ouple
near the third column. Count Vos Engo and Loraine Tullis were standing
there together, unmistakably watching his humiliating departure. To say
that Truxton swore softly as he hurried off through the trees would be
unnecessarily charitable.

The next morning he encountered Vos Engo near the grotto. Two
unsuccessful attempts to leave the Castle grounds had been made during
the night. Truxton had aired his opinion to Mr. Hobbs after breakfast.

"I'll bet my head I could get away with it," he had said, doubly
scornful because of a sleepless night. "They go about it like a lot of
chumps. No wonder they are chased back."

Catching sight of Vos Engo, he hastened across the avenue and caught up
to him. The Count was apparently deep in thought.

"Good morning," said Truxton from behind. The other whirled quickly. He
did not smile as he eyed the tall American. "I haven't had a chance to
thank you for coming back for me last Saturday. Allow me to say that it
was a very brave thing to do. If I appeared ungrateful at the time, I'm
sure you understood my motives."

"The whole matter is of no consequence, Mr. King," said the other
quietly.

"Nevertheless, I consider it my duty to thank you. I want to get it out
of my system. Having purged myself of all that, I now want to tell you
of a discovery that I made last evening."

"I am not at all interested."

"You will be when I have told you, however, because it concerns you."

"I do not like your words, Mr. King, nor the way in which you glare at
me."

"I'm making it easier to tell you the agreeable news, Count Vos Engo;
that's all. You'll be delighted to hear that I thought of you nearly all
night and still feel that I have not been able to do you full justice."

"Indeed?" with a distinct uplifting of the eyebrows.

"Take your hand off your sword, please. Some other time, perhaps, but
not in these days when we need men, not cripples. I'll tell you what I
have discovered and then we'll drop the matter until some other time. We
can afford a physical delay, but it would be heartless to keep you in
mental suspense. Frankly, Count, I have made the gratifying discovery
that you are a damned cur."

Count Vos Engo went very white. He drew his dapper figure up to its full
height, swelled his Robin Redbreast coat to the bursting point, and
allowed his right hand to fly to his sword. Then, as suddenly, he folded
his arms and glared at Truxton.

"As you say, there is another