s, Mr. Ducaine?" he asked. "I will not
detain you long."

"I am at your service, Lord Blenavon," I answered. "We will go into the
hall and have a smoke," he suggested, leading the way. "To me it seems
the only place in the house free from draughts."

I followed him to where, in a dark corner of the great dome-shaped hall,
a wide cushioned lounge was set against the wall. He seated himself and
motioned me to follow his example. For several moments he remained
silent, twisting a cigarette with thin nervous fingers stained yellow
with nicotine. Every now and then he glanced furtively around. I
waited for him to speak. He was Lady Angela's brother, but I disliked
and distrusted him.

He finally got his cigarette alight, and turned to me.

"Mr. Ducaine," he said, "I want you to apologize to my friend, the
Prince of Malors, for your behaviour this afternoon."

"Apologize to the Prince!" I exclaimed. "Why should I?"

"Because this is the only condition on which he will consent to remain
here."

"I should have thought," I said, "that his immediate departure was
inevitable. I detected him in behaviour--"

"That is just where you are wrong," Blenavon interrupted eagerly. "You
were mistaken, entirely mistaken."

I laughed, a little impolitely, I am afraid, considering that this was
the son of my employer.

"You know the circumstances?" I asked. He nodded.

"The Prince has explained them to me. It was altogether a
misunderstanding. He felt his foot a little easier, and he was simply
looking for a newspaper or something to read until you returned.
Inadvertently he turned over some of your manuscript, and at that moment
you entered."

"Most inopportunely, I am afraid," I answered, with an unwilling smile.
"I am sorry, Lord Blenavon, that I cannot accept this explanation of the
Prince's behaviour. I am compelled to take the evidence of my eyes and
ears as final."

Blenavon sucked at his cigarette fiercely for a minute, threw it away,
and commenced to roll another.

"It's all rot!" he exclaimed. "Malors wouldn't do a mean action, and,
besides, what on earth has he to gain? He is a fanatical Royalist. He
is not even on speaking terms with the Government of France to-day."

"I perceive," I remarked, looking at him closely, "that you are familiar
with the nature of my secretarial work."

He returned my glance, and it seemed to me that there was some hidden
meaning in his eyes which I failed to catch.

"I am in my fa