e you simply confirm the experience of the
ages, but, frankly, you amaze me. You are moving amongst the big places
of life, you are with those who are making history, and you would
be content to give the whole thing up. For what? You would become a
commonplace, easy-going young animal of a British soldier, for the sake
of the affection of a good-looking, well-bred, commonplace British
young woman. I don't understand you, Ronald. You have the blood of
empire-makers in your veins. Your education and environment have
developed an outward resemblance to the thing you profess to be, but
behind--don't you fell the grip of the other things?"

"I feel them, right enough," Granet replied. "I have felt them for
the last seven or eight years. But I am feeling something else, too,
something which I dare say you never felt, something which I have never
quite believed in."

Sir Alfred leaned back in his chair.

"In a way," he admitted, "this is disappointing. You are right. I have
never felt the call of those other things. When I was a young man, I
was frivolous simply when I felt inclined to turn from the big things of
life for purposes of relaxation. When an alliance was suggested to me, I
was content to accept it, but thank heavens I have been Oriental enough
to keep women in my life where they belong. I am disappointed in you,
Ronnie."

The young man shrugged his shoulders.

"I haven't flinched," he said.

"No, but the soft spot's there," was the grim reply. "However, let that
go. Tell me why you came up? Wasn't it better to have stayed down at
Brancaster for a little longer?"

"Perhaps," his nephew assented. "My arm came on a little rocky and I had
to chuck golf. Apart from that, I wasn't altogether comfortable about
things at Market Burnham. I was obliged to tell Thomson that I saw
nothing of Collins that night but they know at the Dormy House Club that
he started with me in the car and has never been heard of since. Then
there was the young woman."

"Saved you by a lie, didn't she?" the banker remarked. "That may be
awkward later on."

"I'm sick of my own affairs," Granet declared gloomily. "Is there
anything fresh up here at all?"

Sir Alfred frowned slightly.

"Nothing very much," he said. "At the same time, there are distinct
indications of a change which I don't like. With certain statesmen here
at the top of the tree, it was perfectly easy for me to carry out any
schemes which I thought necessary. During th