rminedly. "If Lord Valletort thinks his business can wait till
Count Vassilan has recovered from an indisposition, that is his affair
only."

"I think nothing of the sort," snapped the Earl. "You all see that the
Count is ill, and common humanity impels me to attend to him first. It
may serve to curb this young gentleman's tongue if I say----"

But Vassilan would not permit him to say anything. Though he was the
ailing man, he literally dragged Valletort out of the room and into the
street.

Steingall looked at the police captain, who quitted the apartment
instantly. Then the detective gazed around at the others with a placid
smile which seemed to show that he, for one, was well content with the
unusual turn taken by events.

"I suppose you boys have verbatim notes of all that was said," he
inquired, tossing the remark collectively to the group of pressmen.

"Every word," came the assurance.

"Well, now, I want you to keep all that out of the papers."

"If we do that, Steingall, what is there left?" said one of them
good-humoredly.

"The biggest thing you have dropped on to this year; unless I am
greatly mistaken, the scoop of scoops for those who happen to be
present. I'm not going to pretend that any of you are blind or deaf,
and it will assist the police materially if no comment is made on what
you have heard and seen. I don't like to put it otherwise than as a
friendly hint; but I may want the whole bunch as witnesses before this
thing is through, so your mouths should be closed effectually with
regard to incidents in this room."

A half-hearted laugh went around, and someone asked:

"We must put up a readable story of some kind--if we cut out certain
details, surely we can use others?"

"I said 'incidents in this room,'" repeated the detective.

"Then we can mention the arrival of the Earl and the Count on the
scene?"

"Why not?"

"One minute, sir," put in Mr. Horace P. Curtis. "If these gentlemen
take you at your word, the charge made against my nephew will be
published throughout the length and breadth of the United States
to-morrow."

"I don't see how something of the sort is to be avoided," said
Steingall.

"Then, in common fairness, the newspapers ought to state that my wife
and I, as well as Mr. Devar, as good as told the Earl that he was
lying."

"I imagine you can leave the matter safely in the very capable hands of
the reporters present," said Steingall.

"Remember, please