He was so quietly determined that Gerard looked upon it as a hopeless task to try to dissuade him from his purpose. Indeed, he was not sorry to hear his intention. If the Van Santens were swindlers, it was time they were brought to justice. And if, unhappily, Miss Davison were mixed up with them, there was ample time to warn her of what was in store for the family. Arthur, however, could not take it so quietly. He was indignant at the aspersions cast upon the Americans, and poured forth an eloquent tribute to their charms, pointing out that he too had lost money at cards there, but that he did not shriek out that he had been robbed, but ascribed his losses to his own chuckleheadedness in playing with people who openly said that they played a better game than he did. All such sneers as these, however, were lost upon Sir William. And to Arthur’s reminder that he would be making things very unpleasant for the ladies who were among the visitors at the Priory, the baronet was equally deaf. Indeed, he took this suggestion as the text for another sermon. “By the by,” he said to Gerard, “have you ever noticed that, although the Van Santens get plenty of visitors, you never meet any of their own countrymen here?” Gerard himself had noticed the fact, and said so, adding, however, that he believed it was usual with Americans to invite English people of rank, whenever they could get them, in preference to their own people. Sir William, however, persisted in seeing a sinister significance in everything that concerned the Van Santens, and he turned to communicate his doubts to another man, while Arthur, full of indignation, went back to Cora, and bursting with anger, most indiscreetly let out the fact that Sir William was going to complain about his supposed grievance to the police. Cora turned very pale, and uttered a little scream of horror. “Then you may tell Sir William from me that he’s not a gentleman,” she said, with flashing eyes. “Whatever he may think of himself and his title, he’s just the meanest thing that breathes! When he’s been received here so well, and has had such a good time! Oh, what will my mother say? I must go and tell her!” “I shouldn’t, if I were you, at least till the people are gone,” said Arthur persuasively. “Remember, he can’t do you any harm. He can give as much information as he likes; no notice will be taken of it, and he will merely be informed that observation shall be kept upon the house.” But the words inflamed Cora’s wrath still more. “Observation kept upon our house!” she said indignantly. “Where people of rank come every day! No, indeed, the police shall do nothing of the sort. Let the fellow dare to bring an honest, open charge against my brothers, and then see what evidence we shall bring on our side! Observation indeed!”