Hopford was full of news when he met the doctor at the Pomme d’Or that evening.
“Can you tell me, Johnson,” was one of his first questions, “why Captain Preston now always carries about a loaded automatic?”
“I had no idea he did,” the doctor replied in surprise. “Who told you?”
“Well,” Hopford answered, “I happened to find it out, and in rather a curious way. In The Mitre, off Fleet Street, the other day, I got into conversation with quite a good fellow who had served during the war. We had one or two drinks together, and then he mentioned incidentally that a Captain Preston had been his company commander. When I told him that I, too, had served under Preston, he became quite communicative. Preston seems to be a sort of hero in his eyes. He told me all that Preston did during the war—he has a fine record, Johnson—and then added:
“‘They ought to put him in Ireland—he always has a loaded automatic in his pocket.’
“I inquired the reason, and he went on:
“‘I can’t say, but during Henley regatta he told me to keep his pistol loaded, and a week later he took to carrying it about with him.’
“The fellow had told me he was Preston’s servant.
“‘Does he expect to be attacked?’ I then asked jokingly. And he answered quite seriously, ‘Yes, I think he does.’
“‘And by whom?’ I said, becoming interested.