ly satisfied. Everything depends on her waking moments."

The young man abandoned the subject with a murmur of hopeful sympathy.
His eyes were fixed upon a little cloud of dust in the distance.

"Expecting visitors to-day?" he asked.

"Should not be surprised," was the somewhat laconic answer.

The young man stood up, yawned and stretched himself.

"I'll make myself scarce," he said. "Jove!" he added approvingly,
lingering for a moment. "Jolly well cut, the tunic of your uniform,
Dominey! If a country in peril ever decides to waive the matter of my
indifferent physique and send me out to the rescue, I shall go to your
man."

Dominey smiled.

"Mine is only the local Yeomanry rig-out," he replied. "They will nab
you for the Guards!"

Dominey stepped back through the open windows into his study as Pelham
strolled off. He was seated at his desk, poring over some letters,
when a few minutes later Seaman was ushered into the room. For a single
moment his muscles tightened, his frame became tense. Then he realised
his visitor's outstretched hands of welcome and he relaxed. Seaman was
perspiring, vociferous and excited.

"At last!" He exclaimed. "Donner und!--My God Dominey, what is this?"

"Thirteen years ago," Dominey explained, "I resigned a commission in the
Norfolk Yeomanry. That little matter, however, has been adjusted. At a
crisis like this--"

"My friend, you are wonderful!" Seaman interrupted solemnly. "You are a
man after my own heart, you are thorough, you leave nothing undone. That
is why," he added, lowering his voice a little, "we are the greatest
race in the world. Drink before everything, my friend," he went on,
"drink I must have. What a day! The very clouds that hide the sun are
full of sulphurous heat."

Dominey rang the bell, ordered hock and seltzer and ice. Seaman drank
and threw himself into an easy-chair.

"There is no fear of your being called out of the country because of
that, I hope?" he asked a little anxiously, nodding his head towards his
companion's uniform.

"Not at present," Dominey answered. "I am a trifle over age to go with
the first batch or two. Where have you been?"

Seaman hitched his chair a little nearer.

"In Ireland," he confided. "Sorry to desert you as I did, but you do not
begin to count for us just yet. There was just a faint doubt as to what
they were doing to do about internment. That is why I had to get the
Irish trip off my mind."

"What has been decide