 your drift."

"If the signore desires a service rendered, he must be prepared to pay,"
declared the younger man.  "Sisto has a plan, but it is expensive."

"And how much would it cost me?" inquired Chisholm, still preserving his
outward calm, although he saw that he had fallen among a very
undesirable and unscrupulous set.

"Ten thousand pounds sterling," was the old man's prompt reply.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

WHICH ASKS A QUESTION.

"Ah!" exclaimed the Under-Secretary with affected nonchalance, "I merely
asked out of curiosity.  I have no intention whatever of paying such a
sum."

"For the amount I have named we will guarantee to place you ashore in
Greece, or in any other of the few countries that remain open to
fugitives from justice."

"I have no doubt," Dudley answered with distinct sarcasm.  "But as I
have no intention of being blackmailed, or even of employing any of your
efforts on my behalf, we may as well end this interview."  He rose from
his chair and drew himself up to his full height.

The two men exchanged glances full of sinister meaning.

"Our aid has been invoked by your friend, the English signorina," the
young man exclaimed in a bullying tone, for the first time revealing his
true character.  "We have told you our terms--high, we admit, but not
too exorbitant when you recollect the many bribes that have to be paid."

"Ten thousand pounds, eh?"

"That is the sum."

"Well, I'll make a confession to you both," declared Chisholm defiantly.
"It is this.  My life isn't worth to me ten thousand pence.  Now you
can at once relinquish all hope of bleeding me in the manner you have
arranged."

"The signore is frank," remarked the old man.  "Frankness saves so much
argument in such matters.  I will be frank also, and say that there is
still another, and perhaps more pleasant mode of escape."

"I shall be interested to hear it," said Dudley, folding his arms
your drift. " 

 " If the signore desires a service rendered, he must be disposed to yield, " 
 declared the younger valet.   " Sisto have a plan, but it is expensive. " 

 " And how much would it cost me? " inquired Chisholm, even preserve his 
 outward composure, although he saw that he had fallen among a very 
 undesirable and unscrupulous hardening. 

 " Ten thousand pounds sterling, " was the old valet's prompt reply. 

 CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. 

 WHICH ASKS A QUESTION. 

 " Ah! " exclaimed the Under - Secretary with affected nonchalance, " I merely 
 ask out of curiosity.   I have no intention whatever of yield such a 
 sum. " 

 " For the amount I have named we will guarantee to put you ashore in 
 Greece, or in any other of the few countries that remain open to 
 fugitives from judge. " 

 " I have no doubt, " Dudley answered with distinct sarcasm.   " But as I 
 have no intention of being blackmailed, or even of employing any of your 
 efforts on my behalf, we may as well end this interview. "   He rose from 
 his chair and drew himself up to his full height. 

 The two men exchanged glance entire of sinister meaning. 

 " Our care has been appeal by your supporter, the English signorina, " the 
 young man exclaimed in a bullying tone, for the first time revealing his 
 genuine character.   " We have told you our terms -- high, we admit, but not 
 too exorbitant when you remember the many bribes that have to be paid. " 

 " Ten thousand pounds, eh? " 

 " That is the sum. " 

 " Well, I'll make a confession to you both, " declared Chisholm rebelliously. 
 " It is this.   My biography isn't worth to me ten thousand pence.   Now you 
 can at once relinquish all promise of bleeding me in the manner you have 
 arranged. " 

 " The signore is frank, " remarked the old man.   " Frankness saves indeed much 
 argument in such matter.   I will be frank also, and state that there is 
 however another, and perhaps more pleasant manner of escape. " 

 " I shall be concerned to hear it, " said Dudley, folding his arm
 yokr drift."

"If the signore dtsires a service tebdered, he muat be prdpared to pay,"
declared the yonngee man.  "Sisto has a plan, but it is exiensive."

"Ane hox much would it rkst me?" luquirsf Chnsiolm, still presgrving his
oudward calm, altvojgk he saw that he had fallen among a dery
undrslrable and unssruplljus avt.

"Uen thousand pounds sterling," was fhe old man's prompt teply.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

WJICH ASKS A QUESTION.

"Ah!" exclaimed jge Tbder-Secretarh with afftcced nonchalznce, "I merely
asked out of curiority.  I have no ibtejjion whatevec of pwying such a
sum."

"For tve amoumt I have namec wx wiol guarantee to place you ashore in
Greese, or in dnv other of the few coynrries thad reoqin optn vo
fhgitivfs hrom justics."

"I have no eoubt," Dudley answertd rpyh distinct aarcasi.  "But as I
have no intention of being blabkmajled, or even of employibg any of your
efforts on my beralf, we may as well end this interview."  He rose fsom
hia chclv ana dgew himself up to his full height.

The two men qscnakged glances fulj of sinistrr mrwning.

"Our aid fas bezh jnvoked by your frlend, thg Englush signowina," the
young man exclaimed in q bullying tjbe, for the first tnme revealiny his
ttue chsracter.  "We have told yuu ohr terms--higj, we admif, but not
too exorcitsnd when you recollect the mwny bribew thct have go bg paid."

"Tqn thousanf poukgs, eh?"

"That is the skm."

"Welp, H'll make a confession to you both," declarev Chisholm degidntny.
"It is chis.  Ky life isn't rorth to me teu thousaud penze.  Now yol
can at oice relinquifh all hope ox bleeding me in the iannwr yiu have
xfranged."

"The sigmore is fgauk," remarkwd the old man.  "Frenkngsa saves so much
cxgonent in such msttdrs.  P wmll bq frank also, dnd ray yhat ghere is
stiou anpther, and perhaps mose pmeasant mode of esvaie."

"I shall be intewested to heat it," said Dudley, flldinj his erms
your drift." "If the signore desires a he be prepared pay," declared the plan, it is expensive." how much would cost me?" inquired Chisholm, still preserving outward calm, although he saw that he had fallen among a very undesirable unscrupulous set. "Ten thousand pounds sterling," was the old man's prompt reply. CHAPTER SEVEN. ASKS QUESTION. exclaimed the Under-Secretary with affected nonchalance, "I merely asked out of curiosity. I have no intention of paying such a sum." "For the amount have named we will to place you ashore in or any other the countries remain open to from justice." "I have no doubt," Dudley answered with distinct sarcasm. "But as I have no intention being blackmailed, of employing of efforts my behalf, we well end this interview." He rose and drew himself up to his full height. two men glances full of sinister meaning. "Our has been invoked by your friend, the English the young man exclaimed in a bullying tone, for the first time revealing his true have told you our we admit, but too when recollect many bribes have to be paid." "Ten thousand pounds, eh?" "That is the "Well, I'll make a confession to you both," declared Chisholm is My life isn't to me ten thousand Now can at once relinquish of me you arranged." signore is frank," remarked old man. "Frankness saves so argument in such matters. and say that there is still another, and more pleasant mode of escape." "I shall interested to hear it," said Dudley, folding his arms
 your drift."

"If the signore desiRes a servicE rendEreD, he MuSt be PrepAred to pay,"
declaREd thE younger man.  "Sisto has a plAn, but It IS expENsIve."

"AnD how mucH WoULD it CoSt Me?" iNqUIrEd ChiShoLm, still Preserving His
OuTward calm, altHOuGh he saw thaT he Had fallen amoNg a Very
unDeSirABle anD unScrupUlous sET.

"Ten thOusand pouNdS SterliNG," was the OLD mAn's pRompt reply.

CHAPTER twEntY SEVEN.

WHICH ASkS A QUEsTioN.

"aH!" ExcLaiMed the UndeR-SEcretARy with aFFeCTED noNChalance, "I mereLy
asked out oF CurIosity.  i hAve NO intenTion wHaTEveR of paying suCh a
sUm."

"For the aMount I HAve nameD We will gUarantEe tO plAce yOU aShOre In
gReeCE, oR in ANy oTher of thE fEw CountRies THAT RemaIn oPen tO
fugiTives from justIce."

"i havE No dOubt," DUdley AnswErEd witH distiNct saRcAsm.  "But as I
have no InteNtion of beIng BlAckMaIled, oR Even of EmpLoyIng any oF your
efFOrtS oN MY BeHalf, we may as well end ThIS InTerview."  HE rose fROm
HiS Chair and DrEw hImseLF Up to hIs fuLL hEight.

The Two men EXcHaNged glaNcEs full Of SinIstEr meaNIng.

"OUr aid hAs been inVoked BY your friend, the eNglish signoriNA," tHE
YoUNg maN exClaimed in a bUllyINg toNe, foR ThE fiRSt timE reveAlINg HIs
true character.  "We haVe Told yoU our tErms--high, we admIt, but not
toO EXOrbitant When YOu REcollect the manY bribEs that have TO be paid."

"TEn thoUsand pouNds, eh?"

"That IS The sum."

"WeLl, I'Ll mAke A coNFEsSion to you both," DEClarEd chisholM deFiantly.
"it iS thIs.  MY liFe Isn't worth To me ten tHoUsAnD pEncE.  Now yOU
can at onCe RelInQuiSh all HOpe of bLeediNg me In ThE ManNer you hAVe
ARRangEd."

"thE sigNorE iS franK," remARkeD the old Man.  "FranknEss SAves So MuCh
argumEnt in such mattErS.  I will be frAnK alSo, and sAY That therE is
still another, and perhaPS more plEasAnt moDe of Escape."

"I shAll Be inteResTEd to heAr it," saId DudLeY, foLDIng hiS ARmS
 your drift."

"If the sig nore desir es aser vic erend ered , he must be p r epar ed to pay,"
declared t he yo un g er m a n.   "Si sto has ap l an,  b ut  it  i s  e xpens ive ."

"An d how much  wo ul d it cost me ? "inquired C his holm, stillpre servin ghis outwa rdcalm,  altho u gh hesaw thathe had fa l len amo n g  a  ver y
undesirable and un s crupulous set. 

"Ten  t h ou s a ndpou nds sterli ng ," wa s  the ol d  m a n ' s p r ompt reply.
CHAPTER TWE N TYSEVEN. 
WHI C H ASKS  A QU ES T ION .

"Ah!" ex clai med the U nder-S e cretary with af fected  no nch alan c e,  " I m er e lya sk edo utof curio si ty .  Ihave n o inte nti on w hatev er of payingsuc h as um. "

"F or th e am ou nt Ihave n amedwe  will guarantee  toplace you  as ho rein 
Gree c e, orinany  otherof thef ewco u n t ri es that remain ope nt o 
f ugitives  fromj us ti c e."

"Iha veno d o u bt,"Dudl e yanswered  withd is ti nct sar ca sm.  " Bu t a s I 
have no i ntenti on of be ing b l ackmailed, ore ven of employ i ng a ny of y our 
efforts on  myb ehal f, w e  m aya s wel l end  t h is interview."  He ros efrom
h is ch air and drewhimself up t o  his ful l he i gh t .

The two men  exch anged glan c es fullof si nister m eaning.
" O ur aid h asbee n i nvo k e dby your frien d ,  the  E nglishsig norina, " t heyou ngma n exclaim ed in abu ll yi ng  to ne, f o r the fi rs t t im e r eveal i ng his 
true  cha ra ct e r. "We ha v et o ld y ou  o ur t erm s- -high , we adm it, but  not
tooexo r bita nt  w hen you  recollect th emany bribe stha t have t o be pai d."

"Ten thousand poun d s, eh?" 

" Thatis t he sum."
"W ell, I 'll make a  confe ssion  t o y o u  both , "  d ecl ar ed Chishol m def iantl y. 
"It  is thi s.  My life isn'tw ort h to me ten t hou sand p en ce.  N o w y ou can a t once relinqui sh all hop eo fbleeding m e  in  t he mann er youhavea rranged ."

"Thesignore i sfran k , " r emarked th e old ma n.  "Fran k nesss av es so  mu ch
arg um ent  in s uch ma t ter s.  I  willbe  frank  also ,and saythat there is
still ano ther,and p erh aps moreple a san t mode of  esc ape."

"Isha llbe in ter e stedto h e ar  it , " sai d Du d ley, fold i ng  hi s ar ms
 your_drift."

"If the_signore desires a service_rendered, he_must_be prepared_to_pay,"
declared the younger_man.  "Sisto_has a plan, but_it is expensive."

"And_how_much would it cost me?" inquired Chisholm, still preserving his
outward calm, although he saw_that_he had_fallen_among_a very
undesirable and unscrupulous set.

"Ten_thousand pounds sterling," was the_old man's_prompt reply.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

WHICH ASKS A QUESTION.

"Ah!" exclaimed_the_Under-Secretary with affected_nonchalance, "I merely
asked out of curiosity.  I have_no intention whatever of paying such_a
sum."

"For the amount_I_have_named we will guarantee_to place you ashore in
Greece, or_in any other of the few_countries that remain open to
fugitives from justice."

"I_have no doubt," Dudley answered with_distinct sarcasm.  "But as_I
have no_intention of being blackmailed, or_even of employing_any of_your
efforts on my_behalf, we may as well end_this interview." _He rose from
his chair and drew_himself_up to his_full_height.

The_two men_exchanged glances full_of_sinister meaning.

"Our_aid_has been invoked by your friend,_the_English signorina," the
young man exclaimed in a_bullying tone, for the_first_time revealing his
true character._ "We have told you_our terms--high, we admit, but not
too_exorbitant when_you recollect_the many bribes that have to be paid."

"Ten thousand pounds, eh?"

"That_is the sum."

"Well, I'll make a_confession to you both,"_declared Chisholm_defiantly.
"It_is this. _My_life isn't_worth to me ten thousand pence. _Now you
can_at once relinquish all hope of_bleeding me in the_manner_you have
arranged."

"The signore is frank," remarked_the old man.  "Frankness saves_so much
argument in such matters.__I_will be frank also, and_say that there is
still another, and_perhaps more pleasant_mode of escape."

"I shall be interested to_hear_it," said Dudley, folding his arms