it may be. Be satisfied that my first care is, and shall be, the
protection of Mimi Watford. To that I am pledged; my dear boy, we who
are interested are all in the same danger. That semi-human monster out
of the pit hates and means to destroy us all--you and me certainly, and
probably your uncle. I wanted especially to talk with you to-night, for
I cannot help thinking that the time is fast coming--if it has not come
already--when we must take your uncle into our confidence. It was one
thing when fancied evils threatened, but now he is probably marked for
death, and it is only right that he should know all."

"I am with you, sir. Things have changed since we agreed to keep him out
of the trouble. Now we dare not; consideration for his feelings might
cost his life. It is a duty--and no light or pleasant one, either. I
have not a shadow of doubt that he will want to be one with us in this.
But remember, we are his guests; his name, his honour, have to be thought
of as well as his safety."

"All shall be as you wish, Adam. And now as to what we are to do? We
cannot murder Lady Arabella off-hand. Therefore we shall have to put
things in order for the killing, and in such a way that we cannot be
taxed with a crime."

"It seems to me, sir, that we are in an exceedingly tight place. Our
first difficulty is to know where to begin. I never thought this
fighting an antediluvian monster would be such a complicated job. This
one is a woman, with all a woman's wit, combined with the heartlessness
of a _cocotte_. She has the strength and impregnability of a diplodocus.
We may be sure that in the fight that is before us there will be no
semblance of fair-play. Also that our unscrupulous opponent will not
betray herself!"