I know lots of
things about my own people which would read delightfully if Mr. Beecot
set them down, but then--" she shrugged her dainty shoulders, "oh, dear
me, what a row there would be!"

"I suppose there is a skeleton in every cupboard," said Hay, suavely,
and quite ignoring the shady tenant in his own.

"There's a whole dozen cupboards with skeletons to match in my family,"
said the young lord. "Why, I had an aunt, Lady Rachel Sandal, who was
murdered over twenty years ago. Now," he said, looking triumphantly
round the table, "which of you can say there's a murder in your
family--eh, ladies and gentlemen?"

Paul glanced sideways at Mrs. Krill, wondering what she would say, and
wondering also how it was that Lord George did not know she was the
widow of the murdered Lemuel Krill, whose name had been so widely
advertised. But Hay spoke before anyone could make a remark. "What an
unpleasant subject," he said, with a pretended shudder, "let us talk of
less melodramatic things."

"Oh, why," said Mrs. Krill, using her fan. "I rather like to hear about
murders."

Lord George looked oddly at her, and seemed about to speak. Paul thought
for the moment that he did know about the Gwynne Street crime and
intended to remark thereon. But if so his good taste told him that he
would be ill-advised to speak and he turned to ask for another glass of
wine. Miss Aurora Qian looked in her pretty shrewd way from one to the
other. "I just love the Newgate Calendar," she said, clasping her hands.
"There's lovely plots for dramas to be found there. Don't you think so,
Mr. Beecot?"

"I don't read that sort of literature, Miss Qian."

"Ah, then you don't know what people are capable of in the way of
cruelty, Mr. Beecot."

"I don't want to know," retorted Paul, finding the subject distasteful
and wondering why the actress pressed it, as she undoubtedly did. "I
prefer to write stories to elevate the mind."

Miss Qian made a grimace and shot a meaning look at him. "It doesn't
pay," she said, tittering, "and money is what we all want."

"I fear I don't care for money overmuch."

"No," said Mrs. Krill to him in an undertone, "I know that from the way
you spoke in Mr. Pash's office."

"I was standing up for the rights of another."

"You will be rewarded," she replied meaningly, but what she did mean
Paul could not understand.

The rest of the dinner passed off well enough, as the subject was
changed. Lord George began to talk of