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 our sphere one comes across the unheard-of depravity of exploiting some one else’s idea. So.”

“Allow me,” Sir Reginald turned to Prokop with real moral indignation, “this is really too much. What would it have looked like if still another announcement had been made under another name! I was therefore obliged to accept the situation created by the other gentleman.”

“Aha!” burst out Mr. Carson aggressively, “and so the gentleman assumed my name for his purposes!”

“All I want to say is,” Sir Reginald defended himself, “that this gentleman is simply not named Carson.”

“What is his name then?” asked Prokop quickly.

“ I don’t know exactly,” said Sir Reginald contemptuously through his teeth.

“Carson,” said Prokop, turning to the engineer, “and who is this gentleman?”

“Competition,” said Mr. Carson with bitter humour. “This is the gentleman who wished to trap me with false documents. He certainly wanted to make me acquainted with some very charming people.”

“With the local military police,” muttered Sir Reginald.

Mr. Carson’s eyes flashed maliciously and he coughed warningly: “I beg you not to speak about it! Certainly”

“Would the gentlemen like to explain anything to one another?” grinned Prokop from the door.

“No, nothing further,” said Sir Reginald with dignity; so far he had not considered the other Carson worthy of a single glance.