ake my word on
trust--to wreck the position on Thursday. I can keep ninety Labour men
out of the Lobby and the Government will carry their vote of confidence.
In that case, our coming into power may be delayed for years. We shall
lose the great opportunity of this century. Tallente is your friend,
Dartrey, but the cause comes first. I shall leave the decision with
you."

Miller took his departure with a smile of evil triumph upon his thin
lips. He had his moment of discomfiture, however, when Dartrey coldly
ignored his extended hand. The two men left behind heard the door slam.

"This is the devil of a business, Tallente!" Dartrey said grimly.

CHAPTER XV

Nora returned to the room as Miller left.

"I don't know whether you wanted me to go," she said to Dartrey, "but I
cannot sit and listen to that man talk. I try to keep myself free from
prejudices, but there are exceptions. Miller is my pet one. Tell me
exactly what he came about? Something disagreeable, I am sure?"

They told her, but she declined to take the matter seriously.

"A position like this is necessarily disagreeable," she argued, "but I
have confidence in Mr. Tallente. Remember, this article was written
nine years ago, Stephen, and though for twenty-four hours it may make
things unpleasant, I feel sure that it won't do nearly the harm you
imagine. And think what a confession to make! That man, who aims at
being a Cabinet Minister, sits here in this room and admits that he
bribed Mr. Tallente's secretary with five thousand pounds to steal the
manuscript out of his safe. How do you think that will go down with the
public?"

"A certain portion of the public, I am afraid," Tallente said gravely,
"will say that I discovered the theft--and killed Palliser."

"Killed Palliser!" Nora repeated incredulously. "I never heard such
rubbish!"

"Palliser certainly disappeared on the evening of the day when he parted
with the manuscript to Miller," Tallente went on, "and has never been
seen or heard of since."

"But there must be some explanation of that," Dartrey observed.

There was a short silence, significant of a curious change in the
atmosphere. Tallente's silence grew to possess a queer significance.
The ghost of rumours to which neither had ever listened suddenly forced
its way back into the minds of the other two. Dartrey was the first to
collect himself.

"Tallente," he said, "as a private person I have no desire to ask you a
single question