of intense relief.

"Naturally," he replied. "I quite understand that. I am delighted to
think that you are coming at all. May I ask whether you have conferred
with your friends about the matter?"

Maraton shook his head.

"I have not even mentioned it to them. I met what I understand to be a
committee of the Labour Party this morning--a Mr. Dale, Abraham
Weavel, Culvain, Samuel Borden and David Ross. Those were the names so
far as I can remember. I did not mention my proposed visit to you at
all. There seemed to me to be no necessity. I am subject to no one
here."

Mr. Foley smiled.

"They won't like it," he declared frankly.

"Their liking or disliking it will not affect the situation in the
least," Maraton assured him. "I shall come, without a doubt. It will
interest me to hear what you have to say, although unfortunately I
cannot hold out the slightest hope--"

"That is entirely understood," Mr. Foley interrupted. "Now how will
you come? Lyndwood Park is just sixty miles from London. To-day is
Friday, isn't it? I shall motor down there sometime to-morrow. Why
won't you come down with me?"

Maraton shook his head.

"If you will excuse me," he said, "I will not fix any time definitely.
I have a good deal of correspondence still to attend to, and there is
one little matter which might keep me in town till the afternoon."

"Let me send a car up for you," Mr. Foley suggested.

"Thank you," Maraton replied, "I have already hired one for a time."

"Then come just at what time suits you," Mr. Foley begged,--"the
sooner the better, of course. Apart from that, I shall be about the
place all day."

In Buckingham Gate, Maraton came slowly to a standstill. The coach
which he had seen in the Park an hour ago was drawn up in front of a
large hotel. The young man who was driving it had just come down the
steps and was drawing on his gloves. They met almost face to face.

"Am I to speak to you?" the young man asked.

"You had better," Maraton assented. "Tell me what you are doing here?"

"I was bored with Paris," the young man answered. "My friends were all
coming here. I had no idea that we were likely to meet."

Maraton looked at him thoughtfully. As they stood face to face at that
moment, there was a certain strange likeness between them, a likeness of
the husk only.

"I do not wish to interfere with your movements," Maraton said calmly.
"Where you are is nothing to me. I proposed that you should remain aw