ghout the room. Philippa made
eager signs to Lessingham, pointing to the French windows. Lessingham,
however, shook his head.

"I prefer," he said gently, "to finish my conversation with your
husband."'

There was another and more insistent summons from outside. This time it
was Captain Griffiths' raucous voice.

"Sir Henry Cranston," he called out, "I am here with authority. I beg to
be admitted."

"Where is your escort?"

"In the hall."

"If I let you come in," Sir Henry continued, "will you come alone?"

"I should prefer it," was the eager reply. "I wish to make this business
as little unpleasant to--to everybody as possible."

Sir Henry softly turned the key, opened the door, and admitted
Griffiths. The man seemed to see no one else but Lessingham. He would
have hastened at once towards him, but Sir Henry laid his hand upon his
arm.

"You must kindly restrain your impatience for a few moments," he
insisted. "This is a private conference. Your business with the Baron
Maderstrom can be adjusted later."

"It is my duty," Griffiths proclaimed impatiently, "to arrest that man
as a spy. I have authority, granted me this morning in London."

"Quite so," Sir Henry observed, "but we are in the midst of a very
interesting little discussion which I intend to conclude. Your turn will
come later, Captain Griffiths."

"I can countenance no discussion with such men as that," Griffiths
declared scornfully. "I am here in the execution of my duty, and I
resent any interference with it."

"No one wishes to interfere with you," Sir Henry assured him, "but until
I say the word you will obey my orders."

"So far as I am concerned," Lessingham intervened, "I wish it to be
understood that I offer no defence."

"You have no defence," Sir Henry reminded him suavely. "I gather that
not only had you the effrontery to steal a chart from my pocket in the
midst of a life struggle upon the trawler, but you have capped this
exploit with a deliberate attempt to abduct my wife."

Griffiths seemed for a moment almost beside himself. His eyes glowed.
His long fingers twitched. He kept edging a little nearer to Lessingham.

"Both charges," the latter confessed, looking Sir Henry in the eyes,
"are true."

Then Philippa found herself. She saw the sudden flash in her husband's
eyes, the grim fury in Griffiths' face. She stepped once more forward.

"Henry," she insisted, "you must listen to what I have to say."

"We have had eno