What does FleetStreet say to your absence?"
Moreno smiled his subtle smile. "My dear friend, I am sending weeklyarticles up to Fleet Street on this delightful country, and its equallydelightful population. In short, I am `booming' Spain. I am theinnocent journalist, out on a much needed holiday."
Rossett smiled. "You are a very wonderful man. _Au revoir_."
That night three letters were written to London. One was from Guyaddressed to his sister, and it contained the important question, hadhis father anything to do with his appointment to Madrid; in otherwords, did he owe his promotion to anything except his own merits?
Mary's reply came back in due course. It was distinctly conciliatoryand diplomatic. But, as Mary was not very adapt at telling a lie, thetruth peeped through. It was evident to Guy that Lord Saxham hadexercised his influence to get his son to Spain, with the view ofseparating him from Isobel; Guy felt very bitter towards his father. Hefelt it was something in the nature of a dirty trick, diplomaticperhaps, but none the less of a questionable nature.
Moreno wrote two letters. The first was to Lady Mary Rossett. He hadnot even been introduced to that charming young woman, but such anelementary fact as that did not deter him. He explained who he was, herecalled the evening at the Savoy. He pointed out that her brother wasin great danger, and that she should use all the influence of her familyto get Guy recalled on some pretext or another. He added that he hadmet Guy in Madrid and urged this course upon him, that Guy on scentingdanger, with the stubborn pride of the Englishman, had refused toabandon his post.
The second letter he sent to the head of the English Secret Service witha request that it should be shown to Greatorex. The motive of thesecond letter was the same as the first, that Guy Rossett should be gotout of harm's way, before an anarchist knife should be dug in his ribs.
Mary took the letter to her father. She was very genuinely alarmed; shealso had a faint recollection of the swarthy young Spaniard who had satat an adjoining table on that well-remembered evening at the Savoy. Hehad mentioned in his letter that he was a member of the Secret Service.She was disposed to trust him.
She thrust the letter into Lord Saxham's hand with an almost tragicgesture.
"Now, father, you can see what you have done by sending him over toSpain. That wily old Greatorex wanted to use him just for his ownpurpose, and you fell in pat with his scheme."
Lord Saxham read the letter, and his face blanched. "Oh, my poor boy,"he groaned.
His daughter loved him, but at the bottom of her heart there was alwaysa little good-humoured contempt. He was so terribly weak. Headstrong,violent, and explosive, but always weak.
Lady Mary spoke irritably; she was tender and compassionate, but not inthe least weak.
"We have got to act, father, and act immediately. Guy must come back atonce. You must see this artful old Greatorex to-morrow."
Saxham promised that he would see Greatorex to-morrow. He 'phoned upthat important personage, and fixed an appointment.
The two men met. By that time Greatorex had received Moreno's letterfrom the head of the Secret Service. He knew, therefore, exactly whathis old friend Lord Saxham had come about.
The Earl began in his usual explosive manner. "By God, Greatorex, youhaven't treated me well in this matter. You have sent my poor boy tohis death."
If Lord Saxham had been a less important member of the aristocracy, theimperturbable Greatorex would have shown him the door. But under thecircumstances forbearance had to be exercised.
"Softly, softly, if you please, my dear Saxham. It was at your requestI sent your son to Spain, to get him out of an unfortunateentanglement."
"I know, I know," spluttered the Earl, never very great in argument,"but I didn't know he was going to his death."
"No, more did I," replied Greatorex, speaking with his usual calm. "Nowlet us be reasonable and avoid indulging in mutual recriminations whichirritate both parties. What do you want me to do?"
"Recall him at once," thundered Lord Saxham.
"One moment, if you please," said Greatorex quietly. "We have got toconsider Guy's views on this matter. I have here a confidentialcommunication from a very trusted member of our Secret Service. He haswarned Guy of his danger, put all the possibilities and probabilitiesbefore him, and Guy refuses to budge. In short, he declines to runaway. What have you got to say to that?"
"Then I say he is a most infernal fool," cried Lord Saxham in his mostexplosive manner. Greatorex's lip curled a little.
"Perhaps from your point of view. Shall I give you mine?"
"If you like," said Saxham sullenly. He was not so dense that he couldnot see what was in the other man's mind.
"He is a very brave young Englishman of the true bulldog breed, who isgoing to stick to his post oblivious of the consequences. It is thatbreed that makes the British Empire what it is. Do you still want me torecall him?"
"Yes," spluttered the Earl. "I want him recalled. I don't intend himto be done to death by a dirty Spanish anarchist."
Greatorex's look was very disdainful.
"I will be on the wires all day with Stonehenge and Guy. If he consentsto be recalled on any pretext, I will recall him. But please understandme, Saxham; he shall only be recalled with his own consent. I will gono further."
The tall, lean man stood up, and towered over the somewhat blusteringLord Saxham.
"You can recall him, whether he consents or not," cried the angryfather, "if you choose."
"In this case I am not going to exercise my prerogative. It is no usearguing, Saxham. On this point my mind is made up. I will only addthat I greatly admire your son's attitude. If he sticks to thisbusiness, he will have a great career before him."
"Unless he is murdered to-morrow," commented Saxham bitterly, as hewalked out of the room.
The poor old Earl went back to Ticehurst Park in a very agitated frameof mind. Lady Mary was his favourite child, but Guy was his bestbeloved son. Ticehurst would inherit the lands and the title, but forTicehurst he had only a very mild liking.
Mary met him in the hall. She was only a little less perturbed than herfather.
"What news?" she cried eagerly. "Have you induced Greatorex to recallhim?"
Lord Saxham had to confess to failure. He went with her into themorning-room, and related at full length the details of his interviewwith Greatorex. That powerful personage was ready to fall in with hisviews--but the stumbling-block was Guy himself. If Guy stuck to hisresolution not to seek safety in flight, Greatorex would not move.
Mary's sweet eyes filled with tears. She had already abused Greatorex,but she was too just not to understand his attitude. At the bottom ofhis heart, Greatorex approved of Guy's resolution to stick to his post,whatever the consequences.
"I am sorry I said harsh things of Greatorex," she said in a brokenvoice. "Of course Guy himself could take no other course, and his chiefadmires his indomitable spirit. But, all the same, we must move heavenand earth to get him away."
The Earl sank wearily into a chair. Presently he began to cry and moan."Oh, my poor boy. To think I have exposed him to this danger by myill-advised action."
Poor Lady Mary was on the verge of hysteria herself, but the senilegrief of the old Earl made her strong and self-reliant. Her brain wasworking quickly. Could she not turn this moment to advantage?
"You are sorry for what you have done, father? You recognise that, butfor your unfortunate intervention, Guy would never have gone to Spain."
"I know, I know," replied poor old Lord Saxham in quavering accents. "Iwould cut off my right hand if, by doing so, I could undo that morning'swork with Greatorex. I was very proud of it at the time."
Mary spoke very slowly, very calmly. "Guy has got in him the Rossettobstinacy, and, after all, he is only acting as a brave man should. Weare less brave for him than he is for himself."
The Earl stretched out his shaking hands.
"Mary, will you write and implo
re him to let Greatorex recall him.Greatorex has given me his promise to do so, if Guy consents."
Mary shook her head. "Guy is very fond of me, I know. In many things Icould influence him, but not in this. It is no use your writing to him,you have less influence over him than I. If he would not listen to me,he will not listen to you."
"Then he is doomed." The poor old Earl's head sank on his breast, andhe surrendered himself to despair.
And now had come Mary's great opportunity, and she took advantage of it.She was no mean diplomatist at any time.
"I shall not move him, you will not move him. And you say you cannotmove Greatorex. There is just one person in the world who mightpersuade him. I am not quite sure even about
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