ecency."

"You forget, Sir Ethelred, that strictly speaking we know nothing
positively--as yet."

"No! But how would you define it? Shortly?"

"Barefaced audacity amounting to childishness of a peculiar sort."

"We can't put up with the innocence of nasty little children," said the
great and expanded personage, expanding a little more, as it were. The
haughty drooping glance struck crushingly the carpet at the Assistant
Commissioner's feet. "They'll have to get a hard rap on the knuckles
over this affair. We must be in a position to--What is your general
idea, stated shortly? No need to go into details."

"No, Sir Ethelred. In principle, I should lay it down that the existence
of secret agents should not be tolerated, as tending to augment the
positive dangers of the evil against which they are used. That the spy
will fabricate his information is a mere commonplace. But in the sphere
of political and revolutionary action, relying partly on violence, the
professional spy has every facility to fabricate the very facts
themselves, and will spread the double evil of emulation in one
direction, and of panic, hasty legislation, unreflecting hate, on the
other. However, this is an imperfect world--"

The deep-voiced Presence on the hearthrug, motionless, with big elbows
stuck out, said hastily:

"Be lucid, please."

"Yes, Sir Ethelred--An imperfect world. Therefore directly the character
of this affair suggested itself to me, I thought it should be dealt with
with special secrecy, and ventured to come over here."

"That's right," approved the great Personage, glancing down complacently
over his double chin. "I am glad there's somebody over at your shop who
thinks that the Secretary of State may be trusted now and then."

The Assistant Commissioner had an amused smile.

"I was really thinking that it might be better at this stage for Heat to
be replaced by--"

"What! Heat? An ass--eh?" exclaimed the great man, with distinct
animosity.

"Not at all. Pray, Sir Ethelred, don't put that unjust interpretation on
my remarks."

"Then what? Too clever by half?"

"Neither--at least not as a rule. All the grounds of my surmises I have
from him. The only thing I've discovered by myself is that he has been
making use of that man privately. Who could blame him? He's an old
police hand. He told me virtually that he must have tools to work with.
It occurred to me that this tool should be surrendered to