e, more distinguished than
ever; but I hardly think any one would have expected you to interest
yourself in political mysteries. I have a recollection of hearing or
reading somewhere that politics were your pet aversion."

"So they are," replied Franklin Marmion, with a short laugh. "I consider
ordinary politics--juggling with phrases to delude the ignorance and
flatter the prejudices of the mob, and bartering principles for place
and power--to be about the most contemptible vocation a man can descend
to, but those are low politics in more senses than one. Now high
politics, as a psychological study, to an outsider are a very different
matter. But I am digressing. I did not invite you here to discuss
trivialities like these. I want to ask you--of course, you will not
answer me unless you like--whether you are connected, professionally or
otherwise, with the Zastrow affair?"

M. Hendry looked down at the toes of his perfectly-shaped boots for a
moment or two. Then he raised his head and said good-humouredly:

"Professor, I know that there is no more honourable man in the world
than you, but even from you I must ask frankly your reasons for asking
that question?"

"You have a perfect right to do that, my dear sir," was the quiet reply.
"If you say 'yes,' I am anxious to help you: if you say 'no,' I should
like you to help me: if you don't care to answer, there is an end of the
matter. Those are my reasons."

It took a good deal to astonish Nicol Hendry, but he was considerably
astonished now. Yet it was impossible to have the remotest doubt of
Franklin Marmion's absolute earnestness. But why should he of all men on
earth want to unravel the Zastrow mystery? What interest save the merest
curiosity could he have in the matter? And yet he was by no means the
sort of man to be merely curious. The very strangeness of his
proposition half-convinced him that there must be some other very strong
reason underlying those which he had given. Again, he was to be
perfectly trusted, so no harm could be done trying to discover if this
was so, since if he could help he would do so loyally. So he told him.

"Yes, Professor," he said, looking keenly into his eyes, "I am
interested in the _affaire_, professionally interested, and, I may add,
very deeply interested, to boot."

"I am glad to hear that," said Franklin Marmion with unexpected
earnestness. "Now, the next question is: Will you accept my assistance,
whatever it may be, und