nd asleep. He saw
nothing.'

"Lyle hesitated, and then, as though he had made up his mind to be quite
frank with me, spoke freely.

"'I do not know that he was either drunk or asleep,' he answered.
'Lieutenant Sears describes him as a stupid boor. I am not satisfied
that he is not a clever actor. What was his position in this house! What
was his real duty here? Suppose it was not to guard this woman, but to
watch her. Let us imagine that it was not the woman he served, but a
master, and see where that leads us. For this house has a master, a
mysterious, absentee landlord, who lives in St. Petersburg, the unknown
Russian who came between Chetney and Zichy, and because of whom Chetney
left her. He is the man who bought this house for Madame Zichy, who sent
these rugs and curtains from St. Petersburg to furnish it for her after
his own tastes, and, I believe, it was he also who placed the Russian
servant here, ostensibly to serve the Princess, but in reality to spy
upon her. At Scotland Yard we do not know who this gentleman is; the
Russian police confess to equal ignorance concerning him. When Lord
Chetney went to Africa, Madame Zichy lived in St. Petersburg; but there
her receptions and dinners were so crowded with members of the nobility
and of the army and diplomats, that among so many visitors the police
could not learn which was the one for whom she most greatly cared.'

"Lyle pointed at the modern French paintings and the heavy silk rugs
which hung upon the walls.

"'The unknown is a man of taste and of some fortune,' he said, 'not the
sort of man to send a stupid peasant to guard the woman he loves. So I
am not content to believe, with Mr. Sears, that the servant is a boor. I
believe him instead to be a very clever ruffian. I believe him to be
the protector of his master's honor, or, let us say, of his master's
property, whether that property be silver plate or the woman his master
loves. Last night, after Lord Arthur had gone away, the servant was left
alone in this house with Lord Chetney and Madame Zichy. From where he
sat in the hall he could hear Lord Chetney bidding her farewell; for, if
my idea of him is correct, he understands English quite as well as you
or I. Let us imagine that he heard her entreating Chetney not to leave
her, reminding him of his former wish to marry her, and let us suppose
that he hears Chetney denounce her, and tell her that at Cairo he has
learned of this Russian admirer--the ser