seamark of
his utmost sail. How different his life had been from what his early
ideas would have constructed it! And now--was it all over? Had his
active career closed? Was he never again to have his chance in
Gloria--in Gloria which he had almost begun to love as a bride? Or was
he failing in his devotion to his South American Dulcinea del Toboso?
Was the love of a mortal woman coming in to distract him from his love
to that land with an immortal future?

It pleased him and tantalised him thus to question himself and find
himself unable to give the answers. But he bore in mind the fact that
Hamilton, the most punctual of living men, was not quite punctual this
time. He turned his keen eyes upon the Clock Tower, and could see that
during his purposeless reflections quite five minutes had passed.
'Something has happened,' he thought. 'Hamilton is certainly not coming.
If he meant to keep the appointment he would have been here waiting for
me five minutes before the time. Well, I'll give him five minutes more,
and then I'll go.'

Several persons had passed him in the meanwhile. They were the ordinary
passengers of the night time. The milliner's apprentice took leave of
her lover and made for her home in one of the smaller streets about
Broad Sanctuary. The artisan, who had been enjoying a drink in one of
the public-houses near the Park, was starting for his home on the south
side of the river. Occasionally some smart man came from St. James's
Street to bury himself in his flat in Queen Anne's Mansions. A belated
Tommy Atkins crossed the bridge to make for the St. James's Barracks.
One or two of the daughters of folly went loungingly by--wandering, not
altogether purposeless, among the open roads of the Park. None of all
these had taken any notice of the Dictator.

Suddenly a step was heard near, just as the Dictator was turning to go,
and even at that moment he noticed that several persons had quite lately
passed, and that this was the first moment when the place was solitary,
and a thought flashed through his mind that this might be Hamilton, who
had waited for an opportunity. He turned round, and saw that a short and
dapper-looking man had come up close beside him. The man leaned over the
bridge.

'A fine night, governor,' he said.

'A very fine night,' Ericson said cheerily, and he was turning to go
away.

'No offence in talking to you, I hope, governor?'

'Not the least in the world,' Ericson said. 'Why shoul