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.But Marius was quite another matter.The feudwith Marius was over some-thing more than an outlook and a technical point oflaw.It was a personal and vital thing, like a blow in the face and a glovethrown down.So Simon watched, and presently fired again.This time a cry answered him.Andone bullet in reply zipped past his ear, and another clipped into theupholstery of the settee an inch from his head; and the Saintly smile becamepositively beatific."This is like war," said the Saint happily."It is war!" Harding shot back."Don't you realise that?"Roger Conway was kneeling beside Norman Kent, cutting away a trouser-legstained with a spreading dark stain."What do you mean?" he demanded.Harding stepped back."Didn't you understand? You seemed to know so much.But you hadn't achance to know that.Still, it would have been announced in the luncheditions, and plenty of people knew about it last night.Our ultimatum wasdelivered at noon to-day, and they've got till noon to-morrow to answer.""What country? And what's the ultimatum about?"Harding answered.The Saint was not very surprised.He had not read betweenthe lines of his newspapers so assidu-ously for nothing."Of course, it's all nonsense, like anything else that any country ever sentan ultimatum to another about," said Hard-ing."We've put it off as long asyou can, but they've left us no choice.They're asking for trouble, andthey're determined to have it.Half the government still can't understandit they think our friends ought to know better.Just swollen head, they say.Page 93 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThat's why everything's been kept so dark.The Govern-ment thought theswelling was bound to pass off naturally.Instead of which, it's been gettingworse."The Saint remembered a phrase from the letter which he had taken from Marius:"Cannot fail this time."And he understood that the simple word of a man like Marius, with all thepower that he represented standing in support behind the word, might well beenough to sway the decisions of kings and councils.He said, with his eyes still watching the road: "How many people have a theoryto account for the swelling?""My chief, and a handful of others," said Harding."We knew that Marius was init, and Marius spells big money.But what's the use of telling ordinary peoplethat? They couldn't see it.Besides, there was still a flaw in our theory, andwe couldn't fill it up until the show at Esher on Saturday.Then we knew.""I figured it out the same way," said the Saint."Everything hangs on this," said Harding quietly."If Marius gets Vargan forthem, it means war."Simon raised one gun, and then lowered it again as his target ducked."Why have you told me all this?" he asked."Because you ought to be on our side," Harding said steadily."I don't carewhat you are.I don't care what you've done.I don't care what you're workingfor.But Marius is here how, and I know you can't be with Marius.So ""Somebody's waving a white flag," said the Saint.He got to his feet, and Harding came up beside him.Behind the hedge, a manstood up and signalled with a hand-kerchief.Then Simon saw that the road beyond the hedge was alive with men."What would you do here?" he asked."See them!" rapped Harding."Hear what they've got to say.We can still fightafterwards.They will fight! Templar "The Saint beckoned, and saw a man rise from his crouched position under thehedge and walk alone up the drive.A giant of a man."Angel Face himself!" murmured Simon.He swung round, hands on hips."I've heard your argument, Harding," he said."It's a good one.But I prefermy own.In the circumstances, I'm afraid you'll have to accept it.And I wantyour answer quickly.The offer I made you is still open.Do you join us forthe duration, or have I got to send you out there to shift for yourself? I'dhate to do it, but if you're not for us ""That's not the point," said Harding steadfastly."I was sent here to findVargan, and I think I've found him.As far as that's concerned, there can't bepeace between us.You'll understand that.But for the rest of it.Beggarscan't be choosers.We agree that Marius must not have Vargan, whatever else wedisagree about.So, while we have to fight Marius ""A truce?"The youngster shrugged.Then he put out his hand."And let's give 'em hell!" he said.18.How Simon Templar received Marius,and the Crown Prince remembered a debtA moment later the Saint was on his knees beside Norman Kent, examiningNorman's wound expertly.Norman tried to delay him."Pat," whispered Norman; "I left her hiding in your room."Simon nodded."All right.She'll be safe there for a bit.And I'd just as soon have her outof the way while Tiny Tim's beetling around.Let's see what we can do for youfirst."He went on with the examination.The entrance was three inches above the knee,and it was much larger than the en-trance of even a large-calibre automaticbullet should have been.There was no exit hole, and Norman let out anPage 94 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlinvolun-tary cry of agony at the Saint's probing."That's all, sonny boy," said the Saint; and Norman loos-ened his teeth fromhis lips."Smashed the bone, hasn't it?"Simon stripped off his coat, and tore off the sleeve of his shirt to improvisea bandage."Smashed to bits, Norman, old boy," he said."The swine are using dum-dums.A large whisky, Roger.That'll be a consolation for you, Norman, oldwarrior.""It's something," said Norman huskily.He said nothing else about it, but he understood one thing very clearly.No man can run very far or very fast with a thighbone splin-tered by anexpanding bullet.Strangely enough, Norman did not care
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