"It will be soon enough, Budini, for you to talk of going when the suggestion's made. I repeat, gentlemen, that I think that Mr. Townsend has satisfied us that he really has done something for the Honour of the Club. As he himself says, in cases of this sort, the ocular proof it is almost impossible to give. But he has given us proofs, as it seems to me, of a sufficiently convincing kind. Are you content? Those of you who are will please stand up." All rose--Rudini after a moment's hesitation. "I see, gentlemen, that we are all content. We have excellent cause. Be so good as to charge your glasses. We thank you, Reggie; we appreciate the good deed which you have done, and we drink to your next fortunate adventure." They drained their glasses--not, I suspect, before some of them were in need of what was in them. They would have sampled the brandy before had it not been a rule of the club that nothing was to be drunk except in response to the chairman's toasts. Pendarvon continued-- "There only remains one thing for our friend to do." He wrote something in the book in front of him. Then he passed the book to me. "We have to ask you, Reggie, to put your name to that." I saw that he had put the date of the preceding Sunday, and then-- "Louise O'Donnel--For the Honour of the Club." "If I put my name to that it may be tantamount to a confession of murder." "Precisely--it is in accordance with our rules--for our general protection--we shall have to sign a similar memorandum in our turns." "May I ask where this book is kept? One does not like to think that such an interesting volume is left lying about." Pendarvon pointed to a safe which was fitted into the wall. "At present it is kept in there. It is as good a safe of its sort as you are likely to find. I have the only key But I agree with you that the proper custody of the book is a matter of importance. I would suggest that a safe be obtained with thirteen different locks and thirteen different keys, which it will be impossible to open except without common consent." "Your suggestion, Mr. Chairman, is a good one." "Then, by the time we meet again such a safe shall be obtained. In the meantime--sign." I signed. Outwardly, I believe, that I was calm enough. In my heart I wished that, before I had ever heard of him or it, Pendarvon and his club had been at Timbuctoo, and stayed there. As he blotted my signature, Pendarvon laughed. I felt, as I heard, that I had been a fool not to have exchanged him for Louise. To my ear, everything about the man rang false--and always had. "Townsend, what an excellent hand you write! If only every one wrote as clearly! I wish I could. As you are aware, it now becomes my pleasant duty to inform you that the Honour of the Club which you have returned to us to-night will be framed in gold, and will be awarded to you as a diploma of merit." "You may keep it."