“Have you become a millionaire, my friend,” he asked, “that you must travel in special trains?”
Brand shook his head.
“Personally,” he remarked, “I am in my usual lamentable state of impecuniosity. Nevertheless, for the moment I am representing wealth illimitable. That is to say, I am in harness again.”
Reist looked askance at them both. He did not understand. Ughtred was suddenly grave.
“I must ask you where you are going,” he said. “There is no rumour of war, is there?”
Brand hesitated.
“Speaking broadly,” he answered, “I have no right to tell you. But the circumstances of our meeting are peculiar. To tell you the truth, I am bound for Theos.”
Reist’s face was dark with anger—Ughtred’s blank with amazement. Brand hastened to explain.
“The Duke of Reist,” he said, “probably does not understand my position. I am a special correspondent to the Daily Courier. They send me at a moment’s notice to any place where interesting events are likely to happen. Our chief has been studying the aspect of things in Theos, and half-an-hour ago I had my route. It was the same, Erlito, when I travelled with you to Abyssinia!”
Ughtred nodded thoughtfully.