best, Paul. I promised them not to resort to the
last argument. But flesh is weak. For the first time since--you
know--the knife--your mother--I lost self-control. I shall have to
answer for it to my God--" He stretched out his arms and looked
haggardly at Paul. "But it is God's will. It is God's will that I
should voice His message to the Empire. Paul, Paul, my beloved son--you
cannot flout Almighty God."

"Your God doesn't happen to be my God," said Paul, once more
suspicious--and now hideously so--of religious mania. "And possibly the
real God is somebody else's God altogether. Anyway, England's the only
God I've got left, and I'm going to fight for her."

The door opened and Wilton, the man-servant, appeared. He looked round.
"I beg your pardon, sir."

Paul crossed the room. "What is it?"

"Her Highness, sir," he said in his well-trained, low voice, "and the
Colonel and Miss Winwood. I told them you were engaged. But they've
been waiting for over half-an-hour, sir."

Paul drew himself up. "Why did you not tell me before? Her Highness is
not to be kept waiting. Present my respectful compliments to Her
Highness, and ask her and Colonel and Miss Winwood to have the kindness
to come upstairs."

"We had better go," cried Jane in sudden fear.

"No," said lie. "I want you all to stay."

CHAPTER XVIII

IN the tense silence of the few moments of waiting Paul passed from the
boy to whom the earth had been a fairyland to the man grappling with
great realities. In those few moments he lived through his past life
and faced an adumbration of the future.

The door was thrown open and the Princess appeared, smiling, happy, a
black ostrich feather in her hat and a sable stole hanging loose from
her shoulders; a great and radiant lady. Behind her came the Colonel
and Ursula Winwood. Paul bent over the Princess's, outstretched hand.

"A thousand pardons for keeping you waiting. I did not know you had
come. I was engaged with my friends. May I have the honour of
presenting them? Princess, this is Mr. Silas Finn, the managing
director of Fish Palaces Limited. These are two very dear friends, Miss
Seddon--Mr. Simmons. Miss Winwood--Colonel Winwood, may I?"

He waved an introductory hand. The Princess: bowed; then, struck by
their unsmiling faces and by Paul's strange manner, turned to him
quickly.

"'Qu'est ce qu'il y a?"

"Je vais vous le dire."

He pushed a chair. She sat down. Ursula Winwood sat in Paul's writi