"More interference, sir," he groaned. "I don't see how they can expect
us to run our department with the civilians butting in wherever they
like. They want us to save the country and they're to have the credit
for it."

There was a knock at the door. A boy scout entered. His eyes were a
little protuberant, his manner betokened awe.

"Mr. Gordon Jones, sir!"

Mr. Gordon Jones entered without waiting for any further announcement.
Thomson rose to his feet and received a genial handshake, after which
the newcomer glanced at Ambrose. Thomson signed to his assistant to
leave the room.

"Major Thomson," the Cabinet Minister began impressively, as he settled
down in his chair, "I have come here to confer with you, to throw
myself, to a certain extent, upon your understanding and your common
sense," he added, speaking with the pleased air of a man sure of his
ground and himself.

"You have come to protest, I suppose," Thomson said slowly, "against our
having--"

"To protest against nothing, my dear sir," the other interrupted.
"Simply to explain to you, as I have just explained to your Chief, that
while we possess every sympathy with, and desire to give every latitude
in the world to the military point of view, there are just one or two
very small matters in which we must claim to have a voice. We have, as
you know, a free censorship list. We have put no one upon it who is not
far and away above all suspicion. I am given to understand that a letter
addressed to Sir Alfred Anselman was opened yesterday. I went to see
your Chief about it this morning. He has referred me to you."

"The letter," Thomson remarked, "was opened by my orders."

"I happened," Mr. Gordon Jones went on, "to be dining at Sir Alfred's
house when the letter was presented. Sir Alfred, I must say, took it
exceedingly well. At the same time, I have made it my business to see
that this does not occur again."

Thomson made no sign. His eyebrows, however, rose a little higher.

"The country," his visitor continued, "will know some day what it owes
to Sir Alfred Anselman. At present I can only express, and that poorly,
my sense of personal obligation to him. He has been of the greatest
assistance to the Government in the city and elsewhere. His
contributions to our funds have been magnificent; his advice, his
sympathy, invaluable. He is a man inspired by the highest patriotic
sentiments, one of the first and most noteworthy of British citizens."

Tho