Pierre thrust the document into his coat and rose to greet Hagané, who entered calm, dignified, and stately, not a fold out of place, nor a hair ruffled. If any characteristic were intensified it was in deliberate tardiness of advance, an undue rigidity of self-restraint. He bowed deeply to Count Ronsard, ignoring, for the moment, the presence of the younger men. "Your Excellency will be surprised, perhaps annoyed, at this unceremonious call. It concerns a personal matter which could not be delayed. There is nothing official, you understand. It lies between Monsieur Le Beau and myself." He turned now to Pierre with the slightest inclination of the head, and then bowed more deferentially to the flaccid Mouquin by the wall. "Anything that brings your Highness is an honor," returned Ronsard, himself placing a chair for the great man. Hagané seated himself with the same painstaking calm. As he did not speak, his host continued, with obvious effort at composure, "What does slightly surprise me, your Highness,--if you will allow me to say it,--is--er--your seeming so certain of finding Monsieur Le Beau here, when your efficient police have been searching--" "Le Beau has been here for some time," put in Mouquin, who was so nervous that he should have been elsewhere. Ronsard winced. A sombre fire flickered in Hagané's eyes. "And am I to infer that the efficient police, of whom his Excellency so kindly speaks, have failed to keep in touch with Monsieur's Legation?" The two young men crossed glances of dismay. Quickly Hagané turned his eyes to Pierre's flushed face. Each moist curl burned it like a scar. "And similarly, I suppose, I am mistaken in thinking that Monsieur Le Beau has but just arrived in great haste." Before an answer could be found, footsteps and a timid knock made interruption. Mouquin craned his neck around to the aperture of the door, altering but slightly the position of his body. "A servant says, Excellency, that the American minister, Mr. Todd, telephones from his Legation that he must see you immediately." "Go, Mouquin, and stop him," said Ronsard, glibly. "Say I am out. But if he is already started wait for him at the door, and be careful to usher him into the small drawing-room, and keep him there till I come. Conciliate him. Your conversation, you understand, is to be on the high C of flippancy." In the short interval Pierre had regained self-control. "Lord Hagané, in what way can I serve you?" He made a great effort to be nonchalant. Hagané leaned slightly toward Ronsard. "Perhaps you have heard, Excellency, that a few moments since, Monsieur Le Beau picked up, in my humble home, quite by accident, a private letter that I had carelessly let fall." "A private letter!" Ronsard turned with well-feigned astonishment to his subordinate. "Oh, no! Monsieur Le Beau is the soul of honor!"