ut in the face of your evidence I admit my guilt, and I
sentence myself to pay the full penalty of the law as we are made to pay
it in my own country. The order of this court is," he announced, "that
Joseph shall bring me a wine-card, and that I sign it for five bottles
of the Club's best champagne." "Oh, no!" protested the man with the
pearl stud, "it is not for _you_ to sign it. In my opinion it is Sir
Andrew who should pay the costs. It is time you knew," he said, turning
to that gentleman, "that unconsciously you have been the victim of what
I may call a patriotic conspiracy. These stories have had a more serious
purpose than merely to amuse. They have been told with the worthy object
of detaining you from the House of Commons. I must explain to you,
that all through this evening I have had a servant waiting in Trafalgar
Square with instructions to bring me word as soon as the light over
the House of Commons had ceased to burn. The light is now out, and the
object for which we plotted is attained."

The Baronet glanced keenly at the man with the black pearl, and then
quickly at his watch. The smile disappeared from his lips, and his face
was set in stern and forbidding lines.

"And may I know," he asked icily, "what was the object of your plot!"

"A most worthy one," the other retorted. "Our object was to keep you
from advocating the expenditure of many millions of the people's money
upon more battleships. In a word, we have been working together to
prevent you from passing the Navy Increase Bill."

Sir Andrew's face bloomed with brilliant color. His body shook with
suppressed emotion.

[Illustration: 16 What was the object of your plot?]

"My dear sir!" he cried, "you should spend more time at the House and
less at your Club. The Navy Bill was brought up on its third reading
at eight o'clock this evening. I spoke for three hours in its favor. My
only reason for wishing to return again to the House to-night was to sup
on the terrace with my old friend, Admiral Simons; for my work at the
House was completed five hours ago, when the Navy Increase Bill was
passed by an overwhelming majority."

The Baronet rose and bowed. "I have to thank you, sir," he said, "for a
most interesting evening."

The American shoved the wine-card which Joseph had given him toward the
gentleman with the black pearl.

"You sign it," he said.

THE END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In the Fog, by Richard Har