red from
England."

General Feversham laughed.

"Of course, I can't turn you out of the house," he said; and he added
severely, "But I warn you that you are taking an improper advantage of
your position as my guest."

"Yes, there is no doubt of that," Durrance answered calmly; and he told
his story--the recovery of the Gordon letters from Berber, his own
meeting with Harry Feversham at Wadi Halfa, and Harry's imprisonment at
Omdurman. He brought it down to that very day, for he ended with the
news of Lieutenant Sutch's departure for Suakin. General Feversham heard
the whole account without an interruption, without even stirring in his
chair. Durrance could not tell in what spirit he listened, but he drew
some comfort from the fact that he did listen and without argument.

For some while after Durrance had finished, the general sat silent. He
raised his hand to his forehead and shaded his eyes as though the man
who had spoken could see, and thus he remained. Even when he did speak,
he did not take his hand away. Pride forbade him to show to those
portraits on the walls that he was capable even of so natural a weakness
as joy at the reconquest of honour by his son.

"What I don't understand," he said slowly, "is why Harry ever resigned
his commission. I could not understand it before; I understand it even
less now since you have told me of his great bravery. It is one of the
queer inexplicable things. They happen, and there's all that can be
said. But I am very glad that you compelled me to listen to you,
Durrance."

"I did it with a definite object. It is for you to say, of course, but
for my part I do not see why Harry should not come home and enter in
again to all that he lost."

"He cannot regain everything," said Feversham. "It is not right that he
should. He committed the sin, and he must pay. He cannot regain his
career for one thing."

"No, that is true; but he can find another. He is not yet so old but
that he can find another. And that is all that he will have lost."

General Feversham now took his hand away and moved in his chair. He
looked quickly at Durrance; he opened his mouth to ask a question, but
changed his mind.

"Well," he said briskly, and as though the matter were of no particular
importance, "if Sutch can manage Harry's escape from Omdurman, I see no
reason, either, why he should not come home."

Durrance rose from his chair. "Thank you, General. If you can have me
driven to the stat