ly a most
uncomfortable appearance of being genuine. He began to feel a little
bewildered.

"You mean to say that you have come here to arrest me on this charge?
That you want me to go away with you to-night?" he asked.

"It is not a matter of wanting you to come," the Baron answered coldly.
"It is a matter of necessity."

Duncombe moved towards the fireplace.

"Will you allow me the privilege of a few moments' conversation with you
in private?" he said to the Baron. "Your companions will perhaps excuse
you for a moment."

The Baron followed without remark. They stood facing one another upon
the hearthrug. Duncombe leaned one elbow upon the mantlepiece, and
turned towards his companion.

"Look here," he said, "those papers seem genuine enough, and if you
insist upon it I will go with you to Norwich. I shall take care not to
let you out of my sight, and if when we get there I find that this is
any part of one of your confounded conspiracies you will find that the
penalties for this sort of thing in England are pretty severe. However,
no doubt you are well aware of that. The question is this. What do you
really want from me?"

Monsieur Louis, who had lit a cigarette, withdrew it from his mouth and
examined the lighted end for a moment in silence.

"The documents," he said, "are genuine. You are arraigned in perfectly
legal fashion. Upon the affidavits there the magistrates must grant the
extradition warrant without hesitation. We have nothing to fear in that
direction."

"The police," Duncombe remarked, "are perfectly aware of my innocence."

Monsieur shrugged his shoulders.

"The evidence," he said, "is remarkably convincing."

"Police-concocted evidence," Duncombe remarked, "would necessarily be
so. I admit that you hold a strong card against me. I don't believe,
however, that you have gone to all this trouble without some ulterior
motive. What is it? What can I offer you in exchange for these
documents?"

Monsieur Louis smiled.

"You are a man of common-sense, Sir George," he said. "I will speak to
you without reserve. It is possible that you might be able to offer the
Government department of my country to which I am attached an inducement
to interest themselves in your behalf. Mind, I am not sure. But if my
information is correct there is certainly a possibility."

"The Government department of your country to which you are attached,"
Duncombe repeated thoughtfully. "Let me understand you. You mea