When he finished his perusal, he read it over again carefully, and then stared thoughtfully into space. At just this moment his negro butler entered the door. “Mistuh Grymes, suh,” the darkey announced, “am in de hall. He sez hits impawtant, suh.” “Bring him right in, Joseph. But wait.” He reflected for a moment. “I’ll see him in a moment. Take him to the drawing-room.” Joseph bowed again, and was gone, noiselessly. “Pardon me for a moment, sir. I’ll be right with you in a few minutes. I believe that Mr. Grymes wishes to consult me on a matter connected with the letters you so kindly brought. There may be an answer.” “_Certainement_, monsieur.” A moment later Livingston entered the drawing-room, there to find his colleague pacing up and down, manifestly excited. In his hand was an opened envelope sealed with a huge purple seal. “Did you get a letter from Lafitte?” asked Grymes, abruptly. “Ah, there it is in your hand. Well, what do you think of it?” Livingston looked at him narrowly. “What do _you_ think of it?” he asked. “I presume our letters are practically the same.” Grymes nodded. “He invites me to that island—Grande Terre—to pay him and his friends a visit and to come and get my fee!” “Exactly. Mine is another invitation to the same effect.” “Well, Livingston, what do you think of it?” The repetition seemed to please him. The other smiled wryly. “Think of it? Personally, I think it is a rather unusual request. In effect, Lafitte invites us to collect our fee—ostensibly.” “What do you mean?” puzzled. “Just this. Our piratical client invites us to come and get our money—collect in person. In other words, to put ourselves right into the hands of a horde of smugglers, pirates, slavers, and other riff-raff—where our lives won’t be worth a minute’s purchase!” Grymes stared at him for a moment. “Do you mean to imply that Lafitte will go back on his word? That he will let harm come to us, or perhaps cheat us out of our money?” he cried, in astonishment. The other pursed his lips. “I imply nothing,” he said, “but only state this: If it had been the honest intention of our client to pay us, he would have somehow sent the money here, or had it transferred to us through one of the bankers on Toulouse Street. In other words, I mistrust his offer.” The Virginian looked at him blankly, and then burst into a roar of laughter, as if bitten by the tarantula of mirth. “May I inquire as to the cause of your levity?” asked Livingston, exasperated, and secretly a little ashamed of his suspicions.