Are we to understand that he is
absolutely at liberty and in a normal state of health?"
Fenn hesitated for a single second.
"I have no reason to believe the contrary," he said.
"Still, it is possible," the Bishop persisted, "that Julian Orden
may not be in a position to forward that document to the Foreign
Office for the present? If that is so, I am inclined to think
that the Prime Minister would consider your visit a bluff.
Certainly, you would have no argument weighty enough to induce him
to propose the armistice. No man could act upon your word alone.
He would want to see these wonderful proposals in writing, even if
he were convinced of the justice of your arguments."
There was a little murmur of approval. Fenn leaned forward.
"You drive me to a further disclosure," he declared, after a
moment's hesitation, "one, perhaps, which I ought already to have
made. I have arranged for a duplicate of that packet to be
prepared and forwarded. I set this matter on foot the moment we
heard from Miss Abbeway here of her mishap. The duplicate may
reach us at any moment."
"Then I propose," the Bishop said, "that we postpone our decision
until those papers be received. Remember that up to the present
moment the Council have not pledged themselves to take action
until they have perused that document."
"And supposing," Fenn objected, "that to-morrow morning at eight
o'clock, twenty-three of us are marched off to the Tower! Our
whole cause may be paralysed, all that we have worked for all
these months will be in vain, and this accursed and bloody war may
be dragged on until our politicians see fit to make a peace of
words.
Pages:
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154