drawback to our position that you could attain your ends
without blame or scandal (your ends being, of course, if the law so
determines, immediate succession to the property of the marquis), by
merely pushing us, with the aid of the police, to a fatal extreme. We
are, therefore reluctantly obliged to conclude that we cannot put the
marquis's life up to auction between you and him, as my partners, in the
first flush of triumph, had conceived. But any movement on your side
against us will be met in such a way that the consequences, both to
yourself and your kinsman, will prove to the last degree prejudicial. For
the rest, the arrangements specified in my earlier note of this instant
(dated 2.45 P. M.) remain in force.'

Merton returned the letter to Logan. Their faces were almost equally
blank.

'Let me think!' said Merton. He turned, and walked to the window. Logan
re-read the letters and waited. Presently Merton came back to the
fireside. 'You see, after all, this resolves itself into the ordinary
dilemma of brigandage. We do not want to pay ransom, enormous ransom
probably, if we can rescue the marquis, and destroy the gang. But the
marquis himself--'

'Oh, _he_ would never offer terms that they would accept,' said Logan,
with conviction. 'But I would stick at no ransom, of course.'

'But suppose that I see a way of defeating the scoundrels, would you let
me risk it?'

'If you neither imperil yourself nor him too much.'

'Never mind me, I like it. And, as for him, they will be very loth to
destroy their winning card.'

'You'll be cautious?'

'Naturally, but, as this place and the stations are sure to be watched,
as the trains are slow, local, and inconvenient, and as, thanks to the
economy of the marquis, you have no horses, it will be horribly difficult
for me to leave the house and get to London and to work without their
spotting me. It is absolutely essential to my scheme that I should not
be known to be in town, and that I should be supposed to be here. I'll
think it out. In the meantime we must do what we can to throw dust in
the eyes of the enemy. Wire an identical advertisement to all the London
papers; I'll write it.'

Merton went to a table on which lay some writing materials, and wrote:--

'BURLINGTON ARCADE. SILVER-TOPPED EBONY STICK. Any offer made by the
other party will be doubled on receipt of that consignment uninjured.
Will meet the lady. Traps shall be kept here