“MydearMr。Dunster，“hishostreplledcalmly，“yousurelycannotimaginethatyouareamongthieves！Yourdressing-casewasopenedandthecontentsofyourpocket-bookinspectedwithaviewtoascertainingyouraddress，orthenamesofsomefriendswithwhomwemightcommunicate。“
“AmItounderstandthattheyaretoberestoredtome，then？“Mr。
Dunsterdemanded。
“Withoutadoubt，yes！“Mr。Fentolinassuredhim。“You，however，arenotfitforanything，atthepresentmoment，buttoreturntoyourbed，fromwhichIunderstandyouroserathersuddenlyafewminutesago。“
“Onthecontrary，“Mr。Dunsterinsisted，“Iamfeelingabsolutelywellenoughtotravel。IhaveanappointmentontheContinentofgreatimportance，asyoumayjudgebythefactthatatLiverpoolStreetIcharteredaspecialtrain。Itrustthatnothinginmymannermayhavegivenyouoffence，butIamanxioustogetthroughwiththebusinesswhichbroughtmeovertothissideofthewater。
Ihavesentforyoutoaskthatmypocket-book，dressing-case，andclothesbeatoncerestoredtome，andthatIbeprovidedwiththemeansofcontinuingmyjourneywithoutamoment’sfurtherdelay。“
Mr。Fentolinshookhisheadverygently，veryregretfully，butalsofirmly。
“Mr。Dunster，“hepleaded，“dobereasonable。Thinkofallyouhavebeenthrough。Icanquitesympathisewithyouinyourimpatience，butIamforcedtotellyouthatthedoctorwhohasbeenattendingyousincethemomentyouwerebroughtintothishousehasabsolutelyforbiddenanythingofthesort。“
Mr。Dunsterseemed，foramoment，tostruggleforcomposure。
“IamanAmericancitizen，“hedeclared。“Iamwillingtolistentotheadviceofanyphysician，butsolongasItaketherisk，I
amnotboundtofollowit。
InthepresentcaseIdeclinetofollowit。Iaskforfacilitiestoleavethishouseatonce。“
Mr。Fentolinsighed。
“Inyourowninterests，“hesaidcalmly，“theywillnotbegrantedtoyou。“
Mr。Dunsterhadspokenallthetimelikeamanstrugglingtopreservehisself-control。Thereweresignsnowthathiswillwasceasingtoservehim。Hiseyesflashedfire，hisvoicewasraised。
“Willnotbegrantedtome？“herepeated。“Doyoumeantosay，then，thatIamtobekepthereagainstmywill？“
Mr。Fentolinmadenoimmediatereply。Withthedelicatefingersofhisrighthandhepushedbackthehairfromhisforehead。Helookedathisquestionersoothingly，asonemightlookataspoiledchild。
“Againstmywill？“Mr。Dunsterrepeated，raisinghisvoicestillhigher。“Mr。Fentolin，ifthetruthmustbetold，Ihaveheardofyoubeforeandbeenwarnedagainstyou。Ideclinetoacceptanylongerthehospitalityofyourroof。Iinsistuponleavingit。
Ifyouwillnotprovidemewithanymeansofdoingso，Iwillwalk。“
Hemadeamotionasthoughtorisefromthebed。Meekins’handverygentlycloseduponhisarm。Onecouldjudgethatthegripwaslikeagripofiron。
“Dearme，“Mr。Fentolinsaid，“thisisreallyveryunreasonableofyou！Ifyouhaveheardofme，Mr。Dunster，yououghttounderstandthatnotwithstandingmyunfortunatephysicaltrouble，Iamapersonofconsequenceandpositioninthiscounty。Iamamagistrate，ex-highsheriff，andagreatland-ownerhere。IthinkImaysaywithoutboastingthatIrepresentoneofthemostancientfamiliesinthiscountry。Why，therefore，shouldyoutreatmeasthoughitweretomyinteresttoinveigleyouundermyroofandkeepyouthereforsomeguiltypurpose？CannotyouunderstandthatitisforyourowngoodIhesitatetopartwithyou？“
“Iunderstandnothingofthesort，“Mr。Dunsterexclaimedangrily。
“Letusbringthisnonsensetoanend。Iwantmyclothes，andifyouwon’tlendmeacaroratrap，I’llwalktothenearestrailwaystation。“
Mr。Fentolinshookhishead。
“Iamquitesure，“hesaid，“thatyouarenotinapositiontotravel。Eveninthedining-roomjustnowIheardadisturbanceforwhichIwastoldthatyouwereresponsible。“
“Isimplyinsisteduponhavingmyclothes，“Mr。Dunsterexplained。
“Yourservantrefusedtofetchthem。rerhapsIlostmytemper。
Ifso，Iamsorry。Iamnotusedtobeingthwarted。“
“Afewdays’rest-“Mr。Fentolinbegan。
“Afewdays’restbehanged！“Mr。Dunsterinterruptedfiercely。
“Listen，Mr。Fentolin，“headded，withtheairofonemakingalastefforttopreservehistemper，“themissionwithwhichIamchargedisoneofgreaterimportancethanyoucanimagine。Somuchdependsuponitthatmyownlife，ifthatisindanger，wouldbeameretrifleincomparisonwiththeissuesinvolved。IfIamnotallowedtocontinueuponmyjourneyatonce，theconsequencesmaybemoreseriousthanIcantellyou，toyouandyours，toyourowncountry。
There！-Iamtellingyouagreatdeal，butIwantyoutounderstandthatIaminearnest。IhaveamissionwhichImustperform，andwhichImustperformquickly。“
“Youareverymysterious，“Mr。Fentolinmurinured。
“Iwillleavenothingtochance，“Mr。Dunstercontinued。“Sendthismanwhoseemstohaveconstitutedhimselfmyjaileroutofearshot，andIwilltellyouevenmore。“
Mr。FentolinturnedtoMeekins。
“Youcanleavetheroomforamoment，“heordered。“Waituponthethreshold。“
Meekinsveryunwillinglyturnedtoobey。
“Youwillexcuseme，sir，“heobjecteddoubtfully，“butIamnotatallsurethatheissafe。“
Mr。Fentolinsmiledfaintly。
“Youneedhavenofear，Meekins，“hedeclared。“Iamquitesurethatyouaremistaken。IthinkthatMr。Dunsterisincapableofanyactofviolencetowardsapersoninmyunfortunateposition。
Iamwillingtotrustmyselfwithhim-perfectlywilling，Meekins。“
Meekins，withponderousfootsteps，lefttheroomandclosedthedoorbehindhim。Mr。Fentolinleanedalittleforwardinhischair。Itseemedasthoughhewereonsprings。Thefingersofhisrighthandhaddisappearedinthepocketofhisblackvelvetdinner-coat。Hewascertainlypreparedforallemergencies。
“Now，Mr。Dunster，“hesaidsoftly，“youcanspeaktomewithoutreserve。“
Mr。Dunsterdroppedhisvoice。Histonebecameoneoffierceeagerness。
“Lookhere，“heexclaimed，“Idon’tthinkyououghttoforcemetogivemyselfawaylikethis，but，afterall，youareanEnglishman，withastakeinyourcountry，andIpresumeyoudon’twanthertotakeabackseatforthenextfewgenerations。Listenhere。It’stosaveyourcountrythatIwanttogettoTheHaguewithoutasecond’sdelay。ItellyouthatifIdon’tgetthere，ifthemessageIconveydoesn’treachitsdestination，youmayfindanagreementsignedbetweencertainPowerswhichwillmeanthegreatestdiplomatichumiliationwhichGreatBritainhaseverknown。Aye，andmorethanthat！“Mr。Dunstercontinued。“Itmaybethatthebogeyyou’vebeensettingbeforeyourselfforalltheseyearsmaytrotoutintolife，andyoumayfindSt。David’sHallabarrackforGermansoldiersbeforemanymonthshavepassed。“
Mr。Fentolinshookhisheadingentledisbelief。
“Youarespeakingtoone，“hedeclared，“whoknowsmoreofthepoliticalsituationthanyouimagine。InmyyoungerdaysIwasintheForeignOffice。SincemyunfortunateaccidentIhavepreservedthekeenestinterestinpolitics。ItellyoufranklythatIdonotbelieveyou。AsthePowersaregroupedatpresent，Idonotbelieveinthepossibilityofasuccessfulinvasionofthiscountry。“
“Perhapsnot，“Mr。Dunsterrepliedeagerly，“butthegroupingofthePowersasithasexistedduringthelastfewyearsisontheeveofagreatchange。Icannottakeyouwhollyintomyconfidence。
IcanonlygiveyoumywordofhonourasafriendtoyourcountrythatthemessageIcarryisheronlysalvation。Havingtoldyouasmuchasthat，IdonotthinkIamaskingtoomuchifIaskyouformyclothesanddressing-case，andforthefastestmotor-caryoucanfurnishmewith。IguessIcangetfromheretoYarmouth，andfromthereIcanchartersomethingwhichwilltakemetotheotherside。“
Mr。Fentolinraisedthelittlegoldwhistletohislipsandblewitverysoftly。Meekinsatonceentered，closingthedoorbehindhim。
Hemovedsilentlytothesideofthemanwhobadrisennowfromthebed，andwhowasstandingwithhishandgraspingthepostandhiseyesfixeduponMr。Fentolin，asthoughawaitinghisanswer。
“Ourconversation，“thelattersaidcalmly，“hasreachedapoint，Mr。Dunster，atwhichIthinkwemayleaveitforthemoment。Youhavetoldmesomeverysurprisingthings。IperceivethatyouareamoreinterestingvisitoreventhanIhadthought。“
Heraisedhislefthand，andMeekins，whoseemedtohavebeenwaitingforsomesignalofthesort，suddenly，withamovementofhiskneeandrightarm，flungDunsterhackuponthebed。Themanopenedhismouthtoshout，butalready，withlightning-likedexterity，hisassailanthadinsertedagagbetweenhisteeth。
