‘Look!’ he said, and pointed to an article.  Drake took the paper and read the article through.  His face darkened as he read.  The article had a headline which puzzled Drake for a moment.  It was entitled The Drabious Duke, and it proceeded to set out the episode of Gorley’s court-martial and execution.  The facts, Drake recognised, were not exaggerated, but the sting lay in the suggestion with which it concluded.

‘We have no doubt,’ the leader-writer stated, ’that both the court-martial and execution were in accordance with the letter of the law, but, since Mr. Stephen Drake is now one of the legislators of this country, we feel it our duty to submit two facts for the consideration of our readers.  In the first place we would call attention to the secrecy in which the incident has been carefully shrouded.  In the second, Gorley undoubtedly secured a considerable quantity of gold-dust.  Now, it is perfectly well known that the Government of Matanga pays a commission on all gold-dust brought down to the coast.  We have gone into the matter carefully, and we positively assert that no commission whatever was paid in any such plunder during the two months which followed Mr. Drake’s return from Boruwimi.  What, then, became of it?  We ask our readers to weigh these two facts dispassionately, and we feel justified in adding that Mr. Drake would have been quite within his rights in showing clemency to Gorley, or in bringing him back to undergo a regular trial.  However, he preferred to execute him on the spot.’

‘He makes me out a thief and a murderer,’ said Drake.  ’I wonder where he got the story from?’

Fielding answered slowly, ’I am afraid that I can throw some light on that.  I told Mallinson some time ago, before he was married.’

‘Mallinson!’ exclaimed Drake, stopping in the street.  ’Oh, you think the article comes from him?’ Then he turned to Fielding.  ’And how did you know of it?’

‘Well,’ said Fielding with some hesitation, ‘Mrs. Willoughby told me.’

‘Why?’

’We neither of us, of course, knew you very well then.  Mrs. Willoughby had only just met you, and she didn’t feel quite certain that Clarice ought to be kept in ignorance of the matter, so she asked my advice.’

‘Quite so,’ answered Drake.  ’I understand.  You thought Clarice ought to be informed, and you were right.  I told her of the matter myself.’

‘No,’ exclaimed Fielding; ’I’ll tell you the whole truth while I am about it.  I advised Mrs. Willoughby to say nothing, but I behaved like a damned cad, and told Mallinson myself afterwards.  I had quite another reason for telling him.’

‘Oh, never mind!’ broke in Drake.  ’The question is, what’s to be done now?’

‘You must sue the paper!’

’Of course.  I was thinking whether I couldn’t mention the matter to-night in the House of Commons.  You see it has got into the papers that I mean to speak, and perhaps I ought to make use of the opportunity.’