seeking to bribe Maggie!" he exclaimed.

"That is not true," was the dignified reply.

"Then please explain," Nigel persisted.

Prince Shan rose to his feet. He walked to the heavy silk curtains which
led into his own bedchamber, pushed them apart, and looked for a moment
at the familiar objects in the room. Then he came back, glancing on his
way at the ebony cabinet.

"One does not repeat one's mistakes," he said slowly, "and although you
and I, Lord Dorminster, breathe the common air of the greater world, my
instinct tells me that of certain things which have passed between your
cousin and myself it is better that no mention ever be made. I wish to
tell you this, however. There is in existence a document, my signature
to which would, without a doubt, have a serious influence upon the
destinies of this country. That document, unsigned, would be one of my
marriage gifts to Lady Maggie--and as you know I have not yet had her
answer. However, if you wish it, I will go to the Prime Minister."

Li Wen came silently in. He spoke to his master for a few minutes in
Chinese. A faint smile parted the latter's lips.

"You can tell the person at the telephone that I will call within the
next few minutes," he directed. "You will not object," he added, turning
courteously to Nigel, "if I stop for a moment, on the way to Downing
Street, at a small private hospital? An acquaintance of mine lies sick
there and desires urgently to see me."

"I am entirely at your service," Nigel assured him.

Prince Shan, with many apologies, left Nigel alone in the car outside a
tall, grey house in John Street, and, preceded by the white-capped nurse
who had opened the door, climbed the stairs to the first floor of the
celebrated nursing home, where, after a moment's delay, he was shown
into a large and airy apartment. Immelan was in bed, looking very ill
indeed. He was pale, and his china-blue eyes, curiously protruding, were
filled with an expression of haunting fear. A puzzled doctor was
standing by the bedside. A nurse, who was smoothing the bedclothes,
glanced around at Prince Shan's entrance. The invalid started
convulsively, and, clutching the pillows with his right hand, turned
towards his visitor.

"So you've come!" he exclaimed. "Stay where yon are! Don't go!
Doctor--nurse--leave us alone for a moment."

The nurse went at once. The doctor hesitated.

"My patient is a good deal exhausted," he said. "There are no dangerous
symptom