at has he done?"

"That's the difficulty. He says he cannot deny God, neither can he
affirm Him.--He was your secretary, then?"

"Certainly. I knew he was inclined to Christianity. I had to get rid of
him for that."

"Well, he is to be remanded for a week. Perhaps he will be able to make
up his mind."

Then the talk shifted off again. Two or three more came up, and all eyed
Oliver with a certain curiosity; the story was gone about that his wife
had left him. They wished to see how he took it.

At five minutes before the hour a bell rang, and the door into the
corridor was thrown open.

"Come, gentlemen," said the Prime Minister.

The Council Chamber was a long high room on the first floor; its walls
from floor to ceiling were lined with books. A noiseless rubber carpet
was underfoot. There were no windows; the room was lighted artificially.
A long table, set round with armed chairs, ran the length of the floor,
eight on either side; and the Presidential chair, raised on a dais,
stood at the head.

Each man went straight to his chair in silence, and remained there,
waiting.

* * * * *

The room was beautifully cool, in spite of the absence of windows, and
was a pleasant contrast to the hot evening outside through which most of
these men had come. They, too, had wondered at the surprising weather,
and had smiled at the conflict of the infallible. But they were not
thinking about that now: the coming of the President was a matter which
always silenced the most loquacious. Besides, this time, they understood
that the affair was more serious than usual.

At one minute before the hour, again a bell sounded, four times, and
ceased; and at the signal each man turned instinctively to the high
sliding door behind the Presidential chair. There was dead silence
within and without: the huge Government offices were luxuriously
provided with sound-deadening apparatus, and not even the rolling of the
vast motors within a hundred yards was able to send a vibration through
the layers of rubber on which the walls rested. There was only one noise
that could penetrate, and that the sound of thunder. The experts were at
present unable to exclude this.

Again the silence seemed to fall in one yet deeper veil. Then the door
opened, and a figure came swiftly through, followed by Another in black
and scarlet.

II

He passed straight up to the chair, followed by two secretaries, bowed
slightly to this side and that, sat