as charming a way of spending the evening as I can think of."
"You say that to me?" said Guerchard with a touch of temper.
"Yes," said the Duke, with a challenging smile. "To you."
He sat down in an easy chair by the table. Guerchard sat down in a chair on the other side of it, and set his elbows on it. They were silent.
Suddenly the Duke said, "Somebody's coming."
Guerchard started, and said: "No, I don't hear any one."
Then there came distinctly the sound of a footstep and a knock at the door.
"You've got keener ears than I," said Guerchard grudgingly. "In all this business you've shown the qualities of a very promising detective." He rose, went to the door, and unlocked it.
Bonavent came in: "I've brought you the handcuffs, sir," he said, holding them out. "Shall I stay with you?"
"No," said Guerchard. "You've two men at the back door, and two at the front, and a man in every room on the ground-floor?"
"Yes, and I've got three men on every other
