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〃Is that a challenge？〃 she asked。
〃You may take it as such if you will；〃 he answered； with a note of
sullenness in his tone。 〃You know very well that I have but to
lift my finger and the gendarmes will be here。 Yes； we will call
it a challenge。 All my life I have wanted you。 Now I think that
my time has come。 Even Souspennier has deserted you。 You are
alone； and let me tell you that danger is closer at your heels than
you know of。 I can save you； and I will。 But I have a price； and
it must be paid。〃
〃If I refuse？〃 she asked。
〃I send for the chief of the police。〃
〃She looked him up and down； a measured； merciless survey。 He was
a tall； big man； but he seemed to shrink into insignificance。
〃You are a coward and a bully；〃 she said slowly。 〃You know quite
well that I am innocent of any knowledge even concerning Duson's
death。 But I would sooner meet my fate； whatever it might be； than
suffer even the touch of your fingers upon my hand。 Your presence
is hateful to me。 Send for your chief of the police。 String your
lies together as you will。 I am satisfied。〃
She left him and swept from the room； a spot of colour burning in
her cheeks； her eyes lit with fire。 The pride of her race had
asserted itself。 She felt no longer any fear。 She only desired
to sever herself at once and completely from all association with
this man。 In the hall she sent for her maid。
〃Fetch my cloak and jewel case； Celeste；〃 she ordered。 〃I am going
across to the Bristol。 You can return for the other luggage。〃
〃But； madam … 〃
〃Do as I say at once；〃 Lucille ordered。
The girl hesitated and then obeyed。 Lucille found herself suddenly
addressed in a quiet tone by a man who had been sitting in an
easy…chair； half hidden by a palm tree。
〃Will you favour me； madam； with a moment's conversation？〃
Lucille turned round。 She recognised at once the man with whom she
had conversed upon the steamer。 In the quietest form of evening
dress； there was something noticeable in the man's very
insignificance。 He seemed a little out of his element。 Lucille
had a sudden inspiration； The man was a detective。
〃What do you wish to say？〃 she asked； half doubtfully。
〃I overheard；〃 he remarked； 〃your order to your maid。 She had
something to say to you； but you gave her no opportunity。〃
〃And you？〃 she asked； 〃what do you wish to say？〃
〃I wish to advise you；〃 he said； 〃not to leave the hotel。〃
She looked at him doubtfully。
〃You cannot understand；〃 she said； 〃why I wish to leave it。 I
have no alternative。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 he said； 〃I hope that you will change your mind。〃
〃Are you a detective？〃 she asked abruptly。
〃Madam is correct！〃
The flush of colour faded from her cheeks。
〃I presume； then；〃 she said； 〃that I am under your surveillance？〃
〃In a sense；〃 he admitted； 〃it is true。〃
〃On the steamer；〃 she remarked； 〃you spoke as though your interest
in me was not inimical。〃
〃Nor is it；〃 he answered promptly。 〃You are in a difficult position；
but you may find things not so bad as you imagine。 At present my
advice to you is this： Go upstairs to your room and stay there。〃
The little man had a compelling manner。 Lucille made her way
towards the elevator。
〃As a matter of fact；〃 she murmured bitterly； 〃I am not； I suppose；
permitted to leave the hotel？〃
〃Madam puts the matter bluntly；〃 he answered； 〃but certainly if
you should insist upon leaving； it would be my duty to follow you。〃
She turned away from him and entered the elevator。 The door of
her room was slightly ajar； and she saw that a waiter was busy at
a small round table。 She looked at him in surprise。 He was
arranging places for two。
〃Who gave you your orders？〃 she asked。
〃But it was monsieur；〃 the man answered； with a low bow。 〃Dinner
for two。〃
〃Monsieur？〃 she repeated。 〃What monsieur？〃
〃I am the culprit；〃 a familiar voice answered from the depths of
an easy…chair； whose back was to her。 〃I was very hungry； and it
occurred to me that under the circumstances you would probably not
have dined either。 I hope that you will like what I have ordered。
The plovers' eggs look delicious。〃
She gave a little cry of joy。 It was Mr。 Sabin。
CHAPTER XLII
The Prince dined carefully； but with less than his usual appetite。
Afterwards he lit a cigarette and strolled for a moment into the
lounge。 Celeste； who was waiting for him； glided at once to his
side。
〃Monsieur！〃 she whispered。 〃I have been here for one hour。〃
He nodded。
〃Well？〃
〃Monsieur le Duc has arrived。〃
The Prince turned sharply round。
〃Who？〃
〃Monsieur le Duc de Souspennier。 He calls himself no longer Mr。
Sabin。〃
A dull flush of angry colour rose almost to his temples。
〃Why did you not tell me before？〃 he exclaimed。
〃Monsieur was in the restaurant；〃 she answered。 〃It was impossible
for me to do anything but wait。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃Alas！ he is with madam；〃 the girl answered。
The Prince was very profane。 He started at once for the elevator。
In a moment or two he presented himself at Lucille's sitting…room。
They were still lingering over their dinner。 Mr。 Sabin welcomed
him with grave courtesy。
〃The Prince is in time to take his liqueur with us；〃 he remarked；
rising。 〃Will you take fin champagne； Prince； or Chartreuse？ I
recommend the fin champagne。〃
The Prince bowed his thanks。 He was white to the lips with the
effort for self…mastery。
〃I congratulate you； Mr。 Sabin；〃 he said； 〃upon your opportune
arrival。 You will be able to help Lucille through the annoyance
to which I deeply regret that she should be subjected。〃
Mr。 Sabin gently raised his eyebrows。
〃Annoyance！〃 he repeated。 〃I fear that I do not quite understand。〃
The Prince smiled。
〃Surely Lucille has told you；〃 he said； 〃of the perilous position
in which she finds herself。〃
〃My wife；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃has told me nothing。 You alarm me。〃
The Prince shrugged his shoulders。
〃I deeply regret to tell you；〃 he said； 〃that the law has proved
too powerful for me。 I can no longer stand between her and what
I fear may prove a most unpleasant episode。 Lucille will be
arrested within the hour。〃
〃Upon what charge？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃The murder of Duson。〃
Mr。 Sabin laughed very softly； very gently； but with obvious
genuineness。
〃You are joking； Prince；〃 he exclaimed。
〃I regret to say；〃 the Prince answered； 〃that you will find it very
far from a joking matter。〃
Mr。 Sabin was suddenly stern。
〃Prince of Saxe Leinitzer；〃 he said； 〃you are a coward and a
bully。〃
The Prince started forward with clenched fist。 Mr。 Sabin had no
weapon； hut he did not flinch。
〃You can frighten women；〃 he said； 〃with a bogie such as this； but
you have no longer a woman to deal with。 You and I know that such
a charge is absurd … but you little know the danger to which you
expose yourself by trifling with this subject。 Duson left a letter
addressed to me in which he announced his reasons for committing
suicide。〃
〃Suicide？〃
〃Yes。 He preferred suicide to murder； even at the bidding of the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer。 He wrote and explained these things to
me …