of important cunning.
Presently he threw over his shoulder a rapid sentence in a foreign
tongue. It sounded like Spanish, and Orme inferred that it was a dialect
of Portuguese.

The answer came from an oily tongue; the voice was Alcatrante's.

What were the South Americans doing here? It was only a few hours since
the Japanese had set on Alcatrante, yet here he was in a stronghold of
the enemy--and expected! Had the astute diplomat fallen into a trap?

Arima was standing, not far from Poritol. His face was expressionless.
Looking from Alcatrante to Poritol and back again, he said in English:
"The mos' honorable gentleman will soon be here."

"That is right," said Alcatrante suavely. "Mention no names."

Arima nodded slightly.

The silence grew intense. Orme was relieved when it was broken by another
ring of the bell, and Arima slipped to the door. Alcatrante moved over
beside Poritol and whispered a few words, scarcely moving his lips. His
face looked yellow by daylight, and the eyes behind the gold spectacles
were heavy-lidded and almost closed. Orme inferred that the night had
been sleepless for Alcatrante.

These observations were interrupted by the entrance of the newcomer. He
paused at the threshold, evidently to salute, for Poritol and Alcatrante
bowed low. Then quick steps crossed the floor and into view came a
nervous but assured-looking little figure--a Japanese, but undoubtedly a
man of great dignity. His manner of sharp authority would be hard to
dispute, for it was supported by a personality that seemed to be stronger
than Alcatrante's. Who he was Orme could not guess, but that he was
somebody of importance it was easy to see.

The stranger bowed again and addressed himself to Alcatrante. The
conversation was carried on in French.

"It is well that you communicated with me, sir," he said, "we were
working at cross-purposes when, in reality, our interests were
identical."

Alcatrante bowed. "I came to that conclusion late last night," he said.
"I do not deny that it would have pleased me to carry the affair through
by myself."

"Yes, your position would then have been stronger." The Japanese smiled
faintly.

"But," continued Alcatrante, with a slight grimace, "the activity of your
men made that impossible. I have no lieutenants such as yours." He shot
an ugly gleam at Poritol, whose sudden assumption of fearsome humility
was in strange contrast to his usual self-assurance.

"As we hold the do