The publication of the news produced a curious sort of atmosphere at The Witan that afternoon. Everybody seemed desirous of showing everybody else that they were unconcerned, and yet an observer might have fancied that they overdid it ever such a little. At about the time when Lady Tasker left Dorothy with Stan, Mr. Wilkinson drove up in a cab to the green door in the privet hedge and asked for Amory. He was told that she had given word that she did not want to see anybody. But in the studio he found Mr. Brimby and Dickie Lemesurier, and the three were presently joined by Laura and Walter Wyron. A quorum of five callers never hesitated to make themselves at home at The Witan. They lighted the asbestos log, Walter found Cosimo's cigarettes, and Dickie said she was sure Amory wouldn't mind if she rang for tea. When they had made themselves quite comfortable, they began to chat about a number of things, not the murder. "Seen Strong?" Mr. Brimby asked Mr. Wilkinson. Mr. Wilkinson was at his most morose and truculent. "No," he said. "I called at the office, but he was out. Doesn't put in very much time there, it seems to me. Perhaps he's at the Party's Meeting." "How is it you aren't there, by the way?" Mr. Wilkinson made a little sound of contempt. "Bah! All talk. Day in and day out, talk, talk, talk. I want action. The leadership's all wrong. Want a man. I keep my seat because if I cleared out they'd be no better than a lot of tame Liberal cats, but I've no use for 'em----" It was whispered that the members of the Party had no use for Mr. Wilkinson, and very little for one another; but it doesn't do to give ear to everything that is whispered. Then Mr. Brimby appeared suddenly to recollect something. "Ah yes!... Action. Speaking of action, I suppose you've seen this Indian affair in to-night's papers?" Mr. Wilkinson was still fuming. "That Governor? Yes, I saw it.... But it's too far away. Thousands of miles too far away. We want something nearer home. A paper that calls a spade a spade for one thing.... Anybody heard from Pratt this week?" They discussed Cosimo's latest letter, and then Mr. Brimby said, "By the way--how will this affect him?" "How will what affect him?" "This news, to-night. Collins." "Oh!... Why should it affect him at all? Don't see why it should. The 'Pall Mall' has a filthy article on it to-night. That paper's getting as bad as the 'Times.'" Here Walter Wyron intervened.--"By the way, who _is_ this man Collins? Just pass me 'Who's Who,' Laura."