d round for Counsellor's stout figure.

'You are glad to come to Sagan?' persisted his companion; 'say you are
glad.'

'I've never been more glad of anything in my life!' Rallywood replied
with truth, and then, his good angel rather than his mother's wit coming
to his rescue, he got away from the dancing-salon, and found Counsellor
at the entrance preparing to leave.

'I'll walk round with you, Major,' he proposed.

'I'm not going your way,' replied Counsellor. 'Besides, I wish to drive.
Hullo, you have got hold of my gloves!' and snatching at the
gloves--which happened to be Rallywood's--he thrust his own into the
young man's hand, saying in a low voice as he did so, 'Be on the
Cloister Bridge in half an hour. Good-night!'

At the appointed time, Rallywood, having replaced his military greatcoat
by one less remarkable, was waiting on the bridge, when he was accosted
by a hunchbacked fellow in a shabby Maasaun sheepskin, who dropped a
rough English 'Good-night,' as he passed. Presently Rallywood followed
him until they came out into an open country road where the biting _tsa_
met them full face.

'This _tsa_ is deadly! Quick! what is it you have to tell me?' said
Counsellor's voice.

Rallywood answered in a few rapid sentences.

'Yes, I fancied something of the kind was due. What an inestimable
blessing it is that such women as the Countess Sagan exist--to satisfy
diplomatic curiosity! We must find out the precise limits of the German
game at the Castle of Sagan. It is lucky for you, John, my son, that
your duty as a Maasaun soldier to the Maasaun nation and as an
Englishman to your own, run in this instance on the same lines.'

'They always will.'

'Don't be too sure of that! There may come a day when your public and
your private honour will stand face to face, hopelessly irreconcilable.
What then?'

'When anything so extremely awkward comes to pass, I suppose I shall
have to make up my mind on the subject,' replied Rallywood with a lazy
yawn, 'in the meantime it is to much trouble. Just at present my part is
simple, and I look for the game to turn in our favor.'

Counsellor stood still, as if in consideration, for a minute.

'The stake may seem to be a small one--just this useless scrap of
country,' he said at length, 'but the issues are far-reaching, and
therefore all Europe is taking a hand in the game. How will it end? I
don't know! The Fates shuffle and men handle the cards, but God cuts!
Thirty y