ss and relief.

"I'm not condemning you, of course," he said. "It was rather beastly of
me to annoy your sister before you were up this morning. She flatly
refused to rouse you, and by George, the way she said it made me turn
the business of getting into touch with you over to Cruze. Sit down,
Conniston. I'm going to explode a mine under you."

He flung himself into his swivel chair and twisted one of his fierce
mustaches, while his eyes blazed at Keith. Keith waited. He saw the
other was like an animal ready to spring and anxious to spring, the one
evident stricture on his desire being that there was nothing to spring
at unless it was himself.

"What happened last night?" he asked.

Keith's mind was already working swiftly. McDowell's question gave him
the opportunity of making the first play against Shan Tung.

"Enough to convince me that I am going to see Shan Tung today," he said.

He noticed the slow clenching and unclenching of McDowell's fingers
about the arms of his chair.

"Then--I was right?"

"I have every reason to believe you were--up to a certain point. I
shall know positively when I have talked with Shan Tung."

He smiled grimly. McDowell's eyes were no harder than his own. The iron
man drew a deep breath and relaxed a bit in his chair.

"If anything should happen," he said, looking away from Keith, as
though the speech were merely casual, "if he attacks you--"

"It might be necessary to kill him in self-defense," finished Keith.

McDowell made no sign to show that he had heard, yet Keith thrilled
with the conviction that he had struck home. He went on telling briefly
what had happened at Miriam Kirkstone's house the preceding night.
McDowell's face was purple when he described the evidences of Shan
Tung's presence at the house on the hill, but with a mighty effort he
restrained his passion.

"That's it, that's it," he exclaimed, choking back his wrath. "I knew
he was there! And this morning both of them lie about it--both of them,
do you understand! She lied, looking me straight in the eyes. And he
lied, and for the first time in his life he laughed at me, curse me if
he didn't! It was like the gurgle of oil. I didn't know a human could
laugh that way. And on top of that he told me something that I WON'T
believe, so help me God, I won't!"

He jumped to his feet and began pacing back and forth, his hands
clenched behind him. Suddenly he whirled on Keith.

"Why in heaven's name didn't you