“You just put the case yourself,” said Lomas, with some irritation. “Only Kimball and Sandford were in the secret. It’s impossible in the nature of things Kimball should have sold it. Remains Sandford.” “Oh, Peter! That’s not evidence, that’s an argument.” “I know, confound you. But there is evidence of a sort. One of Sandford’s friends is a young fellow called Walkden, and he’s in one of the firms which have been running the Stock Exchange boom.” “It’s queer,” said Reggie, and lit a pipe. “But it wouldn’t hang a yellow dog.” “Do you think I don’t know that?” Lomas cried. “We have nothing to act on, and they’re all cursing me because we haven’t!” “Meaning Kimball?” “Kimball--Kimball’s calling twice a day to know how the case is going on, please. But the whole Government’s on it now. Minutes from the Home Secretary--bitter mems. from the Prime Minister. They want a scapegoat, of course. Governments do.” “Find us some one to hang or we’ll hang you?” “I told you I was thinking of resigning.” “Because they want to bully you into making a case against the private secretary--and you have a conscience?” “Lord, no. I’d convict him to-day if I could. I don’t like the fellow. He’s a young prig. But I can’t convict him. No; I don’t think they want to hang anybody in particular. But they must have somebody to hang, and I can’t find him.” “It isn’t much in my way,” Reggie murmured. “The Civil Service frightens me. I have a brother-in-law in the Treasury. Sometimes he lets me dine with him. Meditations among the Tombs for Reginald. No. It isn’t much in my way. I want passion and gore. But you intrigue me, Lomas, you do indeed. I would know more of H. Kimball and Secretary Sandford. They worry me.” “My God, they worry me,” said Lomas heartily. “They are too good to be true. I wonder if there’s any other nigger in the wood pile?” “Well, I can’t find him.” “Hope on, hope ever. Don’t you remember it was the dowager popped the Bohun sapphires? And don’t you resign. If the Prime Minister sends you another nasty mem., say you have your eye on his golf pro. A man who putts like that must have something on his conscience. And don’t you resign for all the politicians outside hell. It may be they want to get rid of you. I’ll come and see you to-morrow.” “I wish you would,” said Lomas. “You have a mighty good eye for a face.” “My dear old thing! I never believe in faces, that’s all. The only one I ever liked was that girl who broke her sister-in-law’s nose. But I’ll come round.” Comforted by wine and sympathy, Lomas was sent away to trudge home through a foot of snow. And the snow went on falling. PHASE II.--THE PRIVATE SECRETARY The snow lingered. Though hoses washed it out of the highways, in every side street great mounds lay unmelted, and the park was dingily white. Reggie shivered as he got out of his car in Scotland Yard, and he scurried upstairs and put himself as close as he could to Lomas’s fire--ousting Superintendent Bell.