There  was  a  dead  silence.  Doreen  seemed  like  one
stunned.  When  at  length  she  spoke,  her  voice  had  a
strange  tone  in  it.
"  How  can  he  be  arrested  ?  "  she  said,  with  a  bewildered
look  J  "  the  Coercion  Bill  is  not  yet  passed.  Surely  there  is
some  mistake.  It  is  just  a  false  report.  The  street  boys
will  call  out  anything  to  sell  their  papers."

"  Dearest,  there  is  no  mistake,"  he  said.  "  Would  to  God
there  were !  I  was  with  Donovan  Farrant  this  afternoon,
and  he  had  heard  a  rumour  of  the  arrest.  He  took  me
down  to  the  House  with  him,  and  at  question  time  the
truth  transpired.  They  said  that  his  conduct  was  not  in
accordance  with  the  conditions  of  his  ticket  of  leave,  and
that  he  was  remitted  to  penal  servitude  again."

As  he  spoke  those  last  words,  Doreen's  bewildered  ex-
pression changed ;  a  look  of  horror  and  indignation  swept
across  her  face.  Then,  with  an  impulsive  gesture,  she  tore
herself  away  from  him,  and,  with  her  face  buried  in  the
sofa  cushions,  sobbed  as  if  her  heart  would  break.
