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Courage," he declared. "Very fine place indeed. No wonder you prefer a country life. Finest thing in the world." I made a pretence of answering him. But when we were in the study and the door was closed behind us, I felt that there was no longer any need to mince words. "Mr. Stanley," I said, "Lady Dennisford says that you are willing to abandon your persecution of my guest for a consideration."
"I will be brave," she answered with quivering lips; "but what did it mean at Saxby then? Why, there was a funeral!" "He was hard-pressed," I told her, "and it was the only way to save him. Be brave, Lady Dennisford, for I have come to you for help!" "I will do everything you ask me to," she answered. "But tell me one thing more. He is alive!" "He is in London," I answered.
"Come out into the other room," she said. "They cannot hear us from there." We passed into the drawing-room. An uncomfortable thought struck me. "You were here all the time!" I exclaimed. "Certainly! I wanted to hear you and Lady Dennisford converse!" "Eavesdropping, in fact," I remarked savagely. "Precisely!" she agreed. We were silent for a moment. Her eyes were full of mild amusement.
I had known Lady Dennisford for a good many years in a neighborly sort of way; but the woman who stood before me in the small sitting-room to which I had led her was a stranger to me. She had raised her veil; she was as pale as a woman may be, and her mouth, usually so firm and uncompromising, was now relaxed and tremulous. Before she spoke, I knew that tragedy was in the room with me.
He had repeated the name very softly, yet with a peculiar intonation, which made me at once aware that the name was of interest to him. "Yes! Do you know him?" I asked inanely. "Is his wife here?" he asked. "Lady Dennisford is seldom away," I answered. "She entertains a good deal down here. A very popular woman in the county." He seemed to be measuring the distance across the park with his eyes.
She tried to speak twice before the words came. "Mr. Courage," she said, "may I speak to you as a friend?" "Most certainly you can, Lady Dennisford," I answered. I said and I meant it, for I was exceedingly sorry for her. "Once I was to have married him," she said, "and I have cared for no one else all my life. There was a great scandal a political scandal and it was he upon whom the burden fell.
Stanley will excuse us, I am sure." "By all means," he declared, selecting an easy-chair. "You will await us here?" I asked. "Certainly!" "On parole?" "On parole, if you will give me a cigar." I rang the bell for refreshments. Then Lady Dennisford and I left the room together.
To think that the destinies of a great country should be in the hands of men like this. Why, what can our Secret Service be about?" "I believe," Lady Dennisford said, "that they have lately been presenting some disquieting reports. But it is all of no use. Every member of the Cabinet has got his back up.
He ridicules the idea of regarding it as a force that could be utilized, even in the event of war." "Then all three things happening together are merely coincidences?" I said bitterly. "He is blind enough to believe that?" "He believes it most sincerely," Lady Dennisford answered. "He will not stop the fleet going to Kiel?"
Let me tell you exactly what has happened to us since we joined forces." Lady Dennisford was a good listener. I gave her, in as few words as possible, a faithful account of our adventures, and she never once interrupted me with a single question. When I had finished, she was perfectly calm and self-possessed. "It is the most wonderful story I have ever heard," she declared with glowing eyes.
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