“They’lltellyouthatattheoffice，“themananswered。“Getin，please。“
　　Mr。SabinlookedaroundforFelix，buthehaddisappeared。Hetookouthiscigarette-case。
　　“Youwillpermitmefirsttolightacigarette，“heremarked。
　　“Allright！Onlylooksharp。“
　　Mr。Sabinkeptsilenceinthecarriage。Thedrivewasalongone。
　　WhentheydescendedhelookedupatDuson，whosatuponthebox。
　　“Duson，“hesaid，andhisvoice，thoughlow，wasterrible，“IseethatIcanbemistakeninmen。Youareavillain。“
　　Themansprungtohisfeet，hatinhand。Hisfacewaswrungwithemotion。
　　“YourGrace，“hesaid，“itistruethatIbetrayedyou。ButIdiditwithoutreward。Iamaruinedman。IdiditbecausetheorderswhichcametomeweresuchasIdarenotdisobey。Hereareyourkeys，yourGrace，andmoney。“
　　Mr。Sabinlookedathimsteadily。
　　“You，too，Duson？“
　　“Itoo，alas，yourGrace！“
　　Mr。Sabinconsideredforamoment。
　　“Duson，“hesaid，“Iretainyouinmyservice。TakemyluggageonboardtheCampaniato-morrowafternoon，andpaythebillatthehotel。Ishalljoinyouontheboat。“
　　Dusonwasamazed。Themanwhowasstandingbylaughed。
　　“Ifyoutakemyadvice，sir，“heremarked，“you’llorderyourclothestobesenthere。I’veakindoffancytheCampaniawillsailwithoutyouto-morrow。“
　　“Youhavemyorders，Duson，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Youcanrelyuponseeingme。“
　　Thedetectiveledthewayintothebuilding，andopenedthedoorleadingintoalarge，barelyfurnishedoffice。
　　“Chief’sgonehomeforthenight，Iguess，“heremarked。“Wecanfixupashakedownforyouinoneoftheroomsbehind。“
　　“Ithankyou，“Mr。Sabinsaid，sittingdowninahigh-backedwoodenchair；“Ideclinetomoveuntilthechargeagainstmeisproperlyexplained。“
　　“Thereisnooneheretodoitjustnow，“themananswered。Bettermakeyourselfcomfortableforabit。“
　　“Youdetainmehere，then，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“withoutevenasightofyourwarrantoranyintimationastothechargeagainstme？“
　　“Oh，thechief’llfixallthat，“themananswered。“Don’tyouworry。“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiled。
　　InamagnificentlyfurnishedapartmentsomewhereintheneighbourhoodofFifthAvenueasmallpartyofmenwereseatedroundacardtablepiledwithchipsandrollsofbills。Onthesideboardtherewasagreatcollectionofemptybottles，spiritdecantersandVichysyphons。
　　Mr。Horserwashelpinghimselftobrandyandwaterwithonehandandholdinghimselfupwiththeother。Therewasaknockatthedoor。
　　Amanwhowasstillplayinglookedup。Hewasaboutfiftyyearsofage，cleanshaven，withvacuouseyesandaweakmouth。Hewasthehostoftheparty。
　　“Comein！“heshouted。
　　Ayoungmanenteredinalongblackovercoatandsofthat。Helookedabouthimwithoutsurprise，butheseemedtonoteMr。
　　Horser’spresencewithsomeconcern。Themanatthetablethrewdownhiscards。
　　“Whatthedevildoyouwant，Smith？“
　　“AnimportantdespatchfromWashingtonhasjustarrived，sir。I
　　havebroughtitupwiththecodebook。“
　　“FromWashingtonatthistimeofthenight，“heexclaimedthickly。
　　“Comeinhere，Smith。“
　　Heraisedthecurtainsleadingintoasmallanteroom，andturneduptheelectriclight。Hisclerklaidthemessagedownonthetablebeforehim。
　　“Hereisthedespatch，Mr。Mace，“hesaid，“andhereisthetranslation。“
　　“EnglishAmbassadordemandsimmediateexplanationofarrestofDukeSouspennieratWaldorfto-night。Replyimmediatelywhatchargeandevidence。SouspenniernaturalisedEnglishman。“
　　Mr。Macesprangtohisfeetwithanoath。Hethrewasidethecurtainwhichshieldedtheroomfromthelargerapartment。
　　“Horser，comehere，youdamnedfool！“
　　Horser，withastreamofmagnificentinvectives，obeyedthesummons。
　　Hishostpointedtothemessage。
　　“Readthat！“
　　Mr。Horserreadandhisfacegrewevenmorerepulsive。Adullpurpleflushsuffusedhischeeks，hiseyeswerebloodshot，andtheveinsonhisforeheadstoodoutlikecords。HeleanedforseveralmomentsagainstthetableandsteadilycursedMr。Sabin，thegovernmentatWashington，andsomethingunderhisbreathwhichhedidnotdaretonameopenly。
　　“Oh，shutup！“hishostsaidatlast。“Howthedevilarewegoingtogetoutofthis？“
　　Mr。Horserlefttheroomandreturnedwithatumblerfullofbrandyandaverylittlewater。
　　“Takeadrinkyourself，“hesaid。“It’llsteadyyou。
　　“Oh，I’msteadyenough，“Mr。Macerepliedimpatiently。“Iwanttoknowhowyou’regoingtogetusoutofthis。Whatwasthecharge，anyhow？“
　　“Passingforgedbills，“Horseranswered。“Parsonsfixeditup。“
　　Mr。Maceturnedashadepaler。
　　“Wherethedevil’sthesenseinachargelikethat？“heansweredfiercely。“Theman’samillionaire。He’llturnthetablesonusnicely。“
　　“We’vegottokeephimtillaftertheCampaniasails，anyhow，“
　　Horsersaiddoggedly。
　　“We’renotgoingtokeephimtenminutes，“Macereplied。“I’mgoingtosigntheorderforhisrelease。“
　　Horser’sspeechwasthickwithdrunkenfury。“By——I’llseethatyoudon’t！“heexclaimed。
　　Maceturneduponhimangrily。
　　“Youselfishfool！“hemuttered。“You’renotinthething，anyhow。
　　IfyouthinkI’mgoingtoriskmypositionforthesakeofonelittlejobyou’rewrong。Ishallgodownmyselfandreleasehim，withanapology。“
　　“He’llhavehisrevengeallthesame，“Horseranswered。“It’stoolatenowtofunkthething。Theycan’tbudgeyou。We’llseetothat。WeholdNewYorkinourhands。Beaman，Mace，andrunalittlerisk。It’sfiftythousand。“
　　Macelookedupathimcuriously。
　　“Whatdoyougetoutofit，Horser？“
　　Horser’sfacehardened。
　　“Notonecent！“hedeclaredfiercely。“OnlyifIfailitmightbeunpleasantformenexttimeIcrossed。“
　　“Idon’tknow！“Macedeclaredweakly。“Idon’tknowwhattodo。
　　It’stwelvehours，Horser，andthechargeisridiculous。“
　　“Youhavemebehindyou。“
　　“Ican’ttellthemthatatWashington，“Macesaid。
　　“It’safact，allthesame。Don’tbesodamnednervous。“
　　Macedismissedhisclerk，andfoundhisotherguests，too，onthepointofdeparture。Butthelasthadscarcelyleftbeforeaservantenteredwithanotherdespatch。
　　“ReleaseSouspennier。
　　Macehandedittohiscompanion。
　　“Thissettlesit，“hedeclared。“Ishallgoroundandtryandmakemypeacewiththefellow。“
　　Horserstoodintheway，burly，half-drunkandvicious。Hestruckhishostinthefacewithclenchedfist。Macewentdownwithscarcelyagroan。Aservant，hearingthefall，camehurryingback。
　　“Yourmasterisdrunkandhehasfallendown，“Horsersaid。“Puthimtobed-givehimasleepingdraughtifyou’vegotone。“
　　Theservantbentovertheunconsciousman。