king
you to death with butter!"

"Do you suppose" asked Fred, "that Lord Montdidier has no influence in
London, that he--"

"I know he had influence. I should have told you first, perhaps. Lord
Montdidier was murdered on board ship. A telegram reached Mombasa
yesterday at ten A.M. from up-coast saying that the body of an unknown,
Englishman had been picked up at sea by an Arab dhow, with the face too
badly eaten by fish to be recognizable. You may take it from me, that
is Lord Montdidier's corpse."

The calm announcement was intended to surprise us, and it did, but the
result surprised her.

"You she-devil!" said Will. "If you and your gang have murdered that
fine fellow I'll turn the tables on you! You go up-stairs, and pray he
isn't dead! Pray that corpse may prove to be some one's else! If he's
dead I'll guarantee you it's the worst day's work you ever had a hand
in! Go up-stairs!"

He flung away the cigarette she had given him and knocked his chair
away.

"Sit down, you young fool!" she said. "Don't make all that noise!"

But Will had none of the respect for titles acquired by marriage that
made most men an easy mark for her.

"Leave the room!" he ordered. "Go away from us! Just you hope that's
a lie about Monty, that's all!"

"Sit down!" she repeated. "I admit I am a little previous. The story
is unconfirmed yet. Sit down and be sensible! Something of the sort
will happen to all of you unless you three men get religion!"

But Will began to pace the floor noisily, stopping to glare at her each
time he turned.

"Is there any sense in protracting the scene?" asked Fred.

"No," she admitted. "I see you are too hot-headed to be reasoned with.
But it makes little difference!
Fever--animals--climate--sun--flood--accident--natives--there are
excuses in plenty--explanations by the dozen! I will say good night,
then--and good-by!"

"Yes, good-by!" growled Will, facing her with his back to the stairs.
"You take us for men with a price, do you?"

"All men have a price," she smiled bitterly. "Only it is no use
offering flowers to pigs! We must treat pigs another way--pigs, and
young fools! And fools old enough to know better!" she added with a
nod toward Fred, who bowed to her in mock abasement--too politely, I
thought.

Will got out of her way and she went up-stairs with the manner of an
empress taking leave of subjects. Fred swept her food and wine from
the table and stowed it in a