"

Julian walked with the Premier towards the door.

"Mr. Stenson," he declared, "you have said just what could be said from
your point of view, and God knows, even now, who is in the right! You
are looking at the future with a very full knowledge of many things
of which we are all ignorant. You have, quite naturally, too, the
politician's hatred of the methods these people propose. I myself am
inclined to think that they are a little hasty."

"Orden," Mr. Stenson replied sternly, "I did not come to you to-night
as a politician. I have spoken as a man and an Englishman, as I speak to
you now. For the love of your country and her honour, use your influence
with these people. Stop those telegrams. Work for delay at any cost.
There's something inexplicable, sinister, about the whole business.
Freistner may be an honest man, but I'll swear that he hasn't the
influence or the position that these people have been led to believe.
And as for Nicholas Fenn--"

The Prime Minister paused. Julian waited anxiously.

"It is my belief," the former concluded deliberately, "that thirty
seconds in the courtyard of the Tower, with his back to the light, would
about meet his case."

They parted at the door, and Julian returned to his seat, uneasy and
perplexed. Around the Council table voices were raised in anger. Fenn,
who was sitting moodily with folded arms, his chair drawn a little back
from the table, scowled at him as he took his place. Furley, who had
been whispering to the Bishop, turned towards Julian.

"It seems," he announced, "that the originals of most of Freistner's
communications have been destroyed."

"And why not?" Fenn demanded passionately. "Why should I keep letters
which would lay a rope around my neck any day they were found? You all
know as well as I do that we've been expecting the police to raid the
place ever since we took it."

"I am a late comer," Julian observed, "but surely some of you others
have seen the original communications?"

Thomas Evans spoke up from the other end of the table,--a small,
sturdily built man, a great power in South Wales.

"To be frank," he said, "I don't like these insinuations. Fenn's been
our secretary from the first. He opened the negotiations, and he's
carried them through. We either trust him, or we don't. I trust him."

"And I'm not saying you're not right, lad." Cross declared. "I'm for
being cautious, but it's more with the idea that our German friends
themselves