sit
down and wait."

Mr. Sabin smiled.

"I think," he said, "that very shortly I can find you plenty to do."

CHAPTER XXXVII

Mr. Sabin a few minutes afterwards ordered his carriage, and was driven
to Dorset House. He asked for Lucille, but was shown at once into the
library, where the Duke was awaiting him. Then Mr. Sabin knew that
something had happened.

The Duke extended his hand solemnly.

"My dear Souspennier," he said, "I am glad to see you. I was in fact on
the point of despatching a messenger to your hotel."

"I am glad," Mr. Sabin remarked, "that my visit is opportune. To tell
you the truth, Duke, I am anxious to see my wife."

The Duke coughed.

"I trust," he said, "that you will not for a moment consider me guilty
of any discourtesy to the Countess, for whom I have a great respect and
liking. But it has come to my knowledge that the shelter of my roof and
name were being given to proceedings of which I heartily disapproved.
I therefore only a few hours ago formally broke off all connection
with Saxe Leinitzer and his friends, and to put the matter plainly, I
expelled them from the house."

"I congratulate you heartily, Duke, upon a most sensible proceeding,"
Mr. Sabin said. "But in the meantime where is my wife?"

"Your wife was not present at the time," the Duke answered, "and I had
not the slightest intention of including her in the remarks I made.
Whether she understood this or not I cannot say, but I have since been
given to understand that she left with them."

"How long ago?" Mr. Sabin asked.

"Several hours, I fear," the Duke answered. "I should like, Souspennier,
to express to you my regrets that I was ever induced to become connected
in any way with proceedings which must have caused you a great deal of
pain. I beg you to accept my apologies."

"I do not blame you, Duke," Mr. Sabin said. "My one desire now is to
wrest my wife away from this gang. Can you tell me whether she left
alone or with any of them?"

"I will endeavour to ascertain," the Duke said, ringing the bell.

But before the Duke's somewhat long-winded series of questions had gone
very far Mr. Sabin grasped the fact that the servants had been tampered
with. Without wasting any more time he took a somewhat hurried leave
and drove back to the hotel. One of the hall porters approached him,
smiling.

"There is a lady waiting for you in your rooms, sir," he announced. "She
arrived a few minutes ago."

Mr. Sabin