noon, and I am deputed by the Prime Minister----"

He explained to his respectful audience just what part he had played in
securing Chinese Coal Concessions. He made a little speech on the
immense value to the Empire in particular and the world in general of
these new coalfields which had been secured to the country through the
acumen, genius, forethought, and patriotic disinterestedness of the
Cabinet.

He would not claim to set any particular merit on his own action, and
went on to claim it. By which time his train was ready. It was indeed
vital that he should be in London to meet a commission which had shown
such reluctance to trade with foreign devils, and had been, moreover,
so punctilious in its demand for ceremonious receptions, but he had not
the slightest doubt about his ability to reach London before the boat
train arrived. He had two and a half hours, and two and a half hours
gave him an ample margin of time.

Just before his special rounded the bend which brought it within sight
of Bayham Junction the Lynhaven express had reached within a few
hundred yards of annihilation. The signalman at Bayham Junction had
watched the oncoming rush of Bones's train, and, having a fairly
extensive knowledge of the "Mary Louisa" and her eccentricities, he
realised just what had happened.

There was only one thing to be done. He could see the smoke from the
Cabinet Minister's special rising above the cutting two miles away, and
he threw over two levers simultaneously. The first set the points
which brought the Lynhaven express on to the main line, switching it
from the deadly bay wherein the runaway train would have been smashed
to pieces; the second lever set the distant signal against the special.
It was a toss-up whether the special had not already passed the distant
signal, but he had to take that risk.

Bones, with his arm round the girl, awaiting a noisy and violent
dissolution, felt the "Mary Louisa" sway to the right when it should
have swayed to the left, heard the clang of the points as he passed
them, and drew a long breath when he found himself headed along a
straight clear stretch of line. It was some time before he found his
voice, and then it was little more than a squeak.

"We're going to London, dear old thing," he said tremulously.

The girl smiled, though her face was deathly pale.

"I thought we were going to heaven," she said.

"Never, dear old thing," said Bones, recovering something o