aces. We have trekked the veldt and
been lost to the world for many months at a time. We have seen the real
wonders of Africa together, as well as her tawdry civilisation."

"And you, too," Mr. Mangan asked, "have you retired?"

Seaman's smile was almost beatific.

"The same deal," he said, "which brought Sir Everard's fortune to
wonderful figures brought me that modest sum which I had sworn to
reach before I returned to England. It is true. I have retired from
money-making. It is now that I take up again my real life's work."

"If you are going to talk about your hobby," Dominey observed, "you had
better order them to serve your lunch here."

"I had finished my lunch before you came in," his friend replied. "I
drink another glass of wine with you, perhaps. Afterwards a liqueur--who
can say? In this climate one is favoured, one can drink freely. Sir
Everard and I, Mr. Mangan, have been in places where thirst is a thing
to be struggled against, where for months a little weak brandy and water
was our chief dissipation."

"Tell me about this hobby?" the lawyer enquired.

Dominey intervened promptly. "I protest. If he begins to talk of that,
he'll be here all the afternoon."

Seaman held out his hands and rolled his head from side to side.

"But I am not so unreasonable," he objected. "Just one word--so?
Very well, then," he proceeded quickly, with the air of one fearing
interruption. "This must be clear to you, Mr. Mangan. I am a German
by birth, naturalised in England for the sake of my business, loving
Germany, grateful to England. One third of my life I have lived in
Berlin, one third at Forest Hill here in London, and in the city, one
third in Africa. I have watched the growth of commercial rivalries and
jealousies between the two nations. There is no need for them. They
might lead to worse things. I would brush them all away. My aim is to
encourage a league for the promotion of more cordial social and business
relations between the people of Great Britain and the people of the
German Empire. There! Have I wasted much of your time? Can I not speak
of my hobby without a flood of words?"

"Conciseness itself," Mangan admitted, "and I compliment you most
heartily upon your scheme. If you can get the right people into it, it
should prove a most valuable society."

"In Germany I have the right people. All Germans who live for their
country and feel for their country loathe the thought of war. We want
peace, we