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〃I congratulate you heartily； sir；〃 Granet replied； shaking hands。 〃Of course I'll keep away； if I must。 I hope when this is all over； though； you will allow me to come and renew my acquaintance with your daughter。〃
〃When it is over； with pleasure；〃 Sir Meyville assented。
Granet stepped into his car and drove off。 The inventor stood looking after him。 Then he spoke to the sentry and made his way across the gardens towards the boat…shed。
〃I ought to have known it from the first；〃 he muttered。 〃Reciprocal refraction was the one thing to think about。〃
Granet； as he drove back to the Dormy House； was conscious of a curious change in the weather。 The wind； which had been blowing more or less during the last few days； had suddenly dropped。 There was a new heaviness in the atmosphere； little banks of transparent mist were drifting in from seawards。 More than once he stopped the car and； standing up； looked steadily away seawards。 The long stretch of marshland； on which the golf links were situated； was empty。 A slight； drizzling rain was falling。 He found； when he reached the Dormy House； that nearly all the men were assembled in one of the large sitting…rooms。 A table of bridge had been made up。 Mr。 Collins was seated in an easy…chair close to the window； reading a review。 Granet accepted a cup of tea and stood on the hearth…rug。
〃How did the golf go this afternoon？〃 he inquired。
〃I was dead off it；〃 Anselman replied gloomily。
〃Our friend in the easy…chair there knocked spots off us。〃
Mr。 Collins looked up and grunted and looked out of the window again。
〃Either of you fellows going to cut in at bridge？〃 young Anselman continued。
Granet shook his head and walked to the window。
〃I can't stick cards in the daytime。〃
Mr。 Collins shut up his review。
〃I agree with you； sir；〃 he said。 〃I endeavoured to persuade one of these gentlemen to play another nine holesunsuccessfully； I regret to state。〃
Granet lit a cigarette。
〃Well；〃 he remarked； 〃it's too far to get down to the links again but I'll play you a game of bowls； if you like。〃
The other glanced out upon the lawn and rose to his feet。
〃It is an excellent suggestion；〃 he declared。 〃If you will give me five minutes to fetch my mackintosh and galoshes； it would interest me to see whether I have profited by the lessons I took in Scotland。〃
They met； a few moments later； in the garden。 Mr。 Collins threw the jack with great precision and they played an end during which his superiority was apparent。 They strolled together across the lawn； well away now from the house。 For the first time Granet dropped his careless tone。
〃What do you make of this change in the weather？〃 he asked quickly。
〃It's just what they were waiting for；〃 the other replied。 〃What about this afternoon？〃
〃I am not scientist； worse luck；〃 Granet replied impatiently； 〃but I saw enough to convince me that they've got the right idea。 Sir Meyville thought i was the man commanding the escort they've given him；actually rowed me out to the workshop and showed me the whole thing。 I tell you I saw it just as you described it；saw the bottom of the sea； even the colour of the seaweed； the holes in the rocks。〃
〃And they've got the shells； too；〃 Collins muttered； 〃the shells that burst under water。〃
Granet looked around。 They were playing the other end now。
〃Listen！〃 he said。
They paused in the middle of the lawn。 Granet held up his handkerchief and turned his cheek seaward。 There was still little more than a floating breath of air but his cheek was covered with moisture。
〃I have everything ready；〃 he said。 〃Just before we go to bed to…night I shall swear that I hear and aeroplane。 You're sure your watch is right to the second； Collins？〃
〃I am as sure that it is right；〃 the other replied grimly； 〃as I am that to…night you and I my young friend； are going to play with our lives a little more carelessly than with this china ball。 A good throw； that I think；〃 he went on； measuring it with his eye carefully。 〃Come； my friend； you'll have to improve。 My Scotch practice is beginning to tell。〃
Geoffrey Anselman threw up the window and looked out。
〃Pretty hot stuff； isn't he Ronnie？〃 he asked。
Granet glanced at his opponent； with his bent shoulders； his hard face； hooked nose and thin gold spectacles。
〃Yes；〃 he admitted quietly； 〃he's too good for me。〃
CHAPTER XXI
At about half…past ten that evening； Granet suddenly threw down his cue in the middle of a game of billiards； and stood； for a moment； in a listening attitude。
〃Jove； I believe that's an airship！〃 he exclaimed； and hurried out of the room。
They all followed him。 He was standing just outside the French…windows of the sitting…room； upon the gravel walk； his head upturned； listening intently。 There was scarcely a breath of wind； no moon nor any stars。 Little clouds of grey mist hung about on the marshes； shutting out their view of the sea。 The stillness was more than usually intense。
〃Can't hear a thing；〃 young Anselman muttered at last。
〃It may have been fancy；〃 Granet admitted。
〃A motor…cycle going along the Huntstanton Road；〃 Major Harrison suggested。
〃It's a magnificent night for a raid；〃 Dickens remarked glancing around。
〃No chance of Zepps over here； I should say；〃 Collins declared； a little didactically。 〃I was looking at your map at the golf club only this morning。〃
They all made their way back to the house。 Granet； however； seemed still dissatisfied。
〃I'm going to see that my car's all right；〃 he told them。 〃I left it in the open shed。〃
He was absent for about twenty minutes。 When he returned； they had finished the game of snooker pool without him and were all sitting on the lounge by the side of the billiard table； talking of the war。 Granet listened for a few minutes and then said good…night a little abruptly。 He lit his candle outside and went slowly to his room。 Arrived there； he glanced at his watch and locked the door。 It was half…past eleven。 He changed his clothes quickly； put on some rubber…soled shoes and slipped a brandy flask and a revolver into his pocket。 Then he sat down before his window with his watch in his hand。 He was conscious of a certain foreboding from which he had never been able to escape since his arrival。 In France and Belgium he had lived through fateful hours； carrying more than once his life in his hands。 His risk to…night was an equal one but the exhilaration seemed lacking。 This work in a country apparently at peace seemed somehow on a different level。 If it were less dangerous； it was also less stimulating。 In those few moments the soldier blood in him called for the turmoil of war； the panorama of life and death； the fierce； hot excitement of juggling with fate while the heavens themselves seemed raining death on every side。 Here there was nothing but silence； the soft splash of the distant sea； the barking of a distant dog。 The danger was vivid and actual but without the stimulus of that blood…red background。 He glanced at his watch。 It wanted still ten minutes to twelve。 For a moment then he suffered his thoughts to go back to the new thing which had crept int