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The duchess seemed positively to shrink from her better half's near
neighborhood。
〃Hereward； was it a Pickford's van？〃
The duke seemed puzzled。 Well he might be。
〃Was what a Pickford's van？〃
The lady turned to Mr。 Dacre。 In her voice there was a ring of
anguish。
〃Mr。 Dacre； tell me； was it a Pickford's van？〃 Ivor could only
imitate his relative's repetition of her inquiry。
〃I don't quite catch youwas what a Pickford's van？〃
The duchess clasped her hands in front of her。
〃What is it you are keeping from me？ What is it you are trying to
hide？ I implore you to tell me the worst； whatever it may be！ Do
not keep me any longer in suspense； you do not know what I already
have endured。 Mr。 Dacre； is my husband mad？〃
One need scarcely observe that the lady's amazing appeal to Mr。
Dacre as to her husband's sanity was received with something like
surprise。 As the duke continued to stare at her； a dreadful fear
began to loom in his brain。
〃My darling； your brain is unhinged！〃
He advanced to take her two hands again in his； but； to his
unmistakable distress； she shrank away from him。
〃Herewarddon't touch me。 How is it that I missed you？ Why did
you not wait until I came？〃
〃Wait until you came？〃
The duke's bewilderment increased。
〃Surely； if your injuries turned out； after all； to be slight； that
was all the more reason why you should have waited； after sending
for me like that。〃
〃I sent for youI？〃 The duke's tone was grave。 〃My darling；
perhaps you had better come upstairs。〃
〃Not until we have had an explanation。 You must have known that I
should come。 Why did you not wait for me after you had sent me
that？〃
The duchess held out something to the duke。 He took it。 It was a
cardhis own visiting card。 Something was written on the back of
it。 He read aloud what was written。
〃'Mabel； come to me at once with the bearer。 They tell me that
they cannot take me home。' It looks like my own writing。〃
〃Looks like it！ It IS your writing。〃
〃It looks like itand written with a shaky pen。〃
〃My dear child； one's hand would shake at such a moment as that。〃
〃Mabel； where did you get this？〃
〃It was brought to me in Cane and Wilson's。〃
〃Who brought it？〃
〃Who brought it？ Why； the man you sent。〃
〃The man I sent！〃 A light burst upon the duke's brain。 He fell
back a pace。 〃It's the decoy！〃
Her grace echoed the words：
〃The decoy？〃
〃The scoundrel！ To set a trap with such a bait！ My poor innocent
darling； did you think it came from me？ Tell me； Mabel； where did
he cut off your hair？〃
〃Cut off my hair？〃
Her grace put her hand to her head as if to make sure that her hair
was there。
〃Where did he take you to？〃
〃He took me to Draper's Buildings。〃
〃Draper's Buildings？〃
〃I have never been in the City before； but he told me it was
Draper's Buildings。 Isn't that near the Stock Exchange？〃
〃Near the Stock Exchange？〃
It seemed rather a curious place to which to take a kidnaped
victim。 The man's audacity！
〃He told me that you were coming out of the Stock Exchange when a
van knocked you over。 He said that he thought it was a Pickford's
vanwas it a Pickford's van？〃
〃No； it was not a Pickford's van。 Mabel； were you in Draper's
Buildings when you wrote that letter？〃
〃Wrote what letter？〃
〃Have you forgotten it already？ I do not believe that there is a
word in it which will not be branded on my brain until I die。〃
〃Hereward！ What do you mean？〃
〃Surely you cannot have written me such a letter as that； and then
have forgotten it already？〃
He handed her the letter which had arrived in the second
communication。 She glanced at it； askance。 Then she took it with
a little gasp。
〃Hereward； if you don't mind； I think I'll take a chair。〃 She took
a chair。 〃Whateverwhatever's this？〃 As she read the letter the
varying expressions which passed across her face were； in
themselves； a study in psychology。 〃Is it possible that you can
imagine that； under any conceivable circumstances； I could have
written such a letter as this？〃
〃Mabel！〃
She rose to her feet with emphasis。
〃Hereward； don't say that you thought this came from me！〃
〃Not from you？〃 He remembered Knowles's diplomatic reception of
the epistle on its first appearance。 〃I suppose that you will say
next that this is not a lock of your hair？〃
〃My dear child； what bee have you got in your bonnet？ This a lock
of my hair！ Why； it's not in the least bit like my hair！〃
Which was certainly inaccurate。 As far as color was concerned it
was an almost perfect match。 The duke turned to Mr。 Dacre。
〃Ivor； I've had to go through a good deal this afternoon。 If I
have to go through much more； something will crack！〃 He touched
his forehead。 〃I think it's my turn to take a chair。〃 Not the one
which the duchess had vacated； but one which faced it。 He
stretched out his legs in front of him； he thrust his hands into
his trousers pockets； he said； in a tone which was not gloomy but
absolutely grewsome：
〃Might I ask； Mabel； if you have been kidnaped？〃
〃Kidnaped？〃
〃The word I used was 'kidnaped。' But I will spell it if you like。
Or I will get a dictionary； that you may see its meaning。〃
The duchess looked as if she was beginning to be not quite sure if
she was awake or sleeping。 She turned to Ivor。
〃Mr。 Dacre； has the accident affected Hereward's brain？〃
The duke took the words out of his cousin's mouth。
〃On that point； my dear； let me ease your mind。 I don't know if
you are under the impression that I should be the same shape after
a Pickford's van had run over me as I was before； but； in any case；
I have not been run over by a Pickford's van。 So far as I am
concerned there has been no accident。 Dismiss that delusion from
your mind。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃You appear surprised。 One might even think that you were sorry。
But may I now ask what you did when you arrived at Draper's
Buildings？〃
〃Did！ I looked for you！〃
〃Indeed！ And when you had looked in vain； what was the next item
in your programme？〃
The lady shrank still farther from him。
〃Hereward； have you been having a jest at my expense？ Can you have
been so cruel？〃 Tears stood in her eyes。
Rising； the duke laid his hand upon her arm。
〃Mabel； tell mewhat did you do when you had looked for me in
vain？〃
〃I looked for you upstairs and downstairs and everywhere。 It was
quite a large place； it took me ever such a time。 I thought that I
should go distracted。 Nobody seemed to know anything about you； or
even that there had been an accident at allit was all offices。 I
couldn't make it out in the least； and the people didn't seem to be
able to make me out either。 So when I couldn't find you anywhere I
came st