f the
Kaiser, on account of a certain unfortunate happening in Hungary."

"I killed a man in a duel," Dominey said slowly, with his eyes fixed
upon his companion's. "It was not an unforgivable act."

"There are duels and duels. A fight between two young men, in defence of
the honour of or to gain the favour of a young lady in their own station
of life, has never been against the conventions of the Court. On the
other hand, to become the lover of the wife of one of the greatest
nobles in Hungary, and to secure possession by killing the husband
in the duel which his honour makes a necessity is looked upon very
differently."

"I had no wish to kill the Prince," Dominey protested, "nor was it at my
desire that we met at all. The Prince fought like a madman and slipped,
after a wild lunge, on to the point of my stationary sword."

"Let that pass," Seaman said. "I am not of your order and I probably do
not understand the etiquette of these matters. I simply look upon you as
a culprit in the eyes of our master, and I feel that he has a right to
demand from you much in the way of personal sacrifice."

"Perhaps you will tell me," Dominey demanded, "what more he would have?
I have spent weary years in a godless and fever-ridden country, raising
up for our arms a great troop of natives. I have undertaken other
political commissions in the Colony which may bear fruit. I am to take
up the work for which I was originally intended, for which I was
given an English education. I am to repair to England, and, under such
identity as I might assume after consultation with you at Cape Town,
I am to render myself so far as possible a _persona grata_ in that
country. I do not wait for our meeting. I see a great chance and I make
use of it. I transform myself into an English country gentleman, and I
think you will admit that I have done so with great success."

"All that you say is granted," Seaman agreed. "You met me at Cape Town
in your new identity, and you certainly seemed to wear it wonderfully.
You have made it uncommonly expensive, but we do not grudge money."

"I could not return home to a poverty-stricken domain," Dominey pointed
out. "I should have held no place whatever in English social life, and
I should have received no welcome from those with whom I imagine you
desire me to stand well."

"Again I make no complaints," Seaman declared. "There is no bottom
to our purse, nor any stint. Neither must there be any stint to our