ght by
the artfulness of this apparently artless question. "Know two other men.
Why?"

"Oh, nothing in particular; only that I'd like to borrow some. Who are
the two men in question?"

"Lord St. Ulmer, for one."

"Lord St.---- Hum-m-m! Just so! Just so! And the other; who's he?"

"Why, my dad. Used it for years, bless his bully old heart!"

"Your---- Good-bye!" said Cleek with a curious "snap" in his voice;
then he faced round suddenly and walked back down the underground
passage and left Geoff to go his way.

But if he said nothing his thoughts were busy; and this new move in the
game, this new fish in the net, troubled him a great deal. He could not
but remember that Sir Philip Clavering was this young man's adoring
father; that he was also Lady Clavering's husband, who, as he had just
heard from her stepson, was an Austrian; that the pseudo Count de
Louvisan was also an Austrian, and after his unexpected appearance at
Clavering Close last night Lady Clavering had had a sudden attack of
illness, had left her guests at supper and retired to her own room, and
afterward had gone out on the Common and had bribed the keeper not to
mention having seen her.

Why did she go out? Of course that was all nonsense about her being
anxious over Geoff; but, still--why? To meet some one? You never could
be quite sure, quite safe, in dealing with those Continental women.
After all, morality is merely a question of geography. Suppose--simply
by way of argument, you know, nothing more--suppose the lady had had a
love affair years before Sir Philip Clavering had met and married her?
Suppose when De Louvisan turned up she had recognized in him, and he had
recognized in her---- Quite so! Quite so! De Louvisan, an adventurer
pure and simple, would be likely to make capital out of a hold obtained
over the wife of an English millionaire. It would be imperative for her
to see him at once and buy his silence if she could. Of course! Of
course! Gleer Cottage was within easy reaching distance; Gleer Cottage
was known to be absolutely deserted; and if one wanted to have a secret
interview---- And to carry the hypothesis further, suppose Sir Philip
Clavering, anxious over his wife's condition, should run up to her room
to inquire about her, and, finding her gone, should trace her movements,
go out after her, follow until he came to Gleer Cottage; and as soon as
she and De Louvisan had parted---- Well, there you are! Then, too, Sir
Philip C