aid nothing and Arabian said nothing to him, but went on talking and
did not appear to notice him. But directly he had gone Arabian poured
out some whisky, added a little soda and drank it.

"There! That is how we did!" he said at last.

And he dropped softly, with an odd lightness, into a chair near Sir
Seymour, and nodded:

"Now, have I not the right over the picture? Can I not send to-morrow
and take it away? Is it not just?"

"Just!" said Sir Seymour. "Do you care so much about justice?"

"Eh?" said Arabian, suddenly leaning forward in his chair. "What is
that?"

The bitter sarcasm which Sir Seymour had not been able to keep out of
his voice had evidently startled Arabian.

"You are English," he said, as Sir Seymour said nothing. "Do you not
care that a stranger in your country should have justice?"

"Oh, yes. I care very much about that."

The intense dryness of the voice that answered evidently made an
impression on Arabian. For he fixed his eyes on his guest with intense
and hard inquiry, and laid his brown hands on the arms of his chair, as
if in readiness for something. But he only said:

"Well--please?"

Sir Seymour's inclination was to get up. But he did not obey it. He
sat without moving, and returned Arabian's stare with a firm, soldier's
gaze. The fearlessness of his eyes was absolute, unflinching.

"I thoroughly understand why you don't want Mr. Garstin to show people
that picture," he said.

"Ah!"

"The biggest fool in creation, if he saw it, would understand."

"Understand what--please?"

"Understand you."

"Pardon!" said Arabian sharply. "What do you mean?"

He was up. But Sir Seymour sat still.

"Mr. Garstin uncovered your secret," he said. "A man such as you are
naturally objects to that."

"What have you come here for?" said Arabian.

"You asked me to come."

"What did you go to Dick Garstin for?"

"That is my business."

Sir Seymour got up slowly, very deliberately even, from his chair.

"My secret, you say. What do you know about me?"

In the voice there was intense suspicion.

"We needn't discuss that. I am not going to discuss it."

"What did you go to Dick Garstin for?"

"I went to ask him if he would allow me to bring two or three people to
his studio to look at his portrait of you."

"My portrait! What is my portrait to you? Why should you bring people?"

But Sir Seymour did not answer the question. Instead he put one hand on
the mantelpiece, leaned sl