shaken by the late South Sea Company disaster."

Mr. Templeton wagged his head gently. "That, sir--if you will permit the
observation--is the preface of all the disclosures that have lately been
made to us. The consolation, sir, for his majesty's friends, has been
that in no case did the subsequent matter make that preface good."

"It is in that particular, then, that my disclosures shall differ
from those others," said Rotherby, in a tone that caused Mr. Templeton
afterwards to describe him as "a damned hot fellow."

"You have evidence?"

"Documentary evidence. A letter from the Pretender himself amongst it."

A becoming gravity overspread Mr. Templeton's clear-cut face. "That
would be indeed regrettable," said he. It was plain that whatever the
second secretary might display when the plot was disclosed to him, he
would display none of that satisfaction upon which Rotherby had counted.
"To whom, sir, let me ask, is this letter indited?"

"To my late father," answered his lordship.

Mr. Templeton made an exclamation, whose significance was not quite
clear.

"I have discovered it since his death," continued Rotherby. "I was but
in time to wrest it from the hands of that spy of the Pretender's, who
was in the act of destroying it when I caught him. My devotion to his
majesty made my course clear, sir--and I desired Mr. Green to procure a
warrant for this traitor's arrest."

"Sir," said Mr. Templeton, regarding him with an eye in which
astonishment was blent with admiration, "this is very loyal in you--very
loyal under the--ah--peculiar circumstances of the affair. I do not
think that his majesty's government, considering to whom this letter was
addressed, could have censured you even had you suppressed it. You have
conducted yourself, my lord--if I may venture upon a criticism of your
lordship's conduct--with a patriotism worthy of the best models of
ancient Rome. And I am assured that his majesty's government will not be
remiss in signifying appreciation of this very lofty loyalty of yours."

Lord Rotherby bowed low, in acknowledgment of the compliment. Her
ladyship concealed a cynical smile under cover of her fan. Mr.
Caryll--standing in the background beside Hortensia's chair--smiled,
too, and poor Hortensia, detecting his smile, sought to take comfort in
it.

"My son," interposed the countess, "is, I am sure, gratified to hear you
so commend his conduct."

Mr. Templeton bowed to her with a great politene