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The two men stepped back into the hotel The cashier had returned to his desk, and the incident which had just transpired seemed to have passed unnoticed Nevertheless, Laverick felt that the studied indifference of his conificance, and he endeavored to ih into the bar?" he asked "There's very seldom any one there at this time"

"Anywhere you say," Bellaether"

They passed into the inner roo it empty, dreo chairs into the further corner Bellamy summoned the waiter

"Thiskies and sodas quick, Tim," he ordered "Now, Laverick, listen to me," he added, as the waiter turned away "We are alone for theYou know very well that it wasn't to renew our schoolboy acquaintance that I've asked you to come in here with o on," he said "I arasp this affair properly"

"When we left school," Bellae I went first to Magdalen Did you ever hear what became of me afterwards?"

"I always understood," Laverick answered, "that you went into one of the Governht," Bellamy assented "I did At this moment I have the honor to serve His Majesty"

"Two thousand a year and two hours work a day," Laverick laughed "I know the sort of thing"

"You evidently don't," Bellaet half two thousand a year, and most of the ti--and I a now--I am never sure of the morrow"

Laverick looked at hi, Bellamy?" he asked

"Not by any manner of means I have the honor to be a hulanced at his coly

"I really didn't know," he said, "that such a service had any actual existence except in novels"

"I ari dubbed a spy and treated like one At home, I am simply the head of the A2 Branch of the Secret Service Here come our drinks"

Laverick raised his whiskey and soda to his lips o on, Bellamy," he continued "The waiter can't overhear"

Bellamy smiled

"Tim is one of the few persons in the place," he said, "whom one can trust As a matter of fact, he has been very useful to me oing to speak to you as one man to another"