Mr. Darrah how you have betrayed him to Mr. Winton. I had the singular
good fortune to overhear you conversation--yours and Mr. Winton's, you
know; and if Mr. Darrah knew, he would cut you out of his will with
very little compunction, don't you think? And, really, you mustn't
throw yourself away on that sentimental Tommy of an engineer, Miss
Virginia. He'll never be able to give you the position you're fitted
for."

Since French was a dead language to Mr. Arthur Jastrow, he never knew
what it was that Miss Carteret named him. But she left him in no doubt
as to her immediate purpose.

"If that be the case, we would better go and find my uncle at once,"
she said in her softest tone; and before he could object she had led
the way to the Rajah's working-den state-room.

Mr. Darrah was deep in one of the cipher telegrams when they entered,
and he looked up to glare fiercely at one and then the other of the
intruders. Virginia gave her persecutor no time to lodge his
accusation.

"Uncle Somerville, Mr. Winton was here an hour ago, as you know, and I
told him what you had done--what I had helped you do. Also, I sent him
about his business; which is to win his railroad fight if he can. Mr.
Jastrow overheard the conversation, purposely, and as he threatens to
turn informer, I am saving him the trouble. Perhaps I ought to add that
he offered to hold his peace if I would promise to marry him."

What the unlucky Jastrow might have said in his own behalf is not to
be here set down in peaceful black and white. With the final word of
Virginia's explanation the fierce old master of men was up and
clutching for the secretary's throat, and the working complement of
the Rosemary suffered instant loss.

"You'll spy upon a membeh of my family, will you, seh!" he stormed.
"Out with you, bag and baggage, befo' I lose my tempeh and forget what
is due to this young lady you have insulted, seh, with your infamous
proposals! Faveh me instantly, while you have a leg to run with! Go!"

Jastrow disappeared; and when the door closed behind him Virginia
faced her irate clan-chief bravely.

"He was a spy, and he would have been a traitor. But I am little
better. What will you do to me?"

The Rajah's wrath evaporated quickly, and a shrewd smile, not
unkindly, wrinkled the ruddy old face.

"So it was a case of the trappeh trapped, was it, my deah? I'm
sorry--right sorry. I might have known how it would be; a youngeh man
would have known. B