change?"

"Precisely! They would then form at once my justification, and place
English diplomacy in such a light before the saner portion of my fellow
countrymen that an honourable peace might be rendered possible. Study
them carefully, Von Ragastein. Perhaps even your own allegiance to the
Party you serve may waver for a moment as you read."

"I serve no Party," Dominey said quietly, "only my Country."

Terniloff sighed.

"Alas! there is no time for us to enter into one of our old arguments on
the ethics of government. I must send you away, Von Ragastein. You have
a terrible task before you. I am bound to wish you Godspeed. For myself
I shall not raise my head again until I have left England."

"There is no other commission?" Dominey asked. "No other way in which I
can serve you?"

"None," Terniloff answered sadly. "I am permitted to suffer no
inconveniences. My departure is arranged for as though I were royalty.
Yet believe me, my friend, every act of courtesy and generosity which I
receive in these moments, bites into my heart. Farewell!"

Dominey found a taxicab in Pall Mall and drove back to Berkeley Square.
He found Rosamund with a little troop of dogs, just entering the
gardens, and crossed to her side.

"Dear," he asked, taking her arm, "would you mind very much coming down
to Norfolk for a few days?"

"With you?" she asked quickly.

"Yes! I want to be in retreat for a short time. There are one or two
things I must settle before I take up some fresh work."

"I should love it," she declared enthusiastically. "London is getting so
hot, and every one is so excited."

"I shall order the touring car at three o'clock," Dominey told her. "We
shall get home about nine. Parkins and your maid can go down by train.
Does that suit you?"

"Delightfully!"

He took her arm and they paced slowly along the hot walk.

"Rosamund dear," he said, "the time has come which many people have been
dreading. We are at war."

"I know," she murmured.

"You and I have had quite a happy time together, these last few months,"
he went on, "even though there is still that black cloud between us. I
have tried to treat you as kindly and tenderly as though I were really
your husband and you were indeed my wife."

"You're not going away?" she cried, startled. "I couldn't bear that! No
one could ever be so sweet as you have been to me."

"Dear," he said, "I want you to think--of your husband--of Everard. He
was a soldier onc