Then he passed his hand across his face like one roused from sleep.
"Wait a moment," he said, "and I will walk home with you." He went to the door and dispatched the guard on an errand; then he seated himself at the table and picked up a pad of paper.

He was still writing when Harwood entered.

Sylvia and Dan exchanged a nod, but no words passed between them.

They watched the man at the table, as he wrote with a deliberation that Dan remembered as characteristic of him.
When he had finished, he copied what he had written, put the copy in his breastpocket and buttoned his coat before glancing at Harwood.
"If I withdraw my name, what will happen ?" he asked quietly.
"Ramsay will be nominated, sir," Dan answered.
Bassett studied a moment, fingering the memorandum he had written; then he looked at Dan quizzically.
"Just between ourselves, Dan, do you really think the Colonel's straight ?" "If he isn't, he has fooled a lot of people," Dan replied.
He had no idea of what had happened, but he felt that all was well with Sylvia.

It seemed a long time since Bassett had called him Dan! "Well, I guess the Colonel's the best we can do.