'I?' cried Lady Kelsey. 'I've been suffering agonies.' They all knew to what she referred, and the remark gave Boulger an opportunity to speak to Dick Lomas. 'I suppose you saw the _Mail_ this morning?' he asked. 'I never read the papers except in August,' answered Dick drily. 'When there's nothing in them?' asked Mrs. Crowley. 'Pardon me, I am an eager student of the sea-serpent and of the giant gooseberry.' 'I should like to kick that man,' said Bobbie, indignantly. Dick smiled. 'My dear chap, Alec is a hardy Scot and bigger than you; I really shouldn't advise you to try.' 'Of course you've heard all about this business?' said Canon Spratte. 'I've only just arrived from Paris. I knew nothing of it till Lady Kelsey told me.' 'What do you think?' 'I don't think at all; I _know_ there's not a word of truth in it. Since Alec arrived at Mombassa, he's been acclaimed by everyone, private and public, who had any right to an opinion. Of course it couldn't last. There was bound to be a reaction.' 'Do you know anything of this man Macinnery?' asked Boulger. 'It so happens that I do. Alec found him half starving at Mombassa, and took him solely out of charity. But he was a worthless rascal and had to be sent back.' 'He seems to me to give ample proof for every word he says,' retorted Bobbie. Dick shrugged his shoulders scornfully. 'As I've already explained to Lady Kelsey, whenever an explorer comes home there's someone to tell nasty stories about him. People forget that kid gloves are not much use in a tropical forest, and they grow very indignant when they hear that a man has used a little brute force to make himself respected.' 'All that's beside the point,' said Boulger, impatiently. 'MacKenzie sent poor George into a confounded trap to save his own dirty skin.' 'Poor Lucy!' moaned Lady Kelsey. 'First her father died....' 'You're not going to count that as an overwhelming misfortune?' Dick interrupted. 'We were unanimous in describing that gentleman's demise as an uncommon happy release.' 'I was engaged to dine with him this evening,' said Bobbie, pursuing his own bitter reflections. 'I wired to say I had a headache and couldn't come.' 'What will he think if he sees you here?' cried Lady Kelsey. 'He can think what he likes.' Canon Spratte felt that it was needful now to put in the decisive word which he always expected from himself. He rubbed his hands blandly. 'In this matter I must say I agree entirely with our friend Bobbie. I read the letter with the utmost care, and I could see no loophole of escape. Until Mr. MacKenzie gives a definite answer I can hardly help looking upon him as nothing less than a murderer. In these things I feel that one should have the courage of one's opinions. I saw him in Piccadilly this evening, and I cut him dead. Nothing will induce me to shake hands with a man on whom rests so serious an accusation.' 'I hope to goodness he doesn't come,' said Lady Kelsey.