great roof-beam burned through and the hall fell in. But my
castle tumbled about my ears in the beginning, and I laughed then, I
remember."

"And, take it from me, you will live to laugh again and again," said the
kindly voice, "at the man who took it for granted that everything was
over, and did not set to work by dawn of the next day building up the hall
greater than before. Those old Vikings did, 'and each time the high seat
was dight more splendidly, and the hangings of the closed beds woven more
fair.' They never knew when they were beaten, those grand old fellows, and
so it came about that they never were. By the way, I have something here
that concerns you."

"Concerns me?"

"I think I may say, nearly concerns you. A paragraph in this copy of the
_Cape Town Mercury_, which, by the way, is three weeks old."

A rubbed and shabby newspaper, folded small, came out of the baggy
breast-pocket of the khaki jacket. Saxham received it with visible
annoyance.

"Some belated notice of one of my books." The scowl with which he surveyed
the paper testified to a strong desire to pitch it to the winds.

"Not a bit of it. It's an advertisement inserted by a London firm of
solicitors--Donkin, Donkin, and Judd, Lincoln's Inn. Possibly you are
acquainted with Donkin, if not with Judd?"

"They are the solicitors for the trustees of my mother's property, sir. I
heard from them three years ago, when I was at Diamond Town. They returned
my last letter to her, and told me of her death."

"They state in the usual formula that it will be to your advantage to
communicate with them. May I, as a friend, urge on you the necessity of
doing so?"

Saxham's grim mouth shut close. His eyes brooded sullenly.

"I will think it over, sir."

"You haven't much time. A despatch-runner from Koodoosvaal got through the
enemy's lines last night with some letters and this paper. No, no word of
the Relief. His verbal news was practically nil. He goes out at midnight
with some cipher messages. And, if you will let me have your reply to the
advertisement with the returned paper by eleven at latest, I will see that
it is sent." The rather peremptory tone softened--became persuasive; "You
must build up the great hall again, Saxham, and building can't be done
without money. And--it occurs to me that this may be some question of a
legacy."

"My father was not a wealthy man," Saxham said. "He gave me a costly
education, and later advanced four thousa