hotel."

"She's a good 'draw' for male visitors"--said Gwent--"Many a man I
know would pay a hundred dollars a day to have her wait upon him!"

"Would YOU?" asked Seaton, amused.

"Well!--perhaps not a hundred dollars a day, but pretty near it! Her
eyes are the finest I've ever seen."

Seaton made no comment.

"You'll come and dine with me to-night, won't you?" went on Gwent--
"You can spare me an hour or two of your company?"

"No, thanks"--Seaton replied--"Don't think me a churlish brute--but
I don't like hotels or the people who frequent them. Besides--we've
done our business."

"Unfortunately there was no business doing!" said Gwent--"Sorry I
couldn't take it on."

"Don't be sorry! I'll take it on myself when the moment comes. I
would have preferred the fiat of a great government to that of one
unauthorised man--but if there's no help for it then the one man
must act."

Gwent looked at him with a grave intentness which he meant to be
impressive.