. Having fulfilled his pledge to
Brett, he said hurriedly, "Both of you gentlemen will understand that I
cannot very well take part in a political discussion. With your
permission, Hussein, I will now leave my friend with you for a
half-hour's chat, as I have an appointment at the Cafe Riche."

Although Hussein was profoundly disconcerted by Brett's manner no less
than his utterances, he could not well refuse to accord him a further
audience, so Gaultier quitted the apartment and the Englishman and the
Mussulman were left face to face.

Brett felt that the situation demanded a bold game. Under some
circumstances he knew that to throw away the scabbard and dash with
naked sword into the fray was the right policy.

"I came to see you, Hussein-ul-Mulk," he said, speaking deliberately,
"not only because I have an interest in the progressive policy voiced by
the young Turkish party, but on account of matters of personal interest
to you, and to friends of mine in England."

The Turk bowed silent recognition of the barrister's motives.

"You are aware," said Brett, "that a large number of valuable diamonds
were stolen from the special Envoy of his Majesty the Sultan, in London,
last Tuesday night, and that the theft was accompanied by the murder of
four of the Sultan's subjects and the abduction of a prominent official
in the British Foreign Office?"

It is difficult for an olive-skinned man to turn pale, but
Hussein-ul-Mulk did the next most effective thing for one of his race.
His face assumed a dirty green shade, and his full red lips whitened.

For some few seconds he strove hard to regain his composure and frame a
reply, but Brett, nonchalantly puffing a cloud of smoke into the
intervening space, and thus helping his hearer to control his emotions,
went on--

"Pray do not trouble to deny your knowledge of the fact. It is far
better for men of the world like you and me to discard subterfuge when
engaged in grave and difficult negotiations. I do not purpose wasting
time by describing to you the details of a crime with which you are
thoroughly acquainted. Let me say, in a sentence, that my chief, perhaps
my only, motive in coming here to-day is to secure the release of my
friend Mr. Talbot from the place where he is at present confined, and at
the same time to obtain from you a statement which will satisfactorily
clear Mr. Talbot in the eyes of his superiors of all personal complicity
in the Albert Gate incident."