Part 77 (1/2)

”Inconvenient or not,” Mr. Philip Burr continued, ”I have orders to carry out which I can a.s.sure you have never yet been disobeyed since the formation of our Society. From what I can see of you, you appear to be very amiable gentlemen, and if it would interest you to choose the method--say, of your release--why, I can a.s.sure you we'll do all we can to meet your views.”

”I am beginning,” Sogrange remarked, ”to feel quite at home.”

”You see, we've been through this sort of thing before,” Peter added, blandly.

Mr. Philip Burr took a cigar from his case and lit it. At a motion of his hand, one of the company pa.s.sed the box to his two guests.

”You're not counting upon a visit from the police, or anything of that sort, I hope?” Mr. Philip Burr asked.

Sogrange shook his head.

”Certainly not,” he replied. ”I may say that much of the earlier portion of my life was spent in frustrating the well-meant but impossible schemes of that body of men.”

”If only we had a little more time,” Mr. Burr declared, ”it seems to me I should like to make the acquaintance of you two gentlemen.”

”The matter is entirely in your own hands,” Peter reminded him. ”We are in no hurry.”

Mr. Burr smiled genially.

”You make me think better of humanity,” he confessed. ”A month ago we had a man here--got him along somehow or another--and I had to tell him that he was up against it like you two are. My! the fuss he made! Kind of saddened me to think a man should be such a coward.”

”Some people like that,” Sogrange remarked. ”By the bye, Mr. Burr, you'll pardon my curiosity. Whom have we to thank for our introduction here to-night?”

”I don't know as there's any particular harm in telling you,” Mr. Burr replied--

”Nor any particular good,” a man who was standing by his side interrupted. ”Say, Phil, you drag these things out too much. Are there any questions you've got to ask 'em, or any property to collect?”

”Nothing of the sort,” Mr. Burr admitted.

”Then let the gang get to work,” the other declared.

The two men were suddenly conscious that they were being surrounded.

Peter's hand stole on to the b.u.t.t of his revolver. Sogrange rose slowly to his feet. His hands were thrust out in front of him with the thumbs turned down. The four fingers of each hand flashed for a minute through the air. Mr. Philip Burr lost all his self-control.

”Say, where the devil did you learn that trick?” he cried.

Sogrange laughed scornfully.

”Trick!” he exclaimed. ”Philip Burr, you are unworthy of your position.

I am the Marquis de Sogrange, and my friend here is the Baron de Grost.”

Mr. Philip Burr had no words. His cigar had dropped on to the carpet. He was simply staring.

”If you need proof,” Sogrange continued, ”further than any I have given you, I have in my pocket, at the present moment, a letter, signed by you yourself, pleading for formal reinstatement. This is how you would qualify for it! You make use of your power to run a common decoy house, to do away with men for money. What fool gave you our names, pray?”

Mr. Philip Burr was only the wreck of a man. He could not even control his voice.

”It was some German or Belgian n.o.bleman,” he faltered. ”He brought us excellent letters, and he made a large contribution. It was the Count von Hern.”

The anger of Sogrange seemed suddenly to fade away. He threw himself into a chair by the side of his companion.