en and devoid of
inflection.

Deliberately Van Helder took from his pocket a gold ring set with three
turquoises in the form of a triangle. It was his last card.

"Ah! I see you look at my ring," he said, seeing Mr. Naylor's eyes fix
greedily upon it. "It was given to me by one whom I serve."
Deliberately he drew it from his finger again and handed it to Mr.
Naylor, who took it casually and proceeded to examine it. The other
watched him closely. Yes; he was looking at the inscription on the
inside.

"They are not my initials," said Van Helder.

Mr. Naylor looked up quickly. "No," he said, returning the ring.

The other shrugged his shoulders without replying. Mr. Naylor's manner
had undergone a change.

"And now about John Dene. Ah!" as one smoke-ring passed through
another.

"John Dene!"

"Yes, of Toronto," continued Van Helder, smiling and continuing to blow
rings with apparent enjoyment. "He is staying at the Ritzton, too."

"London is full of visitors."

"My friend, we waste time. There is such a thing as over-caution. As
I say you are ungeschickt. There was that affair of John Dene's lunch.
Such things will not please those----" He shrugged his shoulders.

For fully a minute Naylor gazed at him quietly, searchingly.

"There was then the chocolates and the girl."

"I do not understand." Mr. Naylor looked across at him craftily.

"We waste time, I know. I will tell you. The secretary, you make your
woman offer her chocolates at a tea-shop, and to go for a ride in a
taxi. The chocolates----" He shrugged his shoulders expressively.
"She refuses. You are clumsy."

The contemptuous insolence of his visitor seemed to impress Mr. Naylor.
The look of suspicion in his eyes became less marked.

"How did you know?" he asked, still wary.

"We waste time," was the response with a wave of the hand.

For a few moments Mr. Naylor sat watching Van Helder as he continued to
blow rings with manifest content.

"Listen," continued Van Helder. "John Dene has brought over here an
invention, a submarine that is to end the war. He has given it to the
Admiralty."

"Given it!" involuntarily repeated Mr. Naylor.

"Given it. There are patriots even in England. You think he is trying
to sell it, therefore you try to remove him."

"Not selling it." Mr. Naylor leaned slightly forward.

"He gives it on condition that he commands it with his own men. It
makes easy the matter."

"Then it is tru