Page:The time spirit; a romantic tale (IA timespiritromant00snaiiala).pdf/267

 Harriet, between a smile and a sigh. "When I knew him first he was a London policeman."

"How in the world did he persuade Scotland Yard to part with him?" scoffed his Grace. "One would have thought such a fellow would have been worth his weight in gold."

She could not repress a laugh which to herself seemed to verge on irreverence. "My brother-in-law says he soon convinced them he was far too ambitious for the Metropolitan Police Force."

"I should say so!"

"And then he studied the law and got into parliament."

"And made his fortune by backing a downtrodden people against a vile aristocracy." The Duke's smile was so sour that it became a grimace. "In other words a self-made man."

"Oh, yes—entirely!" The sudden generous warmth of admiration in Harriet's tone surprised the Duke. "When one considers the enormous odds against him and what he has been able to do at the age of forty-two, it seems only right to think of him as wonderful."

"Personally," said his Grace, "I prefer to regard him as an unscrupulous scoundrel."

Harriet dissented with a smile. "A great man," she said softly.

"Let us leave it at a very dangerous man. He is a real menace, not only to us, but to the country. Anyhow, we have now to see that he doesn't bring down the house about our ears."

There was something in the tone that swept the color from Harriet's face. "That I realize." Her voice trembled painfully. "Oh, I do hope he has not men