The Count hesitated. "I do not know," he admitted finally. "If he were not influenced by Dr. Fall, I believe he would be my friend." It was a bow at a venture. He was following the bent of her inclination. For the first time that evening Doris looked at him with interest. "May I ask how your uncle came to know Gorth?" He asked the question with the assurance of one who knew all that was to be known save on this point. She hesitated awhile. "I don't quite know. The doctor we have always known. He lives in the country, and we only see him occasionally. He is----" She hesitated and then went on rapidly: "I think he has rather dreadful work. He is in charge of a lunatic." Poltavo was interested. "Please go on," he said. The girl smiled. "I am afraid you are an awful gossip," she rallied, but became more serious. "I don't like him very much, but uncle says that is my prejudice. He is one of those quiet, sure men who say very little and make one feel rather foolish. Don't you know that feeling? It is as though one were dancing the tango in front of the Sphinx." Poltavo showed his white teeth in a smile. "I have yet to have that experience," he said. She nodded. "One of these days you will meet Dr. Fall and you will know how helpless one can feel in his presence." A remarkable prophecy which was recalled by Poltavo at a moment when he was powerless to profit by the warning. "Mr. Gorth?" Again she hesitated and shrugged her shoulders. "Well," she said frankly, "he is just a common man. He looks almost like a criminal to my mind. But apparently he has been a loyal servant to uncle for many years." "Tell me," asked Poltavo, "on what terms is Dr. Fall with your uncle? On terms of equality?" She nodded. "Naturally," she said with a look of surprise, "he is a gentleman, and is, I believe, fairly well off." "And Gorth?" asked Poltavo. He was interested for many reasons as one who had to take the place of that silent figure which lay in the fog-shrouded house. "I hardly know how to describe uncle's relations with Gorth," she answered, a little puzzled. "There was a time when they were on terms of perfect equality, but sometimes uncle would be very angry with him indeed. He was rather a horrid man really. Do you know a paper called _Gossip's Corner_?" she asked suddenly. Poltavo had heard of the journal and had found a certain malicious joy in reading its scandalous paragraphs.