little rising in colour. "I
am not thinking of Lord Littimer, but of his son.... Yes, I see you raise
your eyebrows--probably you are aware of the story, as most people are.
And you are wondering why I am on such friendly terms with Lord Littimer
under the circumstances. And I am wondering why you should call yourself
John Smith."

The listener coolly flicked the ash from his cigarette. His face was
like a mask.

"John Smith is a good name," he said. "Can you suggest a better?"

"If you ask me to do so I can. I should call myself John Rawlins."

There was just the ghost of a smile on Rawlins's lips.

"There is a man of that name," he said, slowly, "who attained
considerable notoriety in the States. People said that he was the
_derniere cri_ of refined rascality. He was supposed to be without
feeling of any kind; his villainies were the theme of admiration amongst
financial magnates. There were brokers who piously thanked Providence
because Rawlins had never thought of going on the Stock Exchange, where
he could have robbed and plundered with impunity. And this Rawlins always
baffles the police. If he baffles them a little longer they won't be able
to touch him at all. At present, despite his outward show, he has hardly
a dollar to call his own. But he is on to a great _coup_ now, and,
strange to say, an honest one. Do you know the man, Miss Lee?"

Chris met the speaker's eyes firmly.

"I met him last night for the first time," she said.

"In that case you can hardly be said to know him," Rawlins murmured. "If
you drive him into a corner he will do desperate things. If you tried
that game on with him you would regret it for the rest of your life. Good
heavens, you are like a child playing about amidst a lot of unguarded
machinery. Why do you do it?"

"That I will tell you presently. Mr. Rawlins, you have a daughter."

The hard look died out of the listener's eyes.

"Whom I love better than my life," he said. "There are two John
Rawlins's--the one you know; and, well, the other one. I should be sorry
to show you the other one."

"For the sake of your daughter I don't want to see the other one."

"Then why do you pit yourself against me like this?"

"I don't think you are displaying your usual lucidity," Chris said,
coolly. Her heart was beating fast, but she did not show it. "Just
reflect for a moment. I have found you out. I know pretty well what you
are. I need not have told you anything of this. I need