“Selingman is down-stairs,” he announced.  “I rather expected I should see something of him as I didn’t go to the club this afternoon.  You won’t mind if he comes up?”

“The man is a nuisance,” Anna declared, with a little grimace.  “I was perfectly happy, Francis, sitting here before the open window and looking out at the lights in that cool, violet gulf of darkness.  I believe that in another minute I should have said something to you absolutely ravishing.  Then your telephone rings and back one comes to earth again!”

Norgate smiled as he held her hand in his.

“We will get rid of him quickly, dearest,” he promised.

There was a knock at the door, and Selingman entered, his face wreathed in smiles.  He was wearing a long dinner coat and a flowing black tie.  He held out both his hands.

“So this is the great news that has kept you away from us!” he exclaimed.  “My congratulations, Norgate.  You can never say again that the luck has left you.  Baroness, may I take advantage of my slight acquaintance to express my sincere wishes for your happiness?”

They wheeled up a chair for him, and Norgate produced some cigars.  The night was close.  They were on the seventh story, overlooking the river, and a pleasant breeze stole every now and then into the room.

“You are well placed here,” Selingman declared.  “Myself, I too like to be high up.”

“These are really just my bachelor rooms,” Norgate explained, “but under the circumstances we thought it wiser to wait before we settled down anywhere.  Is there any news to-night?”

“There is great news,” Selingman announced gravely.  “There is news of wonderful import.  In a few minutes you will hear the shouting of the boys in the Strand there.  You shall hear it first from me.  Germany has found herself compelled to declare war against Russia.”

They were both speechless.  Norgate was carried off his feet.  The reality of the thing was stupendous.

“Russia has been mobilising night and day on the frontiers of East Prussia,” Selingman continued.  “Germany has chosen to strike the first blow.  Now listen, both of you.  I am going to speak in these few minutes to Norgate here very serious words.  I take it that in the matters which lie between him and me, you, Baroness, are as one with him?”

“It is so,” Norgate admitted.

“To be frank, then,” Selingman went on, “you, Norgate, during these momentous days have been the most useful of all my helpers here.  The information which I have dispatched to Berlin, emanating from you, has been more than important—­it has been vital.  It has been so vital that I have a long dispatch to-night, begging me to reaffirm my absolute conviction as to the truth of the information which I have forwarded.  Let us, for a moment, recapitulate.  You remember your interview with Mr. Hebblethwaite on the subject of war?”

“Distinctly,” Norgate assented.