“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。