stily and seemed in a few moments to have overcome
her fatigue. She turned to her companion with an air of determination.

"I must speak to you about that packet, Mr. Orden," she insisted.

"Again?"

"I cannot help it. You forget that with me it is a matter of life or
death. You must realise that you were only entrusted with it. You are a
man of honour. Give it to me."

"I cannot."

"What are you thinking of doing with it, then?"

"I shall take it to London with me to-morrow," he replied, "and hand it
over to a friend of mine at the Foreign Office."

"Would nothing that I could do or say," she asked passionately,
"influence your decision?"

"Everything that you do or say interests and affects me," he answered
simply, "but so far as regards this matter, my duty is clear. You have
nothing to fear from my account of how it came into my possession. It
would be impossible for me to denounce you for what I fear you are. On
the other hand, I cannot allow you the fruits of your enterprise."

"You consider me, I suppose," she observed after a moment's pause, "an
enemy spy?"

"You have proved it," he reminded her.

"Of Overman--my confederate," she admitted, "that was true. Of me it is
not. I am an honest intermediary between the honest people of Germany
and England."

"There can be no communication between the two countries during wartime,
except through official channels," he declared.

Her eyes flashed. She seemed in the throes of one of those little bursts
of tempestuous passion which sometimes assailed her.

"You talk--well, as you might be supposed to talk!" she exclaimed,
breaking off with an effort. "What have official channels done to
end this war? I am not here to help either side. I represent simply
humanity. If you destroy or hand over to the Government that packet, you
will do your country an evil turn."

He shook his head.

"I am relieved to hear all that you say," he told her, "and I am
heartily glad to think that you do not look upon yourself as Overman's
associate. On the other hand, you must know that any movement towards
peace, except through the authorised channels, is treason to the
country."

"If only you were not the Honourable Julian Orden, the son of an English
peer!" she groaned. "If only you had not been to Eton and to Oxford! If
only you were a man, a man of the people, who could understand!"

"Neither my birth nor my education," he assured her, "have affected my
present outlook