to M. Charolais,
she added, "If you will come with me, gentlemen, I will take you to my
father, and you can discuss the price of the car at once."

As she spoke she moved towards the door. M. Charolais and his sons rose
and made way for her. The father and the two eldest sons made haste to
follow her out of the room. But Bernard lingered behind, apparently to
admire the bric-a-brac on the cabinets. With infinite quickness he
grabbed two objects off the nearest, and followed his brothers. The
Duke sprang across the hall in three strides, caught him by the arm on
the very threshold, jerked him back into the hall, and shut the door.

"No you don't, my young friend," he said sharply.

"Don't what?" said Bernard, trying to shake off his grip.

"You've taken a cigarette-case," said the Duke.

"No, no, I haven't--nothing of the kind!" stammered Bernard.

The Duke grasped the young man's left wrist, plunged his hand into the
motor-cap which he was carrying, drew out of it a silver
cigarette-case, and held it before his eyes.

Bernard turned pale to the lips. His frightened eyes seemed about to
leap from their sockets.

"It--it--was a m-m-m-mistake," he stammered.

The Duke shifted his grip to his collar, and thrust his hand into the
breast-pocket of his coat. Bernard, helpless in his grip, and utterly
taken aback by his quickness, made no resistance.

The Duke drew out a morocco case, and said: "Is this a mistake too?"

"Heavens! The pendant!" cried Sonia, who was watching the scene with
parted lips and amazed eyes.

Bernard dropped on his knees and clasped his hands.

"Forgive me!" he cried, in a choking voice. "Forgive me! Don't tell any
one! For God's sake, don't tell any one!"

And the tears came streaming from his eyes.

"You young rogue!" said the Duke quietly.

"I'll never do it again--never! Oh, have pity on me! If my father knew!
Oh, let me off!" cried Bernard.

The Duke hesitated, and looked down on him, frowning and pulling at his
moustache. Then, more quickly than one would have expected from so
careless a trifler, his mind was made up.

"All right," he said slowly. "Just for this once ... be off with you."
And he jerked him to his feet and almost threw him into the outer hall.

"Thanks! ... oh, thanks!" said Bernard.

The Duke shut the door and looked at Sonia, breathing quickly.

"Well? Did you ever see anything like that? That young fellow will go a
long way. The cheek of the thing! Righ