"There's no objection to my being masked, I suppose?" said the man. "I have a right to protect myself." "Does he speak rather like an Englishman, or do I imagine it?" Juliet wondered. "_I_ don't object," she said aloud. "I don't care who you are if you can give me news of my husband, and if--if you can bring him back to me." "I can give you news now," the man replied. "And you can have him back to-morrow night if you choose." "What are your conditions?" Juliet asked. "One million dollars for the Duke and the pearls." "Oh!" said the Duchess. "And what for the Duke without the pearls?" "We don't treat separately." "Indeed! And what if I refuse to treat at all?" "In that case, you'll never see your husband again on this side the grave." "You mean you'll murder him if I don't pay ransom!" "Not at all. This is the Duke's own affair. He's in it with us. That is"--the man spoke quickly, when anger flamed on Juliet's face and he must have feared that she would cease bargaining for a man capable of "holding up" his wife--"that is, he's in it to this extent: he's taken an oath not to give us away. He was hurt in an accident--an affair neither he nor you would like to have come out--and I and a friend of mine saved his life. When we'd done that, as we're poor men we didn't see why we shouldn't get something for ourselves. We're amateurs at these things, my mate and I, and we were at odds how to approach you, Madam, without risking trouble. Then I had a 'hunch' to consult this lady. Dreamed about her, felt I _must_ come!" Madame Veno gave Juliet a look. "Now I find she was mesmerizing me or something of the sort. But she's given me good advice, and she's brought you and me together, so maybe all's well that ends well." "Where's my husband?" asked Juliet. "Where I live. And you could have me followed all around New York without finding out where that is. I'm up to every dodge of that kind, I can tell you! But what my friend and I--the Duke standing by us because of what we've done for him--what we propose, is this: you get hold of a million dollars without telling any one what the money's for. We'll know if you play us false. We have our spies. It _must_ be all in notes. Then, if this lady--Madame Veno--is willing to see the thing through, you'll bring to her flat the whole sum, only with the _notes cut in two_. That plan is to prove my good faith. An hour after the Duke shall arrive--with the pearls, in an auto--at your own house. And the remaining halves of the notes shall be handed to the chauffeur by you in person before your husband leaves the car. Does that scheme look good to you?"