“Oh, that was quite simple. She met Pagett in the doorway of the Trade Commissioner’s office or the Chamber of Mines, or wherever it was he went⁠—told him I had phoned down in a hurry, and that she had been selected by the government department in question. Pagett swallowed it like a lamb.”

“You’re very frank,” I said, studying him.

“There’s no earthly reason why I shouldn’t be.”

I didn’t quite like the sound of that. I hastened to put my own interpretation on it.

“You believe in the success of this revolution? You’ve burnt your boats.”

“For an otherwise intelligent young woman, that’s a singularly unintelligent remark. No, my dear child, I do not believe in this revolution. I give it a couple of days longer and it will fizzle out ignominiously.”

“Not one of your successes, in fact?” I said nastily.