ed in London at some place unknown to us,
a full history of the case, and if it should happen that he disappears
for more than a week at a time, this record will be brought to light.'

'My dear Mr. Sanderson, that device is as old as Noah and his ark. I
should chance that. Let me lay this fellow by the heels, and I will
guarantee that no publicity follows.'

Sanderson sadly shook his head.

'Everything might happen as you say, sir, but all that would put us no
further forward. The only point is the liberation of my young master.
It is possible that the person unmentioned, whom we may call Number
Three, has been cheating us throughout, but that is a matter of no
consequence.'

'Pardon me, but I think it is. Suppose your young master here, and at
liberty. This Number Three would continue to maintain the power over
him which he seems to have held over his father for the last five
years.'

'I think we can prevent that, sir, if my plan is carried out.'

'The scheme for bribing the American officials is yours, then?'

'Yes, sir, and I may say I am taking a great deal upon myself in
coming to you. I am, in fact, disobeying the implied commands of my
master, but I have seen him pay money, and very large sums of money,
to this Number Three for the last five years and nothing has come of
it. My master is an unsuspicious man, who has seen little of the real
world, and thinks everyone as honest as himself.'

'Well, that may be, Mr. Sanderson, but permit me to suggest that the
one who proposes a scheme of bribery, and, to put it mildly, an
evasion of the law, shows some knowledge of the lower levels of this
world, and is not quite in a position to plume himself on his own
honesty.'

'I am coming to that, Mr. Valmont. My master knows nothing whatever of
my plan. He has given me the huge sum of money demanded by Number
Three, and he supposes that amount has been already paid over. As a
matter of fact, it has not been paid over, and will not be until my
suggestion has been carried out, and failed. In fact, I am about to
use this money, all of it if necessary, if you will undertake the
commission. I have paid Number Three his usual monthly allowance, and
will continue to do so. I have told him my master has his proposal
under consideration; that there are still six months to come and go
upon, and that my master is not one who decides in a hurry.'

'Number Three says there is an election in six months for governor.
What is t