“Oh, be damned to that!” The eyes of the Colossus blazed arrogantly. “We shall treat the news as we please. I wonder if they think we are going to take dictation from a pack of old women.”
Mr. Gage looked rather dubious.
“By the way,” said Saul Hartz, in the sharp crackling tones that were used only on great occasions, “have you spoken to New York? It’s possible they know a little more than anybody at the moment.”
“Oh, yes, Barrington rang them up as soon as the news came in.”
“Quite right. Bright fellow that. I hope he got Manvile Lewis himself.”
“Yes—Manvile Lewis. He didn’t think it wise to discuss it with any one else.”
“Just so. Had their end anything to tell us?”
“Only that Garland had been warned before he left New York last Tuesday that he would not be allowed to proceed to Australia.”
“We could have told them that. By the way, I wonder if they know that in Whitehall?”
“Verity suspects so, but he’s not sure.”