"What day is it?"

"Monday--Monday afternoon."

Barrington appeared to make a calculation.

"Monday!" he said. "Then I have been here--"

"Since early on Saturday morning," said Latour. "You were knocked about
a bit in that empty house, and you've been in a more or less unconscious
condition ever since. Have you your wits now? I have something important
to say to you."

"Then you know about that empty house?"

"Yes."

"You arranged the--"

"Your capture--yes."

Barrington rose to his feet quickly, but stumbled a little as he did so.

"Now you must settle with me," he said.

"You're not strong enough yet," said Latour, easily catching the arm
which aimed a feeble blow at him. "Mademoiselle St. Clair is safe. She
is not in prison. Your man is safe. You, too, are safe for the present.
You had better listen to all I have to say."

Barrington sat down again, frowning at his impotence. He had not
realized how weak he was.

"I let you out of this place believing you a liar, and had you watched,"
said Latour. "I still believed you a liar when I found that you knew
mademoiselle was in Legrand's house in the Rue Charonne. Your man was
watched too, and his preparations in that empty house understood. You
know the result. I have it from mademoiselle's own lips that you are not
a liar, that you are not in league with Lucien Bruslart, and I believe
her."

"Where is she?"

"Safe in my keeping."

Barrington did not answer for a moment. Then he said slowly, "She is the
aristocrat in whom you are interested?"

"Yes."

"Then it is you who have lied?"

"I deceived you, yes. Be a man, Barrington; look at this thing with the
eyes of a man. What reason was there that I should trust you with such a
secret? I had set myself a goal to win, why should I jeopardize my
chances? Bruslart was the man she loved, not you."

"They say all is fair in love," said Barrington. "Go on, Latour, go on.
I suppose you have come to bargain with me. My arm may be weak, but my
head grows clearer every minute."

"I want you to fulfill your promise. You owe me something. You said you
would do your utmost to help me with the woman I loved. I know now that
I could have no more powerful advocate."

"I cannot admit the debt," was the answer. "What do I owe you?"

"Your life once, perhaps twice, and again now. It is mine to save or
destroy. A word from me and you change this place for a prison and the
guillotine."

"I set no value on my