e lived in straitened circumstances. Do you mind telling me
whether this event is likely to prove of inconvenience to her?"

Arnold shook his head.

"I am making arrangements to find her another apartment," he said.
"We have been through some very dark times together. I feel that I
have the right to do everything that is necessary. I have no one
else to support."

Sabatini hesitated.

"If one might be permitted," he began, with what was, for him, a
considerable amount of diffidence,--

Arnold interposed a little brusquely.

"The care of Ruth Lalonde is upon my shoulders," he insisted. "There
can be no question about that. From me it is not charity, for she
shared her meals with me when I was practically starving. I am going
to ask you more questions."

"Proceed, by all means," Sabatini invited.

"Was Starling concerned at all in this Rosario affair?"

"Not directly," Sabatini admitted.

"Then why," Arnold demanded, "does he hide and behave like a
frightened child?"

"A pertinent question," Sabatini agreed. "You have to take into
account the man's constitutional cowardice. It is a fact, however,
that he was perfectly well aware of what was going to happen, and
there are circumstances connected with the affair--a document, for
instance, that we know to be in the hands of the police--which
account for their suspicions and would certainly tend to implicate
our friend Starling. It would be quite easy to make out a very
strong case against him."

"I do not understand," Arnold said, after a moment's silence, "what
interest Lalonde could have had in killing Rosario."

Sabatini contemplated for a few moments the tip of his patent shoe.
Then he sighed gently and lit a cigarette.

"For a young man," he remarked, "it is certain that you have a great
deal of curiosity. Still, you have also, I believe, discretion.
Listen, then. There is a certain country in the south of Europe
which all those who are behind the scenes know to be on the brink of
a revolution. The capital is already filled with newspaper
correspondents, the thunder mutters day by day. The army is unpaid
and full of discontent. For that reason, it is believed that their
spirit is entirely revolutionary. Every morning we who know expect
to read in the papers that the royal palace has been stormed and the
king become an exile. This was the state of things until about a
week ago. Did you read the papers on Thursday morning last?"

Arnold shook his head