"The assault or favour of the other side."

"Favour?" she repeated.

Barraclough nodded and took from his pocket a folded sheet of notepaper.

"Listen to this," he said and read: "'Dear Mr. Barraclough, if you would
grant me ten minutes private conversation, at your own convenience, I
should be pleased to reward the courtesy with a sum of twenty-five
thousand pounds. Faithfully yours, Hugo Van Diest.' And that's only
ground bait."

"Did you meet him?"

"No fear."

Isabel rubbed her forehead perplexedly.

"Oh, I don't know," she said, "I don't understand. But if this radium
belongs to your side already----"

"That's just it," he explained. "I haven't got the concession yet. They
know that--it's what makes 'em so devilish active. You'll understand
they'll do their best to prevent me getting to the place."

Her eyes opened very wide.

"Their best? D'you mean they'd----"

"Lord, no. There'd be no point in that unless they had the map reference
first."

"You'll be gone three weeks?"

"That's all."

"They'll follow you?"

"You bet they'll try."

"Suppose they got you! Tony! _Tony_, they might try and make you speak."

He did his best to calm her but she went on furiously.

"It's true. Men are brutes--vile beasts--where money is concerned. Oh,
I hate this--hate every bit of it. Power--healing--it's only another
name for the money grab--the horrible cutthroat money grab. Tony, you
shan't go--I won't let you go--I'll prevent you by every means----"

"Now, my dear," he begged, putting his arms about her, "be a good
sensible little girl--be a baby for three weeks. You've all your
trousseau to get--heaps of people to see. Why not run over to Paris for
a week? Then there's my mother in Devon. She'd be tremendously bucked
if----"

"Is this place abroad?" said Isabel.

"I can't tell that even to you."

"When are you starting?"

"Probably in three days' time--latish."

"You're determined to go?"

"I must."

"Nothing I can say will prevent you?"

"I'm sorry, dear."

"Hm!" said Isabel. "Then I suppose we'd better make the most of the time
that's left."

And very slowly she subsided on the Cushion pile in the corner, her chin
resting on his shoulder and her left hand playing idly with a long gold
tassel.

"Oh, you angel," he exclaimed, "I knew you wouldn't really make any
difficulties. And there's no need to be frightened because they're
fixing me up the easiest get-away in th