. Some of the rigidity went out of
his attitude.

Nearer came the hoofs and nearer yet, and with them, mingling
rhythmically, a tenor voice that sang.

As it reached him the man at the table pulled out a drawer with a sharp
jerk. His hand sought something within it, but his eyes never left the
curtain of darkness that the open doorway framed.

Slowly, very slowly at last, he withdrew his hand empty; but he only
partially closed the drawer.

The voice without was nearer now, was close at hand. The horse's hoofs
had ceased to sound. There came the ring of spurred heels without, a
man's hand tapped upon the doorpost, a man's figure showed suddenly
against the darkness.

"Hallo, Conyers! Still in the land of the living? Ye gods, what a
fiendish night! Many thanks for the beacon! It's kept me straight for
more than half the way."

He entered carelessly, the lamplight full upon him--a handsome,
straight-limbed young Hercules--tossed down his riding-whip, and looked
round for a drink.

"Here you are!" said Conyers, turning the rays of the lamp full upon
some glasses on the table.

"Ah, good! I'm as dry as a smoked herring. You must drink too, though.
Yes, I insist. I have a toast to propose, so be sociable for once. What
have you got in that drawer?"

Conyers locked the drawer abruptly, and jerked out the key.

"What do you want to know for?"

His visitor grinned boyishly.

"Don't be bashful, old chap! I always guessed you kept her there. We'll
drink her health, too, in a minute. But first of all"--he was splashing
soda-water impetuously out of a syphon as he spoke--"first of all--quite
ready, I say? It's a grand occasion--here's to the best of good fellows,
that genius, that inventor of guns, John Conyers! Old chap, your
fortune's made. Here's to it! Hip--hip--hooray!"

His shout was like the blare of a bull. Conyers rose, crossed to the
door, and closed it.

Returning, he halted by his visitor's side, and shook him by the
shoulder.

"Stop rotting, Palliser!" he said rather shortly.

Young Palliser wheeled with a gigantic laugh, and seized him by the
arms.

"You old fool, Jack! Can't you see I'm in earnest? Drink, man, drink,
and I'll tell you all about it. That gun of yours is going to be an
enormous success--stupendous--greater even than I hoped. It's true, by
the powers! Don't look so dazed. All comes to those who wait, don't you
know. I always told you so."

"To be sure, so you did." The man's wo