“Well, the position may have changed when we next meet,” I said as I rose. “And now, will you let me give you a hint on another matter. M. Volheno is my friend, as you know, and when I was with him to-day I learnt that your attitude toward the Government is a subject of close and watchful interest. You and all in this house will be well advised to be on your guard;” and without giving him time for the alarm in his eyes to crystallize into questions, I left him. As I crossed the hall his wife met me. She greeted me very warmly and taking me to the saloon asked me to wait a moment for her. Before she returned, however, Miralda and Inez came in. Both were surprised to find me there, and judging by their manner, their surprise was not so great as their displeasure. “You are still in Lisbon, Mr. Donnington?” said Inez coldly. “Obviously. Does that surprise you?” “More than I can express. Doesn’t it, Miralda?” “I don’t know,” murmured Miralda who was very much disturbed. “I have no intention of leaving, madame,” I said to Inez. “No doubt your correspondence detains you?” “My correspondence?” I repeated. “And your close association with M. Volheno and the Government.” “Inez!” exclaimed Miralda, under her breath. I understood then. They had heard part of the Rua Catania business, but not the sequel; and Inez had been using it to poison Miralda against me. I was not unwilling to see the result. “It is well known that M. Volheno is friendly toward me.” “There has been an exchange of letters between you, I believe.” “Well, scarcely. He wrote to me and I have written to him.” Miralda started uneasily, looked across quickly, and then dropped her eyes. “I have seen your letter to him and have been speaking to Miralda about it.” “You will permit me to doubt that you have seen the letter I wrote?” “I have a copy of it;” and she handed it to me. “You do not deny that that is what you wrote.” I glanced over it. It was in her own handwriting. “Word for word, as nearly as I can recollect,” I said. Inez smiled derisively in triumph. “That is how an Englishman keeps his word,” she sneered. “I have kept my word just as an Englishman would, madame.” But Miralda was both perplexed and troubled. “Do you really mean you wrote such a letter, Mr. Donnington?” she asked. “It is a fact that I wrote a letter addressed to M. Volheno and couched in those identical terms. Under the circumstances it was the best course for me to adopt.” Miralda caught her breath and winced as if I had struck her. “Circumstances,” echoed Inez, with a fine scorn. “But you had pledged your honour not to reveal a word of this,” said Miralda, hesitatingly. “You cannot mean that you broke it deliberately in this way?” “That is perfectly plain,” declared Inez. “It is only what I told you.” But Miralda shook her head and laid her hand on Inez’ arm, as she appealed to me. “Mr. Donnington?”