pires, please get
into touch with me immediately, even to the extent of----" he paused a
moment.

"Bursting in as you did just now," said Sir Bridgman with a laugh.
"It's the real John Dene manner."

"Exactly," said Sir Lyster.

Sir Lyster conducted Dorothy into Mr. Blair's room.

"Mr. Blair," he said, "if Miss West ever wishes to see me urgently,
please tell me, no matter with whom I am engaged. If I do not happen
to be in, Sir Bridgman will see her, or failing that get through to
Colonel Walton, or to Mr. Sage."

Sir Lyster bowed to Dorothy and returned to his room. Mr. Blair
blinked his eyes in bewilderment; the influence of John Dene upon the
British Admiralty was most extraordinary.

"I don't understand the drift of all your questions, Mr. Sage," said
Sir Lyster, resuming his seat.

Malcolm Sage turned his eyes upon the First Lord. "I will explain that
later, sir," he said, "but for the present I must ask your indulgence."

"But----" began Sir Lyster.

"I might advance a hundred theories; but until I am sure it would be
better for me to keep silence. I must confer with my chief."

Sir Bridgman nodded approval.

"Quite so," said Sir Lyster. "In the meantime what is to be done?"

"Raise the hue and cry," said Sage quietly.

"Good God, man!" exclaimed Sir Bridgman. "It would give the whole game
away."

"I propose," said Sage quietly, "that photographs of John Dene be
inserted in every paper in the kingdom, that every continental paper
likewise has full particulars of his disappearance. That you offer a
thousand pounds reward for news that will lead to his discovery, and go
on increasing it by a thousand every day until it reaches ten
thousand." Malcolm Sage paused; his three listeners stared at him as
if he were out of his senses.

"You seriously suggest this publicity?" enquired Sir Lyster in cold and
even tones.

"I do," said Sage.

"You know why Mr. Dene is here."

"I do."

"And yet you still advise this course?" asked Sir Lyster.

"I do," responded Sage.

"Well, I'm damned!" said Sir Bridgman.

For a moment a flicker of a smile crossed Malcolm Sage's serious
features.

"What are your reasons?" demanded Sir Lyster.

"My reasons are closely connected with my conclusions, sir, and at the
present time they are too nebulous to express."

"We will consider this," said Sir Lyster with an air of concluding the
interview.

Malcolm Sage rose. "The time is not one for considerati