The prime minister turned to Maggerson.
“You wrote a summary of your observations. Those are the only papers he could get at—it would take too long to follow the calculations,” he said. “Will you bring the summary down? It will also help Mr. Blake to understand. I fear I may have failed to impress upon him the seriousness of our discovery.”
“I think I understand fairly well, sir,” said Jimmy quietly, after Maggerson had gone upstairs to his room. “On the sixteenth at some hour we”
“At half past four in the afternoon, by Greenwich mean time,” said the prime minister, “the point of contact will in all probability be within a hundred miles of the south pole, but the effect will be just as disastrous as if it struck the city of London.”
“At that hour, sir, you expect the world to be destroyed?”
“Not destroyed,” corrected the prime minister. “I think the world will go on rolling through space; it will probably stagger, perhaps, for a few seconds.”
“And it will require no more than that?” asked Jimmy in amazement, “to wipe off all forms of life?”
“Some life may still exist,” said the prime minister. “For example, we expect that fish—especially the deep-sea fish—and a very large proportion of the others, will still continue living. Certain insects, too, will continue, and it is possible, though very improbable that mammalian and even human life will be left with a representative or two. It depends entirely on the effect which the impact may have upon the atmosphere. The atmospheric belt may be burned up, leaving the world a cold cinder, in which case, of course, even the lowest form of sea life would perish.”
Maggerson came in at that moment, a worried frown on his face.
“Did you take the summary from my room, Chapelle?” he asked.
“No,” said the prime minister quickly. “Has it gone?”
“I had it under my pillow. I swear I put it there last night, but it's not there now.”
Jimmy, still dazed and almost crushed by the news he had heard, could only wonder that such a minor matter as the disappearance of a summary, whatever that might be, should affect the prime minister so.
“We must get that man,” he said.
“What use would the summary be to him?” asked Lord Harry, “and who would publish it, supposing he took it to an editor?”
“I know a man who would publish it,” said the prime minister, between his teeth. “Though it may seem a fantastic theory on my part, I believe Elmers was sent by him to discover what is going on at Warden's Lodge.”
Jimmy, with Delia, and Ferdinand Ponter, left the dark house by the postern gate he had come to know so well. They walked across the heath, each in his or her own way reflecting on what the days would bring forth.
In silence they turned into the dining room, and Stephens, who was sitting at the dining-room table, his head upon his hands, jumped up as if he had seen a ghost.
“Mr. Blake, sir,” he stammered. He was speechless until he found the formula which came readiest: “Can I get anything?”
He was eager and trembling and Jimmy shook his head with a smile.
“No, thank you, Stephens,” he said.
But there was one who was not to be denied.
“Beer, Stephens, my lad,” he said, “nut-brown ale—and draw it with a froth.”
“Beer!” said Jimmy with a wry little smile. “I can't understand you, Ferdie, you're a weird bird! I suppose you don't realize the significance of all the prime minister told us.”
“I only realize that I want beer in large quantities,” said Ferdie firmly. “It's rather a pity this sort of thing's going to happen. It's a jolly old world when you come to think of it,” and Jimmy shuddered.
“Your good health, Mrs. Blake.”
He raised his tankard and Jimmy looked up and stared open-mouthed at him.
“Mrs. Blake?” he repeated. “Who the dickens” and then he looked at the girl, her mouth twitching with laughter. “Good Lord, I'm married!” he gasped.
Joe Sennett came across from the Warden's Lodge the next morning and brought the latest news.
“Half the police force of England are searching for that fellow,” he said, shaking his head. “He's a thoroughly bad lot. I suppose Delia told you she knew, Mr. Blake?”
“About” Jimmy hesitated.
“I broke faith with Mr. Chapelle in telling my daughter, but I was certain she would not tell even you.” The old man bit his lips. “I wonder” And then, “Have you any friends or relations with whom you are spending to-morrow?” he asked.