"May I be permitted to inquire, madame, who this gentleman is?"

"But certainly, monsieur. This is Dr. Gregory Sartorius, who for some
weeks has been my husband's private physician. He is still staying
here, as a favour to me, in order to be of service to my stepson, who
has not been well."

The officer bowed, plainly as much impressed by the lady's generosity
to her ungrateful relative as by the magnificence of having a private
physician in attendance. He cleared his throat and turned again to
Roger with a resumption of his truculent manner.

"Monsieur, the reasons for your inexcusable action have no interest for
me. The point is that the law does not allow you to restrict the
liberty of this lady in any way whatsoever. If you even attempt to do
so, you will find yourself in serious trouble. Are you, or are you
not, prepared to hand over the key to Madame's door?"

Without hesitation Roger put his hand in his pocket and took out the
key.

"Here it is," he said simply, and held it out to the astonished
officer, who shot him a puzzled and suspicious glance from under his
black brows.

"Furthermore, monsieur, I warn you in the presence of witnesses that if
you make a second attempt to molest Madame, I shall be compelled to
give you in charge."

Roger offered no comment. The dark man looked from one to the other
around the room, and although he had delivered his ultimatum in a
hectoring tone, it was plain that he found himself dissatisfied with
the situation. Perhaps he was uncertain whether or not the whole thing
was a hoax and himself the butt of a joke, to be laughed at later for
treating the affair in a melodramatic way. The faces before him told
him nothing. At last he cleared his throat again with finality, and
bowing to Lady Clifford with something approaching a flourish, extended
the key to her.

"_Voila, madame!_" he announced triumphantly. "I think there is
nothing more that can be done at the moment." He moved closer to her
and, speaking in a confidential tone added, "I fear it is impossible
for me to arrest this gentleman, as he has withdrawn from his offensive
position. All it is in my power to do is to warn him not to repeat the
insult. I rely upon you, madame, to keep me informed in case of
further trouble."

Therese smiled with a clear-eyed serenity which enslaved the posse to a
man.

"Thanks to you, monsieur, I do not anticipate any further trouble," she
replied with a glanc