mson listened in silence and without interruption. He met the
well-satisfied peroration of his visitor without comment.

"I am hoping to hear," the latter concluded, with some slight asperity
in his manner, "that the circumstance to which I have alluded was
accidental and will not be repeated."

Major Thomson glanced thoughtfully at a little pile of documents by
his side. Then he looked coldly towards his visitor and provided him,
perhaps, with one of the most complete surprises of his life.

"I am sorry, Mr. Gordon Jones," he said, "but this is not a matter which
I can discuss with you."

The Cabinet Minister's face was a study.

"Not discuss it?" he repeated blankly.

Major Thomson shook his head.

"Certain responsibilities," he continued quietly, "with regard to the
safe conduct of this country, have been handed over to the military
authorities, which in this particular case I represent. We are in no
position for amenities or courtesies. Our country is in the gravest
danger and nothing else is of the slightest possible significance. The
charge which we have accepted we shall carry out with regard to one
thing only, and that is our idea of what is due to the public safety."

"You mean, in plain words," Mr. Gordon Jones exclaimed, "that no
requests from me or say, for instance, the Prime Minister, would have
any weight with you?"

"None whatever," Major Thomson replied coolly. "Without wishing to be
in any way personal, I might say that there are statesmen in your
Government, for whom you must accept a certain amount of responsibility,
who have been largely instrumental in bringing this hideous danger upon
the country. As a company of law-makers you may or may not be excellent
people--that is, I suppose, according to one's political opinions. As
a company of men competent to superintend the direction of a country
at war, you must permit me to say that I consider you have done well in
placing certain matters in our hands, and that you will do better still
not to interfere."

Mr. Gordon Jones sat quite still for several moments.

"Major Thomson," he said at last, "I have never heard of your before,
and I am not prepared for a moment to say that I sympathise with your
point of view. But it is at least refreshing to hear any one speak his
mind with such frankness. I must now ask you one question, whether you
choose to answer it or not. The letter which you have opened, addressed
to Sir Alfred--you couldn't pos