oments against the
table and steadily cursed Mr. Sabin, the government at Washington, and
something under his breath which he did not dare to name openly.

"Oh, shut up!" his host said at last. "How the devil are we going to get
out of this?"

Mr. Horser left the room and returned with a tumbler full of brandy and
a very little water.

"Take a drink yourself," he said. "It'll steady you."

"Oh, I'm steady enough," Mr. Mace replied impatiently. "I want to know
how you're going to get us out of this. What was the charge, anyhow?"

"Passing forged bills," Horser answered. "Parsons fixed it up."

Mr. Mace turned a shade paler.

"Where the devil's the sense in a charge like that?" he answered
fiercely. "The man's a millionaire. He'll turn the tables on us nicely."

"We've got to keep him till after the Campania sails, anyhow," Horser
said doggedly.

"We're not going to keep him ten minutes," Mace replied. "I'm going to
sign the order for his release."

Horser's speech was thick with drunken fury. "By --- I'll see that you
don't!" he exclaimed.

Mace turned upon him angrily.

"You selfish fool!" he muttered. "You're not in the thing, anyhow. If
you think I'm going to risk my position for the sake of one little job
you're wrong. I shall go down myself and release him, with an apology."

"He'll have his revenge all the same," Horser answered. "It's too late
now to funk the thing. They can't budge you. We'll see to that. We hold
New York in our hands. Be a man, Mace, and run a little risk. It's fifty
thousand."

Mace looked up at him curiously.

"What do you get out of it, Horser?"

Horser's face hardened.

"Not one cent!" he declared fiercely. "Only if I fail it might be
unpleasant for me next time I crossed."

"I don't know!" Mace declared weakly. "I don't know what to do. It's
twelve hours, Horser, and the charge is ridiculous."

"You have me behind you."

"I can't tell them that at Washington," Mace said.

"It's a fact, all the same. Don't be so damned nervous."

Mace dismissed his clerk, and found his other guests, too, on the point
of departure. But the last had scarcely left before a servant entered
with another despatch.

"Release Souspennier."

Mace handed it to his companion.

"This settles it," he declared. "I shall go round and try and make my
peace with the fellow."

Horser stood in the way, burly, half-drunk and vicious. He struck his
host in the face with clenched fist. Mace went