“Youmustremember，“hesaid，“thatsupposinganyoneelsestumblesuponthesametrailasIhavebeenpursuing，andsuspicionisafterwardsdirectedtowardsmadame，yournotproducingthatletterattheinquestwillmakeituselessasevidenceinherfavour。“
“Ihaveconsideredallthesethings，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Ishalldeposittheletterinasafeplace。Butitsusewillneverbenecessary。Youaretheonlymanwhomighthaveforcedmetoproduceit，andyouknowthetruth。“
Passmorerosereluctantly。
“Iwantyou，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“toleavemenotonlyyouraddress，butthemeansoffindingyouatanymomentduringthenextfour-and-twentyhours。Imayhavesomeimportantworkforyou。“
Themansmiledashetoreleaffromhispocketbookandamadeafewnotes。
“Ishallbegladtotakeanycommissionfromyou，sir，“hesaid。
“Totellyouthetruth，Iscarcelythoughtthatyouwouldbecontenttositdownandwait。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Ithink，“hesaid，“thatveryshortlyIcanfindyouplentytodo。“
Mr。Sabinafewminutesafterwardsorderedhiscarriage，andwasdriventoDorsetHouse。HeaskedforLucille，butwasshownatonceintothelibrary，wheretheDukewasawaitinghim。ThenMr。Sabinknewthatsomethinghadhappened。
TheDukeextendedhishandsolemnly。
“MydearSouspennier，“hesaid，“Iamgladtoseeyou。Iwasinfactonthepointofdespatchingamessengertoyourhotel。“
“Iamglad，“Mr。Sabinremarked，“thatmyvisitisopportune。Totellyouthetruth，Duke，Iamanxioustoseemywife。“
TheDukecoughed。
“Itrust，“hesaid，“thatyouwillnotforamomentconsidermeguiltyofanydiscourtesytotheCountess，forwhomIhaveagreatrespectandliking。ButithascometomyknowledgethattheshelterofmyroofandnamewerebeinggiventoproceedingsofwhichIheartilydisapproved。IthereforeonlyafewhoursagoformallybrokeoffallconnectionwithSaxeLeinitzerandhisfriends，andtoputthematterplainly，Iexpelledthemfromthehouse。“
“Icongratulateyouheartily，Duke，uponamostsensibleproceeding，“
Mr。Sabinsaid。“Butinthemeantimewhereismywife？“
“Yourwifewasnotpresentatthetime，“theDukeanswered，“andI
hadnottheslightestintentionofincludingherintheremarksI
made。WhethersheunderstoodthisornotIcannotsay，butIhavesincebeengiventounderstandthatsheleftwiththem。“
“Howlongago？“Mr。Sabinasked。
“Severalhours，Ifear，“theDukeanswered。“Ishouldlike，Souspennier，toexpresstoyoumyregretsthatIwaseverinducedtobecomeconnectedinanywaywithproceedingswhichmusthavecausedyouagreatdealofpain。Ibegyoutoacceptmyapologies。
“Idonotblameyou，Duke，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Myonedesirenowistowrestmywifeawayfromthisgang。Canyoutellmewhethersheleftaloneorwithanyofthem？“
“Iwillendeavourtoascertain，“theDukesaid，ringingthebell。
ButbeforetheDuke’ssomewhatlong-windedseriesofquestionshadgoneveryfarMr。Sabingraspedthefactthattheservantshadbeentamperedwith。Withoutwastinganymoretimehetookasomewhathurriedleaveanddrovebacktothehotel。Oneofthehallportersapproachedhim，smiling。
“Thereisaladywaitingforyouinyourrooms，sir，“heannounced。
“Shearrivedafewminutesago。“
Mr。Sabinrangfortheelevator，gotoutathisfloorandwalkeddownthecorridor，leaningalittlemoreheavilythanusualuponhisstick。IfindeeditwereLucillewhohadbravedallandcometohimthewaybeforethemmightstillbesmoothsailing。Hewouldneverlethergoagain。Hewassureofthat。TheywouldleaveEngland-yes，therewastimestilltocatchthefiveo’clocktrain。Heturnedthehandleofhisdoorandentered。Afamiliarfigurerosefromthedepthsofhiseasy-chair。Herhatlayonthetable，herjacketwasopen，oneofhiscigaretteswasbetweenherlips。ButitwasnotLucille。
“LadyCarey！“hesaidslowly。“Thisisanunexpectedpleasure。
HaveyoubroughtLucillewithyou？“
“Iamafraid，“sheanswered，“thatIhavenoropesstrongenough。“
“Youinsinuate，“heremarked，“thatLucillewouldbeunwillingtocome。“
“Thereisnolongeranyneed，“shedeclared，withahardlittlelaugh，“forinsinuations。WehaveallbeenturnedoutfromDorsetHouseneckandcrop。Lucillehasacceptedtheinevitable。ShehasgonetoReginald’sBrott’srooms。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Indeed。IhavejustcomefromDorsetHousemyself。TheDukehassuppliedmewithahighlyentertainingaccountofhissuddenawakening。Thesituationmusthavebeenhumorous。“
Hereyestwinkled。
“itwasreallyscreaminglyfunny。TheDukehadonhishouseofLordsmanner，andweallsatroundlikealotofnaughtychildren。
Ifonlyyoubadbeenthere。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。Suddenlyshelaidherhanduponhisarm。
“Victor，“shesaid，“IhavecometoprovethatIamyourfriend。
YoudonotbelievethatLucilleiswithReginaldBrott。Itistrue！
Notonlythat，butsheisleavingEnglandwithhimto-night。Theman’sdevotionisirresistible-hehasbeengainingonherslowlybutsurelyallthetime。“
“Ihavenoticed“Mr。Sabinremarkedcalmly，“thathehasbeenwonderfullyassiduous。IamsureIcongratulatehimuponhissuccess，ifhehassucceeded。“
“Youdoubtmywordofcourse，“shesaid。“ButIhavenotcomeheretotellyouthings。Ihavecometoprovethem。Ipresumethatwhatyouseewithyourowneyeswillbesufficient。“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“Certainlynot，“heanswered。“ImakeitaruletobelievenothingthatIsee，andnevertotrustmyears。“
Shestampedherfootlightlyuponthefloor。
“Howimpossibleyouare，“sheexclaimed。“IcantellyoubywhattrainLucilleandReginaldBrottwillleaveLondonto-night。IcantellyouwhyLucilleisboundtogo。“
“Now，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“youarebeginningtogetinteresting。“
“Lucillemustgo-orruntheriskofarrestforcomplicityinthemurderofDuson。“
“Areyouserious？“Mr。Sabinasked，withadmirablyassumedgravity。
“Isitajestingmatter？“sheansweredfiercely。“Lucilleboughtpoison，thesamepoisonwhichitwillbeprovedthatDusondiedof。
Shecamehere，shewasthelastpersontoenteryourroombeforeDusonwasfounddead。Thepoliceareevennowsearchingforher。
Escapeisheronlychance。“
“Dearme，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“ThenitisnotonlyforBrott’ssakethatsheisrunningaway。“
“Whatdoesthatmatter？Sheisgoing，andsheisgoingwithhim。“
“Andwhy，“heasked，“doyoucometogivemewarning？Ihaveplentyoftimetointerpose。“
“Youcantryifyouwill。Lucilleisinhiding。Shewillnotseeyouifyougotoher。Sheisdetermined。Indeed，shehasnochoice。Lucilleisabravewomaninmanyways，butyouknowthatshefearsdeath。Sheisinacorner。Sheisforcedtogo。“
“Again，“hesaid，“IfeelthatImustaskyouwhydoyougivemewarning？“
Shecameandstoodclosetohim。
“Perhaps，“shesaidearnestly，“Iamanxioustoearnyourgratitude。
Perhaps，too，Iknowthatnointerpositionofyourswouldbeofanyavail。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Still，“hesaid，“Idonotthinkthatitiswiseofyou。ImightappearatthestationandforciblypreventLucille’sdeparture。
Afterall，sheismywife，youknow。“
Sheshruggedhershoulders。
“Iamnotafraid，“shesaid。“YouwillmakeinquirieswhenIhavegone，andyouwillfindoutthatIhavespokenthetruth。IfyoukeepLucilleinEnglandyouwillexposehertoaterriblerisk。Itisnotlikeyoutobeselfish。Youwillyieldtonecessity。“
“WillyoutellmewhereLucilleisnow？“heasked。
“Foryourownsakeandhers，no，“sheanswered。“Youalsoarewatched。Besides，itistoolate。ShewaswithBrotthalfanhouraftertheDuketurnedusoutofDorsetHouse。Don’tyouunderstand，Victor-won’tyou？Itistoolate。“
Hesatdownheavilyinhiseasy-chair。Hiswholeappearancewasoneofabsolutedejection。
“SoIamtobeleftaloneinmyoldage，“hemurmured。“Youhaveyourrevengenowatlast。Youhavecometotakeit。“
Shesankonherkneesbythesideofhischair，andherarmsfelluponhisshoulders。
“Howcanyouthinksocruellyofme，Victor，“shemurmured。“YouwerealwaysalittlemistakeninLucille。Shelovedyou，itistrue，butallherlifeshehasbeenfondofchangeandexcitement。
ShecametoEuropewillingly-longbeforethisBrottwouldhavebeenherslavesaveforyourreappearance。Can’tyouforgether-foralittlewhile？“
Mr。Sabinsatquitestill。Herhairbrushedhischeeks，herarmswereabouthisneck，herwholeattitudewasaninvitationforhisembrace。Buthesatlikeafigureofstone，neitherrepulsingnorencouragingher。
“Youneednotbealoneunlessyoulike，“shewhispered。
“Iamanoldman，“hesaidslowly，“andthisisahardblowformetobear。Imustbesure，absolutelysurethatshehasgone。“
“Bythistimeto-morrow，“shemurmured，“alltheworldwillknowit。“
“Cometomethen，“hesaid。“Ishallneedconsolation。“
Hereyeswerebrightwithtriumph。Sheleanedoverhimandkissedhimonthelips。Thenshespranglightlytoherfeet。
“Waithereforme，“shesaid，“andIwillcometoyou。Youshallknow，Victor，thatLucilleisnottheonlywomanintheworldwhohascaredforyou。“
Therewasatapatthedoor。LadyCareywasbusyadjustingherhat。Passmoreentered，andstoodhesitatinguponthethreshold。
Mr。Sabinhadrisentohisfeet。Hetookoneofherhandsandraisedittohislips。Shegavehimaswift，wonderfullookandpassedout。
Mr。Sabin’smannerchangedasthoughbymagic。Hewasatoncealertandvigorous。
“MydearPassmore，“hesaid，“cometothetable。WeshallwantthoseContinentaltime-tablesandtheLondonA。B。C。Youwillhavetotakeajourneyto-night。“
Thetwowomenwerealoneinthemorning-roomofLadyCarey’shouseinPontStreet。Lucillewaswalkingrestlesslyupanddowntwistingherhandkerchiefbetweenherfingers。LadyCareywaswatchingher，morecomposed，toalloutwardappearance，butwithcloselycompressedlips，andbodinggleaminhereyes。
“Ithink，“LadyCareysaid，“thatyouhadbetterseehim。“
Lucilleturnedalmostfiercelyuponher。
“Andwhy？“
“Well，foronethinghewillnotunderstandyourrefusal。Hemaybesuspicious。“
“Whatdoesitmatter？Ihavefinishedwithhim。IhavedoneallthatIpledgedmyselfto。Whatmorecanbeexpectedofme？Idonotwishtoseehimagain。“
LadyCareylaughed。
“Atleast，“shesaid，“Ithinkthatthepoormanhasarighttoreceivehiscongefromyou。Youcannotbreakwithhimwithoutawordofexplanation。Perhaps-youmaynotfinditsoeasyasitseems。“
Lucillesweptaround。
“Whatdoyoumean？“
LadyCareyshruggedhershoulders。
“Youareinacuriousmood，mydearLucille。WhatImeanisobviousenough。Brottisastrongmanandadeterminedman。Idonotthinkthathewillenjoybeingmadeafoolof。“
Lucillewasindifferent。
“Atanyrate，“shesaid，“Ishallnotseehim。Ihavequitemadeupmymindaboutthat。“
“Andwhynot，Countess？“adeepvoiceaskedfromthethreshold。
“WhathaveIdone？MayInotatleastknowmyfault？“
LadyCareyroseandmovedtowardsthedoor。
“Youshallhaveitoutbetweenyourselves，“shedeclared，lookingup，andnoddingatBrottasshepassed。“Don’tfight！“
“Muriel！“
Thecrywasimperative，butLadyCareyhadgone。Mr。BrottclosedthedoorbehindhimandconfrontedLucille。Abrilliantspotofcolourflaredinherpalecheeks。