come so suddenly that Parker--pompous, dignified
Parker--was thrown off his balance, and the reply which took some time
in coming, sounded unconvincing.

"The young gentleman," he said slowly, "told me, Mr. Luke, that he
came from Mr. Dobson."

"No, Parker," asserted Luke unhesitatingly, "he did nothing of the
sort. He wanted to see his lordship and got you to help him concoct
some lie whereby he could get what he wanted."

A grayish hue spread over Parker's pink and flabby countenance.

"Lord help me, Mr. Luke," he murmured tonelessly, "how did you know?"

"I didn't," replied Luke curtly. "I guessed. Now I know."

"I didn't think I was doing no harm."

"No harm by introducing into his lordship's presence strangers who
might be malefactors?"

Already Luke, at Parker's first admission, had gone quickly to the
library door. Here he paused, with his hand on the latch, uncertain if
he should enter. The house was an old one, well-built and stout; from
within came the even sound of a voice speaking quite quietly, but no
isolated word could be distinguished. Parker was floundering in a
quagmire of confused explanations.

"Malefactor, Mr. Luke!" he argued, "that young man was no malefactor.
He spoke ever so nicely. And he had plenty of money about him. I
didn't see I was doing no harm. He wanted to see his lordship and
asked me to help him to it----"

"And," queried Luke impatiently, "paid you to help him, eh?"

"I thought," replied the man loftily ignoring the suggestion, "that
taking in one of Mr. Dobson's cards that was lying in the tray could
do no harm. I thought it couldn't do no harm. The young gentleman said
his lordship would be very grateful to me when he found out what I'd
done."

"And how grateful was the young gentleman to you, Parker?"

"To the tune of a five-pound note, Mr. Luke."

"Then as you have plenty of money in hand, you can pack up your things
and get out of this house before I've time to tell his lordship."

"Mr. Luke----"

"Don't argue. Do as I tell you."

"I must take my notice from his lordship," said Parker, vainly trying
to recover his dignity.

"Very well. You can wait until his lordship has been told."

"Mr. Luke----"

"Best not wait to see his lordship, Parker. Take my word for it."

"Very well, Mr. Luke."

There was a tone of finality in Luke's voice which apparently Parker
did not dare to combat. The man looked confused and troubled. What had
seemed to him merely a