"I certainty require to have the evidence before I can subscribe to that," said B. "The man who is daily killing hundreds----" "Ah, that is the difference," commented D. "Where are the Monmouth colliers now?" asked C., after a pause. "Newbury, this morning," replied D. "Reading, to-night." "And the Midland lot?" "Towcester, I think." "If Hampden formally asks for protection for the oil store at Hanwood, after the miners' threat to burn it, what are you going to do?" asked A. "I should suggest telling him to go and boil himself in it, since he has got it there," replied C. "There will be no need to tell him anything but the bare fact, and that is that with twenty-five thousand turbulent colliers pouring into London and adding to the disaffected element already here, we cannot spare a single man," replied B. "I quite agree with that," remarked D., drawing attention to his freshly-scarred cheek. "I had a tribute of the mob's affection as I came in this morning." "That's your popularity," said C. "Your photograph is so much about that no one has any difficulty in recognising you. How do you get on in that way, B.?" "I?" exclaimed B. with a startled look. "Oh, I always drive with the blinds down now." "Are any extra military coming in before Friday?" asked A. "Yes, the Lancers from Hounslow. They come into the empty Albany Street Barracks to-night. Then I think that there are to be some extra infantry in Whitehall, from Aldershot. Cadman is seeing to all that." "But you know that the Lancers are being drawn from Hounslow?" asked C. with a meaning laugh. "Yes, I know that," admitted B. "Why do you laugh, C.?" C.'s only reply was to laugh again. "I will tell you why he laughs," volunteered D. "He laughs, B., because the Lancers withdrawn from Hounslow to Regent's Park, Salt under arrest at Stafford, and the Monmouth colliers coming along the Bath road and passing within a mile or two of Hanwood, represent the three angles of a very acute triangle." "There is still Hampden," muttered B. "Yes; what is going to happen to Hampden?" asked C., with a trace of his mordant amusement. A., who was walking about the room aimlessly, stopped and faced the others. "I'll tell you what," he exclaimed emphatically. "I said just now that I didn't like the idea of smuggling Salt away like this, and, although it may be advisable, I don't. But I wish to God that we had openly arrested the pair of them as traitors, and burned their diabolical store before every one's eyes three months ago." "Ah," said D. thoughtfully, "it was too early then. Now it's too late." "It may be too late to have its full effect," flashed out B., "but it won't be too late to make them suffer a bit along with our own people." "Provided that the oil is burned," said D. "Provided that no protection can be sent," remarked C. "Provided that Salt is arrested," added A.