nows----Well, well."

"It will be done to-night," said the Cardinal, still without
lifting his eyes.

"Certainly, your Eminence, if nothing interferes; but how can we
be sure of that? I know the Government means business."

"It's half an hour since the last message," observed the General.

Lord Southminster got up suddenly and went to the lobby-door. As he
went the door into the parlours opened and his mother looked in.

"Any more news, my son?"

"No, mother. I was just going to ask."

The old lady came forward as her son went out--a splendid old
creature in her lace and jewels--active still and upright in
spite of her years. She made a little gesture as the men offered
to move, and went and leaned by the old-fashioned open
fire-place, such as her husband had put in at the restoration
throughout the house.

"Your Eminence, can you reassure us?" she said, smiling.

The Cardinal, too, smiled as he turned in his chair.

"I am confident the Bill will pass," he said. "But I do not know
yet what the price will be."

"Your Eminence means in England? Or elsewhere?" asked the
chaplain abruptly.

"In England and elsewhere, father."

Old Lady Jane Morpeth appeared at this moment, and the two
ladies sat down on the high oak settle that screened the fire
from the window. They showed no signs of anxiety; but Monsignor
perceived that their return at all to this room just now was
significant. Simultaneously the young man came in again, closing
the door behind him.

"Our enquiries are not answered," he said sharply. "We are trying
to get into touch with another office."

No one spoke for a minute. Even to Monsignor, who still found it
hard always to understand the communication-system of the time,
it was obvious that something must have happened. He knew that
Southminster Castle had been put into wireless touch with the
great Marconi office in Parliament Square, and that a failure to
be answered meant that something unexpected had happened. But it
was entirely impossible to conjecture for certain what this
something might be.

"That is serious?" remarked Lady Southminster, without
moving a muscle.

"I suppose so," said her son, and sat down again.

Then the man who was looking out of the window turned and came
back into the room, latching the shutters and putting the curtains
into place.

"Well, Jack?" asked the General.

"I have counted eight or nine volors," he said; "usually there
are only two at this ti