since been guilty of
desertion, there can be no doubt--all else apart--that the finding of a
court martial will result in his being shot."

"Very well," said Forjas. "I will accept your assurance, and the Council
will be relieved to hear of it." He rose to take his leave. "I am
desired by the Council to express to Lord Wellington the hope that he
will take measures to preserve better order among his troops and to
avoid the recurrence of such extremely painful incidents."

"A moment," said O'Moy, and rising waved his guest back into his chair,
then resumed his own seat. Under a more or less calm exterior he was
a seething cauldron of passion. "The matter is not quite at an end, as
your Excellency supposes. From your last observation, and from a variety
of other evidence, I infer that the Council is far from satisfied with
Lord Wellington's conduct of the campaign."

"That is an inference which I cannot venture to contradict. You will
understand, General, that I do not speak for myself, but for the
Council, when I say that many of his measures seem to us not merely
unnecessary, but detrimental. The power having been placed in the hands
of Lord Wellington, the Council hardly feels itself able to interfere
with his dispositions. But it nevertheless deplores the destruction of
the mills and the devastation of the coun