lved to risk Sir Winterton's anger in Sir Winterton's
interest, did something; he wrote covertly to Jimmy Benyon at the Bull,
begging him to be riding on the Henstead road at ten o'clock the next
morning; the Dean would take a walk and the pair would meet, as it was to
seem, accidentally; nothing had been said to Sir Winterton, nothing was
to be said at present to Mr. Quisante. The Dean was, in fact, most
carefully unofficial, and in no small fright besides; yet he was also
curious to know how this new phase of the fight was regarded at the
Quisante headquarters.

Jimmy came punctually, greeted the Dean most heartily, and listened to
all that he said. The Dean could not quite make out his mood; he seemed
uncomfortable and vexed, but he was not embarrassed, and was able to
state what the Dean took to be the Quisante position with so much
clearness that the Dean could not help wondering whether he had received
instructions.

"Quisante's line has been to take absolutely no notice of the whole
thing," said Jimmy. "He knows nothing about it, and has had nothing to do
with its being brought forward; he's never mentioned it, and he won't.
But on the other hand he doesn't feel called upon to fight Mildmay's
battle, or to offend his own supporters by defending a man who won't
defend himself. As for this business about Lady Mildmay, if Mildmay likes
to make such an ass of himself he must take the consequences."

The Dean felt that the Quisante case even put thus bluntly by Jimmy was
very strong; Quisante's deft tongue and skilful brain could make it
appear irresistible. Strategically retiring from the ground of strict
justice, he made an appeal to the feelings.

"Surely neither Mr. Quisante himself nor any of you would wish to win
through such an occurrence as this? That would be no satisfaction to
you."

"Of course we'd rather win without it," said Jimmy irritably. "It's not
our fault. Go to Japhet Williams, or, best of all, persuade Mildmay not
to be a fool. Why won't he answer?"

"Have you had any talk with Quisante about it?"

"Very little. He thinks pretty much what I've said."

"Or with Lady May?" asked the Dean with a direct glance.

"She's never mentioned it to me."

"The whole affair is deplorable."

"I don't see what we can do." Jimmy's tone was rather defiant.

The Dean fell into thought and, as the result thereof, made a proposition;
it was very much that suggestion to Quisante on which Sir Winterton had