shall be glad if he
would come this way at once. He will understand that it is a matter of
some importance."

The secretary bowed and withdrew, after a glance at the piece of paper
which he held in his hand. Sir Edward turned toward his visitor.

"Mr. Coulson," he said, "will you allow me the privilege of offering you
some refreshment?"

"I thank you, sir," Mr. Coulson answered. "I am in want of nothing but a
smoke."

Sir Edward turned to the bell, but his visitor promptly stopped him.

"If you will allow me, sir," he said, "I will smoke one of my own.
Home-made article, five dollars a hundred, but I can't stand these
strong Havanas. Try one."

Sir Edward waved them away.

"If you will excuse me," he said, "I will smoke a cigarette. Since you
are here, Mr. Coulson, I may say that I am very glad to meet you. I am
very glad, also, of this opportunity for a few minutes' conversation
upon another matter."

Mr. Coulson showed some signs of surprise.

"How's that?" he asked.

"There is another subject," Sir Edward said, "which I should like to
discuss with you while we are waiting for Mr. Smith."

CHAPTER XX. THE ANSWER

Mr. Coulson moved his cigar into a corner of his mouth, as though to
obtain a clear view of his questioner's face. His expression was one of
bland interest.

"Well, I guess you've got me puzzled, Sir Edward," he said. "You aren't
thinking of doing anything in woollen machinery, are you?"

Sir Edward smiled.

"I think not, Mr. Coulson," he answered. "At any rate, my question had
nothing to do with your other very interesting avocation. What I wanted
to ask you was whether you could tell me anything about a compatriot of
yours--a Mr. Hamilton Fynes?"

"Hamilton Fynes!" Mr. Coulson repeated thoughtfully. "Why, that's the
man who got murdered on the cars, going from Liverpool to London."

"That is so," Sir Edward admitted.

Mr. Coulson shook his head.

"I told that reporter fellow all I knew about him," he said. "He was an
unsociable sort of chap, you know, Sir Edward, and he wasn't in any line
of business."

"H'm! I thought he might have been," the Minister answered, glancing
keenly for a moment at his visitor. "To tell you the truth, Mr. Coulson,
we have been a great deal bothered about that unfortunate incident,
and by the subsequent murder of the young man who was attached to your
Embassy here. Scotland Yard has strained every nerve to bring the guilty
people to justice, but so