"What about a war of revenge?" the General enquired quietly.

"You can search Germany from end to end," Mervin Brown declared, "and
find no trace of any spirit of the sort. I am sorry if I am a
disappointment to you, gentlemen, but the present Government views your
attitude without sympathy. General Richardson is expecting a visit from
you this morning at the War Office, and he will give you any information
you desire. An appointment has also been made for you this afternoon at
the Admiralty. You are doing me the honour of dining with me here
to-morrow night to meet certain members of my Cabinet, and we will, if
you choose, discuss the matter further then. I have thought it best to
place my views clearly before you, however, at the outset of your visit
here."

The Frenchmen rose a few minutes later and took their leave,
ceremoniously but with obvious discontent. The Prime Minister leaned
back in his chair and awaited his secretary's return with a
well-satisfied smile. In a few minutes the latter presented himself.

"Well, Franklin," the great man said, "I've let them hear the truth for
once. Plain speaking, eh?"

The young man bowed.

"They certainly know your views, sir."

The Minister glanced at his subordinate sharply.

"What's the matter with you this morning, Franklin?" he demanded.

"There is nothing the matter with me, thank you, sir," was the quiet
reply.

"You're not going to tell me that you disapprove of my attitude?"

"By no means, sir," the young man assured his Chief hastily,--"not
altogether, that is to say. At the same time, one wonders how far those
two men represent the feeling of France."

His Chief shrugged his shoulders.

"The military spirit is hard to kill," he said. "It is in the blood of
most Frenchmen. They are not big enough to understand that the world is
moving on to greater things. What did they say to you before they left?"

"Nothing much, sir. The General just asked me whether I thought you
would soon be content to leave London unpoliced."

"What rubbish! Any one else for me to see this morning?"

"You promised to give Lord Dorminster ten minutes," the young man
reminded him. "He is in the anteroom now."

The Prime Minister frowned.

"Dorminster," he repeated. "He is a nephew of the man who was always
worrying the Government to reestablish the secret service. I remember he
came to see me the other day, declared that his uncle had been
murdered, and a secret dispatch f