epeated. "I hope you have explained
to Everard, my dear, that although, of course, we are very glad to see
him back again, it is absolutely hopeless for him to look to me for any
financial assistance at the present moment."

Caroline smiled.

"Everard was alluding to the money he already owes you," she explained.
"He intends to repay it at once. He is also paying off the Dominey
mortgages. He has apparently made a fortune in Africa."

The Duke collapsed into an easy-chair.

"Everard pay his debts?" he exclaimed. "Everard Dominey pay off the
mortgages?"

"That is what I understand," his wife acquiesced.

The Duke clutched at the last refuge of a weak but obstinate man. His
mouth came together like a rat-trap.

"There's something wrong about it somewhere," he declared.

CHAPTER VI

Dominey spent a very impatient hour that evening in his sitting-room at
the Carlton, waiting for Seaman. It was not until nearly seven that the
latter appeared.

"Are you aware," Dominey asked him, "that I am expected to call upon the
Princess Eiderstrom at seven o'clock?"

"I have your word for it," Seaman replied, "but I see no tragedy in the
situation. The Princess is a woman of sense and a woman of political
insight. While I cannot recommend you to take her entirely into your
confidence, I still think that a middle course can be judiciously
pursued."

"Rubbish!" Dominey exclaimed. "As Leopold Von Ragastein, the Princess
has indisputable claims upon me and my liberty, claims which would
altogether interfere with the career of Everard Dominey."

With methodical neatness, Seaman laid his hat, gloves and walking stick
upon the sideboard. He then looked into the connecting bedroom, closed
and fastened the door and extended himself in an easy-chair.

"Sit opposite to me, my friend," he said. "We will talk together."

Dominey obeyed a little sullenly. His companion, however, ignored his
demeanour.

"Now, my friend," he said, beating upon the palm of one hand with the
forefinger of his other, "I am a man of commerce and I do things in a
business way. Let us take stock of our position. Three months ago this
very week, we met by appointment at a certain hotel in Cape Town."

"Only three months," Dominey muttered.

"We were unknown to one another," Seaman continued. "I had only heard of
the Baron Von Ragastein as a devoted German citizen and patriot, engaged
in an important enterprise in East Africa by special intercession o