He passed out into the large outer office, and, glancing at his watch,
summoned an undersecretary.

"It is now just a quarter after twelve," he said, "and the Cabinet
lunches at Buckingham Palace at two. Present my compliments to Lord
Rockstone and Sir Egbert Graves, and say that I should like to see
them both here for a few minutes on a matter of the greatest
importance, and that much as I regret to trouble them it is absolutely
necessary that this meeting be held in my office and before they go on
to the Palace."

To another attendant who, moved by curiosity, was going in the
direction of the smaller room, he said: "Place a sentry at that door
when I leave. No one is to be allowed to enter that room until I give
further orders."

A telephone orderly came in a few minutes later to say that his
message had found Lord Rockstone and Sir Egbert Graves together, and
that they both would be with him within the half-hour.

Underhill was now fully convinced that Edestone possessed some
wonderful invention or discovery which the United States intended to
use as a final argument for peace, and, with the aid of this
discovery, render untenable any position in opposition to its will
taken by England or any of the other Powers. Had he dreamed that the
United States was as ignorant as to the nature of this invention as he
himself was, the history of the world might have been changed.

When Graves and Rockstone arrived, he greeted them with serious face