would have been as well served if the card
had gone no further. But my infernal sense of humour prompted me to make
a bid for complicating the mystery. I dropped my arm, of course, as
Jesson turned to her, and it never occurred to Salome that the hand
which had placed the card beside her was any other than that of her
neighbour on the left, Jesson. Before she could address him, or he
address her, I inquired if I might examine the card. Jesson continued
his conversation with Lady Vignoles, and the 'second notice' passed all
around the table."

"Excellent! Do you know, Sheard, these childish little conjuring tricks
help me immensely! Can you picture Julius Rohscheimer cowering
throughout a whole night before the rod of a trousers-stretcher
projecting from a wardrobe door!"

"Was that the solution of the 'patriotic' mystery?"

"Certainly. Adeler, who was concealed in the wardrobe, armed with the
necessary written threats, made his escape directly Rohscheimer's cheque
was in his hand--leaving the rod to mount guard whilst you got the
announcement into print and induced the Marquess to pay an early morning
visit."

Severac Bablon's handsome face looked almost boyish as he related how
the financier had been forced to play the part of a patriot. Sheard,
watching him, found new matter for wonderment.

This was the man who claimed to command the destinies of eight million
people--the man who claimed to wield the power of a Solomon. This was
Severac Bablon, the most inscrutably mysterious being who had ever sown
wonderment throughout the continents, the man who juggled with vast
fortunes as Cinquevalli juggles with billiard-balls! This was the man
whose great velvety eyes could gleam with uncanny force, whose will
could enthrall hypnotically, for whom the police of the world searched,
for whose apprehension huge rewards were offered, whose abode was
unknown, whose accomplices were unnumbered, to whom no door was locked,
from whose all-seeing gaze no secret was secret!

It was difficult, all but impossible, to realise.

"Yet I am he," said the melodious voice.

Sheard started as though a viper had touched him. He stared at his
visitor in wide-eyed amazement.

"Heavens! Was I thinking aloud?"

"Practically. Your mind was so intensely concentrated upon certain
incidents in my career--see, your pipe is out--that, in a broad sense, I
could hear you thinking!"

Sheard laughed dryly, and relighted his pipe. Severac Bablon