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 known. He was not of this company in its soul and purpose; but he had known. Sally Gessler had imparted nothing which surprised him. I recognized, now, that he, because he had known, had been a sort of prisoner here. His daughter, since she had learned, would be a prisoner hereafter, like Pete and me.

A servant—he was the valet who had attended us—came from the house and bent at Bane's ear, delivering a message.

Bane arose, and in the general direction of Donley, said, "Cawder."

"Hm," said Donley. "It's time."

"Back in a moment," said Bane, not to Donley, but to the rest of us. It was a sort of warning which said, in effect, "Stay as you are until I return."

"Who's Cawder?" calmly inquired Pete of Donley, when Bane disappeared.

"Oh; he's at headquarters."

"Headquarters?" said Pete and, for once betrayed surprise. "Isn't this headquarters?"

Donley laughed; Boggs laughed; Mendell and Kinvarra and Sally Gessler, too. They laughed not only at Pete, for his surprise, but