me and see," David answered lightly, declining to notice the
insolence. "These are critical days there. The problems are worthy of
your care. Will you not come?"

Eglington was conscious of a peculiar persuasive influence over himself
that he had never felt before. In proportion, however, as he felt its
compelling quality, there came a jealousy of the man who was its cause.
The old antagonism, which had had its sharpest expression the last time
they had met on the platform at Heddington, came back. It was one strong
will resenting another--as though there was not room enough in the wide
world of being for these two atoms of life, sparks from the ceaseless
wheel, one making a little brighter flash than the other for the moment,
and then presently darkness, and the whirring wheel which threw them
off, throwing off millions of others again.

On the moment Eglington had a temptation to say something with an edge,
which would show David that his success in Egypt hung upon the course
that he himself and the weak Foreign Minister, under whom he served,
would take. And this course would be his own course largely, since he
had been appointed to be a force and strength in the Foreign Office
which his chief did not supply. He refrained, however, and, on the
moment, remembered the promise he had given to Faith to help David.

A wave of feeling passed over him. His wife was beautiful, a creature
of various charms, a centre of attraction. Yet he had never really loved
her--so many sordid elements had entered into the thought of marriage
with her, lowering the character of his affection. With a perversity
which only such men know, such heart as he had turned to the unknown
Quaker girl who had rebuked him, scathed him, laid bare his soul before
himself, as no one ever had done. To Eglington it was a relief that
there was one human being--he thought there was only one--who read him
through and through; and that knowledge was in itself as powerful an
influence as was the secret between David and Hylda. It was a kind
of confessional, comforting to a nature not self-contained. Now he
restrained his cynical intention to deal David a side-thrust, and
quietly said:

"We shall meet at Hamley, shall we not? Let us talk there, and not at
the Foreign Office. You would care to go to Egypt, Hylda?"

She forced a smile. "Let us talk it over at Hamley." With a smile to
David she turned away to some friends.

Eglington offered to introduce David