“Oh, be damned to that!” The eyes of the Colossus blazed arrogantly. “We shall treat the news as we please. I wonder if they think we are going to take dictation from a pack of old women.” Mr. Gage looked rather dubious. “By the way,” said Saul Hartz, in the sharp crackling tones that were used only on great occasions, “have you spoken to New York? It’s possible they know a little more than anybody at the moment.” “Oh, yes, Barrington rang them up as soon as the news came in.” “Quite right. Bright fellow that. I hope he got Manvile Lewis himself.” “Yes--Manvile Lewis. He didn’t think it wise to discuss it with any one else.” “Just so. Had their end anything to tell us?” “Only that Garland had been warned before he left New York last Tuesday that he would not be allowed to proceed to Australia.” “We could have told them that. By the way, I wonder if they know that in Whitehall?” “Verity suspects so, but he’s not sure.” “He’s right, no doubt.” Saul Hartz spoke keenly. “And that’s their reason for making all this fuss. Do you suppose they are up in those other two cases?” “Kornichef and Yamotoga?” “Yes.” “Verity thinks they must be. He didn’t ask the question but he gave Scotland Yard every opportunity to bring them into the picture. But there was nothing to be got out of it.” “No, I expect not,” said the Colossus, impatiently. “However, this thing looks pretty ugly to me.” Mr. Gage agreed. The silence which followed was rather embarrassing for the editor of the _Planet_. Instinctively, he knew one, at least, of the thoughts that was already in possession of the Chief’s mind. For one so expert in the signs as Bennet Gage the face of the man before him was easy to read. As the Colossus sat now at his writing table with eyes shrouded, lips locked like a trap and the tips of his fingers pressed together, he seemed to exude a growing pugnacity. Scotland Yard might be tempted to take this dark thing lying down, but it was not in Saul Hartz’s nature to take anything lying down. “Gage!” The curious whisper broke the silence at last. “We must go into this. We must go into this fully.” The cock of the editor’s head implied rather than expressed a mild dissent. He did not venture upon anything more explicit. It was no use opposing Saul Hartz. One might as well oppose Niagara. Amenable to argument he might be up to a point, but he was a man of volcanic will who owed almost everything to an unrivaled intuition. He had a first-rate mind for affairs, but it was not by taking the advice of others that he had won a unique place in the world. “Big issues here!” The formidable jowl had unfurled itself from a capacious collar, the brooding eyes had disclosed their fires. “Yes, I grant that.” A slight tremor in Mr. Gage’s voice told more than his words. “But it seems to me, if I may be allowed to say so----” “Go on!” The words were impatient. “You know that in this room you can say anything.”