"'I am sorry you found me such a bore last night,' he said, gay and debonair as an old beau at a wedding, 'but there was nothing else to do. If I'd gone home earlier and let you crawl out of that hole, you would have been shot to a dead certainty. I knew a month ago you were at work on it, and when it was nearly finished I got permission to drop in on you. The plank that you ran up against I had put there with the help of the jailer. It was meant to keep you quiet until my mail got in. I was helpless, of course, to assist you until it did, being my government's representative. It arrived yesterday, informing me that our State Department has taken up your cases with your government and has entered a formal protest. Now all of you come over to the consulate, and let me see what I can do to fix you out with some clothes and things. "'After that we'll have breakfast.'" XI IN WHICH THE HABITS OF CERTAIN GHOSTS, GOBLINS, BANDITS, AND OTHER OBJECTIONABLE PERSONS ARE DULY SET FORTH The Engineer's story whetted every one's appetite for more. Lemois, hoping to further inspire him, left his chair, crossed the room, and began searching through the old fifteenth-century triptych to find some object of interest which would start him to talking again as entertainingly as had the carved soup bones from the Moscow prison. When he reoccupied his seat he held in his hand a small statuette in terra-cotta. This he placed on the table where the light fell full upon it. "You overlooked this, I am afraid," he said, addressing The Engineer. "It is one of the most precious things I own. It is a portrait of Madame de Rabutin-Chantal, the grandmother of Madame de Sévigné." The Sévigné family were a favorite topic with the old gentleman, and anything pertaining to them of peculiar interest to him. "You will note, I am sure, Monsieur Herbert, the marvellous carving especially in the dress and about the neck." [Illustration: Lemois crossed the room and began searching through the old fifteenth-century triptych] Before Herbert could answer, Louis craned his head and a disgusted look overspread his face. "I hope," he said, "she didn't look like that, Lemois--squatty old party with a snub nose." Herbert, ignoring Louis' aside, reached over and took the little image in his fingers. "Squatty or not, Louis, it is an exquisite bit--modern Tanagra, really. Seventeenth century, isn't it, Lemois?" Lemois nodded. If he had heard Louis' remark he gave no sign of the fact. "Yes," continued Herbert, "and wonderfully modelled. We can't do these things now--not in this way"--and he passed it to The Engineer, who turned it upsidedown, as if it were a teacup, glanced at the bottom in search of its mark, and without a word handed it back. Lemois replaced the precious object in the triptych, his mind still filled with his favorite topic, and, turning suddenly, wheeled a richly upholstered chair from a far corner into the light.