at these people have been lying to you as I thought," he
rejoined sharply, "is it not indiscreet to accept the word of such a
person?"

"You know perfectly well that it is not, Count. You brought me to Warsaw
to help you to arrest Lois Boriskoff. Well, I am not going to do so and
that is all."

"Are you prepared to say the same to your friend in London--will you
cable that news to Mr. Gessner?"

"I was going to do so without any loss of time. You can send the message
for me if you like."

"Nothing will be easier. Let me take it down at your dictation. Really I
am not offended. You have been deceived and are right to say what you
think. Our friend at Hampstead shall judge between us."

He lighted a cigarette with apparent unconcern and sat down before the
writing-table near the window.

"Now," he asked, "how shall we put it to him?"

Alban came over and stood by his side.

"Say that Paul Boriskoff must be released by his intervention without
any condition whatever."

"He will never consent to that."

"He will have to consent, Count Sergius. His personal safety depends
upon it."

"But, my dear boy, what of the girl? Are you going to leave her here to
shout our friend's secret all over Warsaw?"

"She has not spoken and she will not speak, Count."

"Ah, you are among the credulous. Your confidence flatters her, I fear."

"It is just--she has never lied to me."

The Count shrugged his shoulders.

"I will send your message," he said.

He wrote the cable in a fine pointed hand and duly delivered it to the
waiter. His own would follow it ten minutes later--when he had made up
his mind how to act. A dangerous thought had come to him and begun to
obsess his mind. This English boy, he was saying, might yet be a more
dangerous enemy than the girl they had set out to trap. It might yet be
necessary to clap them both in the same prison until the whole truth
were known. He resolved to debate it at his leisure. There was plenty of
time, for the police were watching all the exits from the city, and if
Lois Boriskoff attempted to pass out, God help her.

"We must not expect an answer to this before dinner," he said, holding
out the message for the waiter to take it. "If you think it all right,
we can proceed to amuse ourselves until the reply comes. Warsaw is
somewhat a remarkable city as you will already have seen. Some of its
finest monuments have been erected to celebrate the execution of its
best patriots. Eve