"Oh, it's quite true. She actually had the effrontery to write me requesting that I send her belongings to his chambers. Of course I got no satisfaction in London, for my young man, with a discretion far beyond his years, promptly left for parts unknown. I didn't search for him, I watched her. I knew I could trust her to put me on the scent, if not to lead me to the quarry. She's quite fulfilled my expectations. When she left town my detective was on hand, followed her to Liverpool Street, watched her while she took her ticket, secured a place in another part of the same train, located her in a farmhouse on this estate, and, as I suspected, found that among the guests at the Hall was my co-respondent, Mr. Secretary Aloysius Stanley." The speaker paused, and absolute silence reigned between them; but he did not seem to notice the tense muscles of the man or the flushed anxiety of the woman. "Well, that's the story," he said shortly. "Not a pretty one, either, is it; but of course I shall have to see it through, and, as a first step, I must ask the assistance of you both in meeting this little cad of a diplomat. After I've settled with him, I shall leave her quite free to----" "Stop!" cried the Secretary. "Don't say that, Colonel Darcy. Don't you dare to say it!" "What the devil-- I----" began Darcy, completely astonished at the turn affairs had taken. "Miss Fitzgerald," continued his companion, "neglected to introduce me formally, but I will rectify that error. My name is Aloysius Stanley, and I'm the Secretary of Legation to whom you've presumed to allude in language for which I shall demand an explanation." "We'll settle our difficulties at some more appropriate time, sir," replied the Colonel, with repressed anger patent in every tone. "We'll settle them here and now-- I demand a retraction of what you've just said, or intimated, in regard to my relations with your wife." "I'll give you the only satisfaction you have a right to expect, and I to demand, when and where you please." "Gentlemen! gentlemen!" exclaimed Miss Fitzgerald, fearful of what their anger might lead to. "Pray remember that you're in the presence of a lady." "You need have no fear," said Stanley, in reply to her request, "_I_ shall not forget _myself_." Then turning to Darcy, he continued: "Did not my profession, which is essentially one of peace, prevent me from taking any notice of your absurd challenge, I should still refuse to involve myself in a matter with which I've no concern, merely because you've been enough of a cad to slander your wife in the presence of a third person." "If I ever meet you outside!" began the Colonel, purple with rage--but the Secretary continued his remarks, oblivious of the interruption. "There is one thing, however, that I shall do," he said. "Unless you leave this house immediately, I shall inform my hostess, who has already refused to include your name in her party, of what I know of you, and then put you out."