teamship _Pride of the
South_ was ploughing her way through the waves, bound from Kirton to San
Francisco, with liberty to touch at several South American ports. A
thick-set, short man, shipped at the last moment as cook's mate, in
substitution for a truant, was lying on his back, smoking a cigarette,
looking up at the bright stars, and ever and again gently pressing his
hand on a little lump inside his shirt. He seemed at peace with all the
world, though he was ready to be at war, if need be, and his knife,
burnished and clean, lay handy to his fingers. He turned on his side and
composed himself to sleep, his chest rising and falling with regular,
uninterrupted breathing. Once he smiled: he was thinking of Ned Evans,
the doorkeeper; then he gave himself a little shake, closed his eyes,
and forgot all the troubles of this weary world. So sleep children,
so--we are told--the just: so slept M. Francois Gaspard, on his way to
seek fresh woods and pastures new.

CHAPTER XXI.

ALL THERE WAS TO TELL.

The custom in New Lindsey was that every Monday during the session of
Parliament the Executive Council should meet at Government House, and,
under the presidency of the Governor, formally ratify and adopt the
arrangements as to the business of the coming week which its members had
decided upon at their Cabinet meetings. It is to be hoped that, in these
days, when we all take an interest in our Empire, everybody knows that
the Executive Council is the outward, visible, and recognised form of
that impalpable, unrecognised, all-powerful institution, the Cabinet,
consisting in fact, though not in theory, of the same persons, save that
the Governor is present when the meeting is of the Council, and absent
when it is of the Cabinet--a difference of less moment than it sounds,
seeing that, except in extreme cases, the Governor has little to do but
listen to what is going to be done. However, forms doubtless have their
value, and at any rate they must be observed, so on this Monday morning
the Executive Council was to meet as usual, although nobody knew where
the Cabinet would be that time twenty-four hours. Lady Eynesford, who
wanted her husband to drive her out, thought the meeting under the
circumstances mere nonsense--which it very likely was--and said so,
which betrayed inexperience, and Alicia Derosne asked what time it took
place.

"Eleven sharp," said the Governor, and returned to the account of the
murder.

Time