nd every thought you have
been capable of since the day I met you have been given to that one
thing. You'll find it a little difficult to start all over
again.--Don't--trouble. I know the way down and I have a car waiting.
You must take up golf and make a water garden at Martinhoe. I don't
know whether you deserve that I should wish you good fortune. I can't
make up my mind. But I will--and good-by!"

She left him in the end quite suddenly. He had not even time to open
the door for her. Tallente looked out of the window and watched her
drive away. His feelings were in a curiously numb state. For Stella he
had no feeling whatever. Her confirmation of Palliser's perfidy had
awakened in him no new resentment. Only in a vague way he began to
realise that his forebodings of the last few days were founded upon a
reality. Whether Palliser lived or was dead, it was too late for him to
undo the mischief he had done.

Tallente took up the receiver and asked for Dartrey's number. In half
an hour he was on his way to see him.

CHAPTER XIV

Tallente had the surprise of his life when he was shown into Dartrey's
little dining room. A late breakfast was still upon the table and Nora
was seated behind the coffee pot. She took prompt pity upon his
embarrassment.

"You've surprised our secret," she exclaimed, "but anyhow, Stephen was
going to tell you to-day. We were married the day before yesterday."

"That is why I played truant," Dartrey put in, "although we only went as
far as Tunbridge Wells."

Tallente held out a hand to each. For a moment the tragedy in his own
life was forgotten.

"I can't wish you happiness, because you have found it," he said. "Wise
and wonderful people! Let me see if your coffee is what I should
expect, Nora," he went on. "To tell you the truth, I have had rather a
disturbed breakfast."

"So have we," Dartrey observed. "You mean the Leeds figures, of
course?"

Tallente shook his head.

"I haven't even opened a newspaper."

"Horlock went down himself yesterday to speak for his candidate. Our
man is in by five thousand, seven hundred votes."

"Amazing!" Tallente murmured.

"It is the greatest reversal of figures in political history," Dartrey
declared. "Listen, Tallente. I was quite prepared to go the Session,
as you know, but Horlock's had enough. He is asking for a vote of
confidence on Tuesday. He'll lose by at least sixty votes."

"And then?"

"We can't put it off any longer. We sha