the Mall!"

So he said now, yet he was as steady as a wall and as bold as a lion at
Culloden. He came of a great stock, and greatness was natural to him. The
play-acting and gaming was only the fringe that Society had tacked on to
him. It lessoned me finely to see him when Sir James came back into the
room. Tiverton knew the position by instinct.

"Sir James," he said, "I crave a word with you."

"At your service, my lord."

"I will be frank," continued his lordship. "I ask no questions. I make no
inferences. I simply point out that the spy fell to pieces because he
found Mr. Freake here."

"I observed so much, my lord!"

"I don't know why," said the Marquess dubiously.

"I could hang him at the next assizes," interrupted Master Freake.

"I see. He doesn't want to be hanged, of course. No one does. It's a
perfectly natural feeling. So he crumpled up at the prospect."

"Yes, my lord," said Sir James.

"I allowed him to crumple up, and I took full advantage of the fact. You
saw so much?"