“Your father has just been preparing me for this pleasure,” the Prince remarked, with a smile. “I am delighted that his views as regards these wonderful parties are becoming a little more--would it be correct to say latitudinarian? He has certainly been very strict up to now.” “It is the first time I have been vouchsafed an invitation,” Margaret confessed. “You will find much to interest you,” the Prince observed. “For myself, I love the sport of which your father is so noble a patron. That, without doubt, though, is a side of his entertainment of which you will know nothing.” Sir Timothy, choosing a moment's respite from the inflowing stream of guests, came once more across to them. “I am going to leave you, my honoured guests from The Sanctuary,” he said, with a faint smile, “to yourselves for a short time. In the room to your left, supper is being served. In front is the dancing-gallery. To the right, as you see, is the lounge leading into the winter-garden. The gymnasium is closed until midnight. Any other part of the place please explore at your leisure, but I am going to ask you one thing. I want you to meet me in a room which I will show you, at a quarter to twelve.” He led them down one of the corridors which opened from the hall. Before the first door on the right a man-servant was standing as though on sentry duty. Sir Timothy tapped the panel of the door with his forefinger. “This is my sanctum,” he announced. “I allow no one in here without special permission. I find it useful to have a place to which one can come and rest quite quietly sometimes. Williams here has no other duty except to guard the entrance. Williams, you will allow this gentleman and these two ladies to pass in at a quarter to twelve.” The man looked at them searchingly. “Certainly, sir,” he said. “No one else?” “No one, under any pretext.” Sir Timothy hurried back to the hall, and the others followed him in more leisurely fashion. They were all three full of curiosity. “I never dreamed,” Margaret declared, as she looked around her, “that I should ever find myself inside this house. It has always seemed to me like one great bluebeard's chamber. If ever my father spoke of it at all, it was as of a place which he intended to convert into a sort of miniature Hell.” Sir Timothy leaned back to speak to them as they passed. “You will find a friend over there, Ledsam,” he said. Wilmore turned around and faced them. The two men exchanged somewhat surprised greetings. “No idea that I was coming until this afternoon,” Wilmore explained. “I got my card at five o'clock, with a note from Sir Timothy's secretary. I am racking my brains to imagine what it can mean.” “We're all a little addled,” Francis confessed. “Come and join our tour of exploration. You know Lady Cynthia. Let me present you to Mrs. Hilditch.”