liberty?"

Sir Henry threw open the window and looked towards a green light out at
sea.

"There's your trawler," he pointed out, "and remember the tide will turn
in half an hour. I don't wish to hurry you."

Lessingham raised Philippa's fingers to his lips.

"I shall think of you both always," he said simply. "You are very
wonderful people."

He turned towards the window. Sir Henry took up the Homburg hat from the
table by his side.

"Better take your hat," he suggested.

Lessingham paused, accepted it, and looked steadfastly at the donor.

"You knew from the first?" he asked.

"From the very first," Sir Henry assured him. "Don't look so
confounded," he went on consolingly. "Remember that espionage is the
only profession in which it is an honour to fail."

Philippa came a little shyly into her husband's arms, as he turned back
into the room. The tenderness in his own face, however, and a little
catch in his voice, broke down at once the wall of reserve which had
grown up between them.

"My dear little woman!" he murmured. "My little sweetheart! You don't
know how I've ached to explain everything to you--including the Russian
ladies."

"Explain them at once, sir!" Philippa insisted, pretending to draw her
face away for a moment.

"They were the wife and sister-in-law of the Russian Admiral, Draskieff,
who was sent over to report upon our method of mine laying," he told
her.

"You and I have to go up to a little dinner they are giving to-morrow or
the next day."

"Oh, dear, what an idiot I was!" Philippa exclaimed ruefully. "I
imagined--all sorts of things. But, Henry dear," she went on, "do you
know that we have a great surprise for you--here in the house?"

"No surprise, dear," he assured her, shaking his head. "I knew the very
hour that Richard left Wittenberg. And here he is, by Jove!"

Richard and Helen entered together. Philippa could not even wait for the
conclusion of the hearty but exceedingly British greeting which passed
between the two men.

"Listen to me, both of you!" she cried incoherently. "Helen, you
especially! You never heard anything so wonderful in your life! They
weren't fishing excursions at all. There weren't any whiting. Henry was
laying mines all the time, and he's blown up half the German fleet! It's
all in the Times this morning. He's got a D.S.O.--Henry has--and he's a
Rear-Admiral! Oh, Helen, I want to cry!"

The two women wandered into a far corner of the room. Ric