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the shining muzzle of a tiny revolver。 Behind it Mr。 Sabin's face；
no longer pleasant and courteous； had taken to itself some very
grim lines。
〃I am a weak man； Mr。 Horser； but I am never without the means of
self…defence；〃 Mr。 Sabin said in a still； cold tone。 〃Be so good
as to sit down in that easy…chair。〃
Mr。 Horser hesitated。 For one moment he stood as though about to
carry out his first intention。 He stood glaring at his opponent；
his face contracted into a snarl； his whole appearance hideous；
almost bestial。 Mr。 Sabin smiled upon him contemptuously … the
maddening； compelling smile of the born aristocrat。
〃Sit down！〃
Mr。 Horser sat down； whereupon Mr。 Sabin followed suit。
〃Now what have you to say to me？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked quietly。
〃I want that report；〃 was the dogged answer。
〃You will not have it；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃You can take that
for granted。 You shall not take it from me by force； and I will
see that you do not charm it out of my pocket by other means。 The
information which it contains is of the utmost possible importance
to me。 I have bought it and paid for it； and I shall use it。〃
Mr。 Horser moistened his dry lips。
〃I will give you；〃 he said； 〃twenty thousand dollars for its return。〃
Mr。 Sabin laughed softly。
〃You bid high；〃 he said。 〃I begin to suspect that our friends on
the other side of the water have been more than ordinarily kind to
you。〃
〃I will give you … forty thousand dollars。〃
Mr。 Sabin raised his eyebrows。
〃So much？ After all； that sounds more like fear than anything。
You cannot hope to make a profitable deal out of that。 Dear me！
It seems only a few minutes ago that I heard your interesting friend；
Mr。 Skinner； shake with laughter at the mention of such a thing as
a secret society。〃
〃Skinner is a blasted fool；〃 Horser exclaimed fiercely。 〃Listen
here； Mr。 Sabin。 You can read that report if you must； but； as
I'm a living man you'll not stir from New York if you do。 I'll
make your life a hell for you。 Don't you understand that no one
but a born fool would dare to quarrel with me in this city？ I
hold the prison keys； the police are mine。 I shall make my own
charge； whatever I choose； and they shall prove it for me。〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃This sounds very shocking；〃 he remarked。 〃I had no idea that the
largest city of the most enlightened country in the world was in
such a sorry plight。〃
〃Oh； curse your sarcasm；〃 Mr。 Horser said。 〃I'm talking facts； and
you've got to know them。 Will you give up that report？ You can
find out all there is in it for yourself。 But I'm going to give it
you straight。 If I don't have that report back unread； you'll never
leave New York。〃
Mr。 Sabin was genuinely amused。
〃My good fellow；〃 he said； 〃you have made yourself a notorious
person in this country by dint of incessant bullying and bribing
and corruption of every sort。 You may possess all the powers you
claim。 Your only mistake seems to be that you are too thick…headed
to know when you are overmatched。 I have been a diplomatist all my
life；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； rising slowly to his feet； and with a sudden
intent look upon his face； 〃and if I were to be outwitted by such a
novice as you I should deserve to end my days … in New York。〃
Mr。 Horser rose also to his feet。 A smile of triumph was on his
lips。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃we … Come in！ Come in！〃 The door was thrown
open。 Skinner and two policemen entered。 Mr。 Sabin leaned towards
the wall； and in a second the room was plunged in darkness。
〃Turn on the lights！〃 Skinner shouted。 〃Seize him！ He's in that
corner。 Use your clubs！〃 Horser bawled。 〃Stand by the door one
of you。 Damnation； where is that switch？〃
He found it with a shout of triumph。 Lights flared out in the room。
They stared around into every corner。 Mr。 Sabin was not there。
Then Horser saw the door leading into the bed…chamber； and flung
himself against it with a hoarse cry of rage。
〃Break it open！〃 he cried to the policemen。
They hammered upon it with their clubs。 Mr。 Sabin's quiet voice
came to them from the other side。
〃Pray do not disturb me； gentlemen；〃 he said。 〃I am reading。〃
〃Break it open； you damned fools！〃 Horser cried。 They battered at
it sturdily； but the door was a solid one。 Suddenly they heard the
key turn in the lock。 Mr。 Sabin stood upon the threshold。
〃Gentlemen！〃 he exclaimed。 〃These are my private apartments。 Why
this violence？〃
He held out the paper。
〃This is mine；〃 he said。 〃The information which it contains is
bought and paid for。 But if the giving it up will procure me the
privilege of your departure； pray take it。
Horser was purple with rage。 He pointed with shaking fist to the
still； calm figure。
〃Arrest him；〃 he ordered。 〃Take him to the cells。〃
Mr。 Sabin shrugged his shoulders。
〃I am ready；〃 he said； 〃but it is only fair to give you this warning。
I am the Duke of Souspennier； and I am well known in England and
France。 The paper which you saw me hand to the porter in the hall
as we stepped into the elevator was a despatch in cipher to the
English Ambassador at Washington； claiming his protection。 If you
take me to prison to…night you will have him to deal with to…morrow。〃
Mr。 Horser bore himself in defeat better than at any time during
the encounter。 He turned to the constables。
〃Go down stairs and wait for me in the hail；〃 he ordered。 〃You too；
Skinner。〃
They left the room。 Horser turned to Mr。 Sabin； and the veins on
his forehead stood out like whipcord。
〃I know when I'm beaten；〃 he said。 〃Keep your report； and be damned
to you。 But remember that you and I have a score to settle； and you
can ask those who know me how often Dick Horser comes out underneath
in the long run。〃
He followed the others。 Mr。 Sabin sat down in his easy…chair with a
quiet smile upon his lips。 Once more he glanced through the brief
report。 Then his eyes half closed； and he sat quite still … a tired；
weary…looking man； almost unnaturally pale。
〃They have kept their word；〃 he said softly to himself； 〃after many
years。 After many years！〃
* * * * *
Duson came in to undress him shortly afterwards。 He saw signs of
the struggle； but made no comment。 Mr。 Sabin； after a moment's
hesitation； took a phial from his pocket and poured a few drops into
a wineglassful of water。
〃Duson；〃 he said； 〃bring me some despatch forms and a pencil。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Mr。 Sabin wrote for several moments。 Then he placed the forms in
an envelope； sealed it； and handed it to Duson。
〃Duson；〃 he said； 〃that fellow Horser is annoyed with me。 If I
should be arrested on any charge； or should fail to return to the
hotel within reasonable time； break that seal and send off the
telegrams。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Mr。 Sabin yawned。
〃I need sleep；〃 he said。 〃Do not call me to…morrow morning until
I ring。 And； Duson！〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃The Campania will sail from New York somewhere about the tenth of
October。 I wish to secure the whole of stateroom number
twenty…eight。 Go round to the office as soon as they open； secure
that room if possible； and pay a deposit。 No other will do。 Also
one for yourself。〃
〃Very good； sir。〃
CHAPTER VI
Here's a lady inquiring for you； sir … just gone up to your room in
the elevator；〃 the hotel clerk remarked to Mr。 Sabin as he paused
on his way to the door to hand in his key。 〃Shall I send a boy up？〃
Mr。 Sabin hesitated。
〃A lady？〃 he remarked tentatively。
The hotel clerk nodded。
〃Yes。 I didn't notice the name； but she was an Englishwoman。 I'll
send up。〃
〃Thank you； I will return；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃If I should miss her
on the way perhaps you will kindly redirect her to my rooms。〃
He rang for the elevator； and was swiftly transported to his own
floor。 The door of his sitting…room was open。 Duson was talking
to a tall fair woman； who turned swiftly round at the sound of his
approach。
〃Ah； they found you； then！〃 she exclaimed； coming towards him with
outstretched hands。 〃Isn't this a strange place and a strange
country for us to meet once more in？〃
He greeted her gallantly； but with a certain reserve； of which she
was at once aware。
〃Are there any countries in the world left which are strange to so
great a traveler as Lady Muriel Carey？〃 he said。 〃The papers
here have been full of your wonderful adventures in South Africa。〃
She laughed。
〃Everything shockingly exaggerated； of course；〃 she declared。 〃I
have really been plagued to death since I got here with interviewers；
and that sort of person。 I wonder if you know how glad I am to see
you again？〃
〃You are very kind； indeed；〃 he said。 〃Certainly there was no one
whom I expected less to see over here。 You have come for the yacht
races； I suppose？〃
She looked at him with a faint smile and raised eyebrows。
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃shall we lie to one another？ Is it worth while？
Candour is so much more original。〃
〃Candour by all means then； I beg；〃 he answered。
〃I have come over with the Dalkeiths； ostensibly to see the yacht
races。 Really I have come to see you。〃
Mr。 Sabin bowed