there remains the great thing which you have
not told me. These proposals, I admit, would strike a blow at the heart
of the British Empire, but how are they to be carried into effect?"

"If I had signed the agreement," he replied, "they could very easily
have been carried into effect. You have heard already, have you not,
through some of your agents, of the three secret cities? In the
eastern-most of them is the answer to your question."

She smiled.

"Is that a challenge to me to come out and discover for myself all that
I want to know?"

"If you come," he answered, "you shall certainly know everything. There
is another little matter, too, which waits for your decision."

"Tell me of it at once, please," she begged, with a sudden conviction of
his meaning.

He obeyed without hesitation.

"I spoke just now," he reminded her, "of the three secret cities. They
are secret because we have taken pains to keep them so. One is in
Germany, one in Russia, and one in China. A casual traveller could
discover little in the German one, and little more, perhaps, in the
Russian one. Enough to whet his curiosity, and no more. But in China
there is the whole secret at the mercy of a successful spy. A man named
Jesson, Lady Maggie--"

"I telephoned you about him before luncheon to-day," she interrupted.

"I had your message," he replied, "and the man is safe for the moment.
At the same time, Lady Maggie, let me remind you that this is a game the
rules of which are known the world over. Jesson has now in his
possession the secret on which I might build, if I chose, plans to
conquer the world. He knew the penalty if he was discovered, and he was
discovered. To spare his life is sentimentalism pure and simple, yet if
it is your will, so be it."

"You are very good to me," she declared gratefully, "all the more good
because half the time I can see that you scarcely understand."

"That I do not admit," he protested. "I understand even where I do not
sympathise. You make of life the greatest boon on earth. We of my race
and way of thinking are taught to take it up or lay it down, if not with
indifference, at any rate with a very large share of resignation.
However, Jesson's life is spared. From what I have heard of the man, I
imagine he will be very much surprised."

She gave a little sigh of relief.

"You have given me a great deal of your confidence," she said
thoughtfully.

"Is it not clear," he answered, "why I have done