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 though the speaker were trying his ground, in that first disjointed utterance.

“It does not matter,” Forsyth replied, and then in his turn came to a sudden stop. His diplomatic training at the Foreign Office had taught him the advantage of allowing the other side to open the proceedings. He who has the first word is seldom the one to have the last.

But it appeared that Mr. Ziegler was also alive to the value of reserving his fire. “I presume that the Duke of Beaumanoir instructed you on the nature of the business you were to transact with me?” he said, and there was a firmer ring in the curious metallic voice than when he made his first brief apology.

“On the contrary, he left me quite in the dark about it,” Forsyth made answer. “All I understood was that I was to fetch something which you would hand me in person.”

Ziegler took a leisurely survey of the young Scotsman through his green glasses. “Then you did not come here expecting to have to use your own discretion in any way—to traffic with me, in fact?” he presently asked.

“Certainly not,” Forsyth replied. “I gathered that the part I was to play was solely that