"I prefer not to meet Captain McCauley," said Monty.

"Then you will give the message to somebody else?" she insisted.

"No" said Monty. "I will carry no message for you."

"Why do you say that? How dare you say that? In front of your
following--your gang!"

I should have been inclined to continue the argument myself--to try to
find out what she did know, and to uncover her game. It was obvious
she must have some reason for her extraordinary request, and her more
extraordinary way of making it. But Monty saw fit to stride past her
through his open bedroom door, and shut it behind him firmly. We stood
looking at her and at one another stupidly until she turned her back
and went to her own room on the floor above. Then we followed Monty.

"Did she say anything else?" he asked as soon as we were inside. I
noticed he was sweating pretty freely now.

"Didums, you're too polite!" Fred answered. "You ought to have told
her to keep her tongue housed or be civil!"

"I don't hold with hitting back at a lone woman," said Yerkes, "but
what was she driving at? What did she mean by calling us a pack of
mongrels?"

"Merely her way," said Monty offhandedly. "Those particular McCauleys
never amounted to much. She married a baronet, and he divorced her.
Bad scandal. Saffren Waldon was at the War Office. She stole papers,