I nodded, eating him with my gaze. His countenance was perfectly impassive, but his eyes returned my stare with penetrating interest. He sat down and calmly crossed his knees. "My time is limited," he declared. "Kindly proceed to business. You sent for me and I am here!" I bowed my head. "True, Sir Charles," I replied in an assumed voice. "I do not propose to detain you long. The Kingsmere Hospital for Consumptives doubtless claims your care, so I shall be as brief as possible!" I watched him sharply, but he did not turn a hair nor move a muscle. "Go on!" was all he said. "Shall we avoid details?" I enquired. "Unnecessary details, sir. But tell me all you know!" "Not very much!" I said gently. "Unlawful secret society! We'll call that number one, and bracket with it George Cavanagh's death by suicide." A look of relief crossed his face at the word suicide. I smiled and proceeded. "Number two: Vivisection is unlawful--I fancy--and you might be convicted of murder on my showing. It would be for a jury to determine, for all the great surgeon that you are. I think that is enough Sir Charles!" "Bah!" said he, and a curious gleam came into his eyes. "You can scandalize and perhaps destroy my practice, that is all. I admit you have me in a chain, but take care not to strain the bond too far. I do not depend upon my practice for a living, and in the cause of science I shall dare to face scandal, if you press me!" "I am glad to hear that you have a private fortune," I answered quietly. "I have the less compunction in asking you to contribute to another man's support. The world's wealth is distributed very unevenly, Sir Charles. Do you not agree with me?" For the first time a shade of annoyance crossed his face. "I must decline to discuss abstractions with a blackmailer," he replied in irritated tones. "What is your name, and what is your price?" "My name for the present is Seth Halford, Sir Charles. I shall not deny that it is liable to frequent change--" I smiled--"but I defy you to detect its transmutations, sir, or follow its vicarious possessor to his lair. As for my price, I have no object in withholding that--It is ten thousand pounds!" "And is it not subject, like your name, to change?" "Not by so much as one farthing, Sir Charles." He nodded and got languidly to his feet. "I came here prepared to sacrifice five hundred," he said quietly. "Two in cash, the balance to-morrow. I am not sure that I am not pleased to save the money." "Will you save it?" I asked. "Unless you hedge immediately in your outrageously extravagant demand." "Unhappily, Sir Charles, that is utterly impossible." "Then I shall save it!" "How?" "By calling in the police and arresting you for attempted blackmail." I broke into a soft rippling laugh. "So--" I muttered, "you only value your neck at five hundred pounds! Such fine and delicate vertebrae they are too!"