He would have closed the door had not Laverick already passed over
the threshold.

"Madame is not well enough to receive visitors, sir," the man
declared. "She shall have your card as soon as possible."

"I should like her to have it now," Laverick persisted, drawing a
five-pound note from his pocket.

The man looked at the note longingly.

"It would be only waste of time, sir," he declared. "Mademoiselle
is confined to her bedroom and my orders are absolute."

"You are not the man who was here earlier in the day," Laverick
remarked. "I wonder," he continued, with a sudden inspiration,
"whether you are not Mr. Bellamy's servant?"

"That is so, sir. Mr. Bellamy has sent me here to see that no one
has access to Mademoiselle Idiale."

"Then there is no harm whatever in taking in my card," Laverick
declared convincingly. "You can put that note in your pocket. I
am perfectly certain that Mademoiselle Idiale will see me, and
that your master would wish her to do so."

"I will take the risk, sir," the man decided, "but the orders I have
received were stringent."

He disappeared and was gone for several moments. When he came back