twenty
years. His wife and two children were killed in a railway
collision----"

"What the devil do I care about Harry Thornhill!"

"You're a selfish young beggar, but I would have cared as little at
your age. Well--a cousin of his, Maynard Thornhill, did move to
Virginia some thirty-five years ago, married, and had a family, then
moved on to Paris and remained there until both he and his wife died.
Beyond that he could tell me nothing. They weren't on particularly
cordial terms and he never looked the family up when he went over. Has
Madame Zattiany ever said anything about brothers and sisters?"

"Not a word."

"Probably married and settled in Europe somewhere, or wiped out. You
might ask her."

"I'll ask her no more questions."

"Been snubbing you?"

"On the contrary, she's been uncommonly decent. I got rather strung up
the last time I was there and asked her so many leading questions that
she'd have been justified in showing me out of the house."

"You impertinent young scamp. But manners have changed since my day.
What did she tell you?"

"Nothing. I'm as much in the dark as ever. What have you found out
about Josef Zattiany?"

"Something, but not quite enough. I met an Austrian, Countess Loyos,
at dinner the other night and asked her about the Zattianys. She said
the family was a large one with many branches, but she had a vague idea
that a Josef Zattiany was killed in the war. Whether he was married or
not, she had no idea. . . ."

Clavering stood up suddenly and looked down on Mr. Dinwiddie, who was
smiling less triumphantly than ruefully. "Well?" he asked sharply.
"Well?"

"I see you've caught it. It's rather odd, isn't it, that this Austrian
lady, who has lived her life in Viennese Society, knows nothing
apparently of any young and beautiful Countess Zattiany? I didn't give
her a hint of the truth, for I certainly shall not be the one to loose
the bloodhounds on this charming young woman, whoever she may be. Told
her that I recalled having met a very young and handsome countess of
that name in Europe before the war and wondered what had become of
her. . . . But somebody else may let them loose any moment. A good
many people are interested in her already."

"Well, they can't do anything to her. She's a right to call herself
whatever she likes, and she asks no favors. But I'd like to hypnotize
Judge Trent and get the truth out of him. He knows, damn him!"

"He's laying u