, smiling.

"He ought to call it justifiable self-defence. He will too if he's ever
had one of those drills in his own mouth."

"As a lawyer," said Dane-Latimer, "I'd like to see this action fought
out. I don't remember a case quite like it, and it would be exceedingly
interesting to see what view the Court would take. But of course I'm
bound to work for my client's interest, and I'm advising Scarsby to
settle it if he can. He's in a vile temper and there's no doubt he
really is losing money through not being able to work with his strained
wrist. Still, if Madame, or the king on her behalf, would make any sort
of offer--She may not have any money, Gorman, but everybody knows she
has jewellery."

"Do you really think," said Gorman, "that Madame will sell her pearls
to satisfy the claims of a dentist who, so far as I can make out, didn't
even finish stopping her tooth for her?"

"The law might make her."

"The law couldn't," said Gorman. "You know perfectly well that if the
law tried she'd simply say that her jewellery belonged to King Konrad
and you've no kind of claim on him."

"That's so," said Dane-Latimer. "All the same it won't be very nice if
the case comes into court. Madame had far better settle it. Just think
of the newspapers. They'll crack silly jokes about it for weeks and
there'll be pictures of Madame in most undignified attitudes. She won't
like it."

"I see that," said Gorman. "And of course Konrad Karl will be dragged in
and made to look like a fool."

"Kings of all people," said Dane-Latimer, "can't afford to be laughed
at. It doesn't do a king any real harm if he's hated, but if once he
becomes comic he's done."

Gorman thought the matter over for a minute or two.

"I'll tell you what," he said at last. "You hold the dentist in play for
a day or two and I'll see what I can do. There'll be no money. I warn
you fairly of that. You won't even get the amount of your own bill
unless Scarsby pays it; but I may be able to fix things up."

It was not very easy for Gorman to deal with Madame Ypsilante. Her
point was that Scarsby had deliberately inflicted frightful pain on
her, breaking his plighted word and taking advantage of her helpless
position.

"He is a devil, that man," she said. "Never, never in life has there
been any such devil. I did right to kick him. It would be more right to
kick his mouth. But I am not a dancer. I cannot kick so high."

"Corinne," said the king. "You have suffer