have no one to check them. There is crime everywhere in the world,
and the unfettered crime in Russia is so powerful that it stretches
its hand to crime throughout the globe and there is a great mobilizing
everywhere of wicked men. Once you boasted that law was international
and that the police in one land worked with the police of all others.
To-day that is true about criminals. After a war evil passions
are loosed, and, since Russia is broken, in her they can make
their headquarters....It is not Bolshevism, the theory, you need fear,
for that is a weak and dying thing. It is crime, which to-day finds its
seat in my country, but is not only Russian. It has no fatherland.
It is as old as human nature and as wide as the earth."

"I see," said Sir Archie. "Gad, here have I been vegetatin' and
thinkin' that all excitement had gone out of life with the war,
and sometimes even regrettin' that the beastly old thing was over,
and all the while the world fairly hummin' with interest. And Loudon too!"

"I would like your candid opinion on yon factor, Sir Archibald,"
said Dickson.

"I can't say I ever liked him, and I've once or twice had a row
with him, for used to bring his pals to shoot over Dalquharter
and he didn't quite play the game by me. But I know dashed
little about him, for I've been a lot away. Bit hairy about the
heels, of course. A great figure at local race-meetin's, and used to
toady old Carforth and the huntin' crowd. He has a pretty big
reputation as a sharp lawyer and some of the thick-headed lairds
swear by him, but Quentin never could stick him. It's quite likely
he's been gettin' into Queer Street, for he was always speculatin'
in horseflesh, and I fancy he plunged a bit on the Turf.