By this time Bernard had returned to the fire and was pushing forward a chair for Durham. "I am glad to see you, Mark," said he, cordially. "But why did you stop me speaking?" "I didn't stop you, worse luck," said Durham, running his hand through his curly hair. "I didn't want Mrs. Moon to know where Jerry was. I only hope she will hold her tongue; but if she does tell Victoria, and she is weak enough to babble a lot, Jerry will learn in a way I need not describe that you are here." Bernard saw that he had been foolish and bit his lip. "I should have been silent," he said. "But the fact is, Mark, I didn't think of Jerry being dangerous. Alice simply wrote saying that he had been engaged by Miss Berengaria as a page, and that she would give me the details when she came to-morrow." "So like a woman," grumbled Durham, sitting down. "It would have been better had she told you that Beryl had induced Miss Plantagenet to take the boy as a page." Bernard stared. "But she is on my side," he faltered. "Of course she is, and for that reason she has taken the boy. I told her to be civil to Beryl, so that I might learn what his game was. It is better that we should keep all these people in sight. I have my eye on Beryl, who haunts my office. Jane Riordan is in my employment. Miss Randolph keeps watch on Mrs. Gilroy, and Miss Plantagenet will see that Jerry--or Judas as Conniston calls him--does no mischief. If I can get all the threads into my hands, Bernard, I'll soon be able to find a clue likely to lead me to the central mystery of this labyrinth. And there's no denying," added Durham, wrinkling his brows, "that the case is a perplexing one." "I understand about you and Miss Berengaria," said Bernard, nursing his chin, "you are my friends; but Lucy. I have always had my doubts about Lucy, and offended Conniston by saying so. He admires Lucy." "Miss Randolph is entirely to be trusted," said the lawyer, decisively; "she is your friend, and has broken off her engagement with Beryl. I think he showed too plainly that he wanted to ruin you and----" "Does he know that I am alive?" interrupted Gore, much perturbed. "No! But I think he is suspicious. He has some rascally scheme in his head or he would not have placed Judas in Miss Berengaria's establishment; luckily, the old lady will watch the boy. However, as I was saying, the engagement between Miss Randolph and Beryl is ended. She told me that she had given him back the ring. She is quite on our side." "Conniston will be glad," said Gore, smiling in a haggard sort of way; "he admires Lucy." "So do I. She's a charming girl, especially now that she has been allowed to exert her individuality, which was crushed by Sir Simon. I often wondered you did not fall in love with her, Bernard." "Oh, we are like brother and sister," said Bernard, quietly, then he sighed and started to his feet. "See here, Mark, I can't stand this sort of thing any longer." "What sort of thing?"