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84 "Certainly I do."

"You will keep absolutely silent about my plans as they develop?"

"Yes."

"Good. You will now witness the first move of the game."

He touched an electric button, and when a servant appeared said curtly:

"Tell Ponderby to come here."

The sphinx-like Ponderby entered, and stood silent at attention. Lord Stranleigh looked him over as if he had never seen him before, but Ponderby's impassive face gave no indication that he was aware of the scrutiny.

"Ponderby, how much older are you than I?"

"Two years, five months, and fourteen days, my lord."

"That, I take it, is reasonably accurate, Ponderby, although, of course, it would have been more satisfactory had you brought it down to hours, minutes, and seconds. Now, we are going to America together."

"Yes, my lord."

"Have you ever been there before, Ponderby?"

"No, my lord."

Again Lord Stranleigh studied the statuesque Ponderby, employing the same intentness he had formerly bestowed upon him, then turned to Mackeller and said: