ent the others from being overlooked."

Brett marked his appreciation of Fairholme's sagacity by a nod, and the
earl continued--

"I rang the bell and promptly put my ear to the keyhole. It seemed to me
that a couple of doors were hastily closed, and then someone slowly
approached. The outer door was opened and a man's head appeared. I could
only see his face and a portion of his left shoulder, because the chain
was on the door, and the opening was not more than eight or ten inches.
Speaking in broken English he said--'Vat you vant?' His accent showed
that he was a Frenchman.

"I answered in my best French, 'I wish to see madame, your mistress, at
once.'

"'It is impossible,' he said in the same language, and simultaneously he
tried to shut the door in my face. I shoved my foot against the jamb and
prevented him. At the same instant my own servant and I--as, if there
was to be trouble, I thought it best to keep the others out of
it--applied our utmost force to the door and succeeded in snapping the
chain. It might have been a tough job, as you know that to force a way
through anything that yields slightly and yet holds fast is much more
difficult than to smash a lock or a couple of bolts. Luckily the flats
were jerry built, so the chain broke, and so suddenly that the Frenchman
was pitched violently backwards. We nearly fell after him. The
ex-policeman was a splendid chap. His first idea was to jump towards the
switch of the electric lights and turn on every lamp in the place.

"I shouted, 'Talbot, are you there? It is I, Fairholme.'

"I got no answer, but a woman darted out of a room which proved to be
the kitchen, screamed something which I could not catch, and handed a
revolver to the Frenchman, who was just struggling to his feet. That was
where my prize-fighting butler came in useful. Before you could say
'Wink' he gave the man an upper-cut that settled him effectually for the
next minute. Almost with the same movement he caught the woman a slap
over the ear that upset her nerves considerably. She had a revolver in
her hand too. It fell to the floor, and Smith, your servant, seized both
weapons.

"The ex-policeman called out--'I do not think we are making any mistake,
sir. They would not act after this manner if they were on the square.'

"I must say it seemed to me that so far it was we who had been acting in
an extraordinary way, but there was no time to discuss the ethics of the
case then. Whilst my but