rang for the elevator, got out at his floor and walked down
the corridor, leaning a little more heavily than usual upon his stick.
If indeed it were Lucille who had braved all and come to him the way
before them might still be smooth sailing. He would never let her go
again. He was sure of that. They would leave England--yes, there was
time still to catch the five o'clock train. He turned the handle of
his door and entered. A familiar figure rose from the depths of his
easy-chair. Her hat lay on the table, her jacket was open, one of his
cigarettes was between her lips. But it was not Lucille.

"Lady Carey!" he said slowly. "This is an unexpected pleasure. Have you
brought Lucille with you?"

"I am afraid," she answered, "that I have no ropes strong enough."

"You insinuate," he remarked, "that Lucille would be unwilling to come."

"There is no longer any need," she declared, with a hard little laugh,
"for insinuations. We have all been turned out from Dorset House
neck and crop. Lucille has accepted the inevitable. She has gone to
Reginald's Brott's rooms."

Mr. Sabin smiled.

"Indeed. I have just come from Dorset House myself. The Duke has
supplied me with a highly entertaining account of his sudden awakening.
The situation must have been humorous."

Her eyes twinkled.

"It was really screamingly funny. The Duke had on his house of Lords
manner, and we all sat round like a lot of naughty children. If only you
had been there."

Mr. Sabin smiled. Suddenly she laid her hand upon his arm.

"Victor," she said, "I have come to prove that I am your friend. You do
not believe that Lucille is with Reginald Brott. It is true! Not only
that, but she is leaving England with him to-night. The man's devotion
is irresistible--he has been gaining on her slowly but surely all the
time."

"I have noticed," Mr. Sabin remarked calmly, "that he has been
wonderfully assiduous. I am sure I congratulate him upon his success, if
he has succeeded."

"You doubt my word of course," she said. "But I have not come here to
tell you things. I have come to prove them. I presume that what you see
with your own eyes will be sufficient."

Mr. Sabin shook his head.

"Certainly not," he answered. "I make it a rule to believe nothing that
I see, and never to trust my ears."

She stamped her foot lightly upon the floor.

"How impossible you are," she exclaimed. "I can tell you by what train
Lucille and Reginald Brott will leave London t