sual event. I might very
easily have been asked to resign my membership.

Gorman accepted my invitation, but said he would have to be back in the
House of Commons at 9 o'clock. I fixed dinner for half past seven, which
gave me nearly an hour and a half with Gorman, more time than Malcolmson
had required to state his side of the case.

But Gorman was very much more difficult to deal with. He was not
inclined to discuss Home Rule or the Ulster situation. He wanted to talk
about Tim's cash register, and, later on, about the new way of putting
cinematograph pictures on the stage.

"I have been wandering about since I saw you last," I said, "and I've
been in all sorts of strange places. I've lost touch with things at
home. Hardly ever saw an English newspaper. I want you to tell me----"

"Interesting time you must have had," said Gorman. "Run across the trail
of our friend Ascher much? I expect you did."

Gorman very nearly sidetracked me there. I was strongly tempted to tell
him about the impression which Ascher's gossamer had made on me.

"The slime of the financier," said Gorman, "lies pretty thick over the
world. You've seen those large black slugs which come out in summer
after rain, big juicy fellows which crawl along and leave a shiny track
on the grass. They're financiers."

"Yes," I said, "quite so. But tell me about Home Rule."

"It's all right. Can't help becoming law. We have it in our pockets."

"This time next year," I said, "you'll be sitting in a Parliament in
Dublin."

"There'll be a Parliament in Dublin all right this time next year; but
I'm not sure that I'll be in it. After all, you know, Dublin's rather a
one-horse place. I don't see how I could very well live there. I might
run over for an important debate now and then, but---- You see I've a
lot of interests in London. I suppose you've heard about the new Cash
Register Company and what Ascher's done."

"Not a word. Do I still hold those shares of mine?"

"Unless you've sold them you do, but they'll be very little good to you.
Ascher has simply thrown away a sure thing. We might have had--well, I
needn't mention the sum, but it was a pretty big one. I had the whole
business arranged. Those fellows would have paid up. But nothing would
do Ascher except to put in his spoon. I'm blest if I see what his game
is. He has one of course; but I don't see it."

"Perhaps," I said, "he wants to have your brother's invention worked for
what it's worth