For a long instant the gray eyes beneath the grayer eyebrows searched Aylmer's face. Doubt, perplexity, and then finally a thrill of obvious relief passed across the waxen face. Aylmer's hand was taken; he was gently propelled towards a chair. "I have suffered much; can I be forgiven?" said the old man wearily. "Can you make my excuses valid to yourself?" "They were written, and the shame of our family with them, all too large in the press of two hemispheres," said Aylmer. "God knows I am not here to-day to bring anything more than such little reparation as is within my power." "Reparation?" Van Arlen's tone was more than surprised; it was startled. Aylmer nodded. "I came to give you information of Landon's whereabouts. He is here in Tangier, Mr. Van Arlen. I came to put you on your guard, and at the same time to offer you my assistance." Quickly, accurately, and in as few words as possible he outlined the events of the previous evening. Silently, but with growing anxiety, Mr. Van Arlen heard him to the end. He rose, trembling a little, as Aylmer concluded. "You will excuse me if I leave you to--to give some orders. The one outstanding fact in your story for me is that Landon is here, and that my daughter and the boy are on this expedition. They have their usual attendants, but--but--" He halted, stammering. "He--he may poise his all on one last attempt? He may get together a following which would overpower them?" Aylmer looked at him debatingly. "Yes," he allowed. "That is a possibility to be faced though I believe his resources are, or were, meagre. You will take more men and go and meet them?" The old man made a gesture of apology. "Yes," he said. "And, if you will pardon my curtness, at once." "The sooner the better," agreed Aylmer, quietly, "as I hope to be allowed to accompany you?" Van Arlen gave a little start, one that seemed to imply a doubt or a question. As if he replied to it, Aylmer gave a little nod. "You must accept me as an ally, my dear sir," he said. "You have seen that I have a pressing need to meet Landon. I should like to do so in your company." The other still hesitated. "Why?" he asked. "Because I would like to make the interview convincing--to you," said Aylmer. "Because I covet your friendship; because I want you and your family to revise their estimate of the name of Aylmer. Because," he paused and deliberated over his words for a moment, "because I want to be received by you at Villa Eulalia, inside." Again the gray face flushed; again the hand was raised in deprecation. And then the bell in the porch rang furiously, and continued to ring till the porter emerged frowning from his lodge. Aylmer heard the sound of blows and his own name repeated in fierce interrogation. He recognized the voice. It was Daoud who was shouting and endeavoring to gain entrance in the face of the porter's emphatic protests. As Aylmer advanced to the bars, the tumult ceased.