furthest from the screen was the piano, and on it was a silver tray.
He picked this up and, smiling with pride at his own intelligence,
pointed at two cards that lay upon it. I took them up and read the
names engraved upon them."

The American paused abruptly, and glanced at the faces about him. "I
read the names," he repeated. He spoke with great reluctance.

"Continue!" cried the Baronet, sharply.

"I read the names," said the American with evident distaste, "and the
family name of each was the same. They were the names of two brothers.
One is well known to you. It is that of the African explorer of whom
this gentleman was just speaking. I mean the Earl of Chetney. The
other was the name of his brother, Lord Arthur Chetney."

The men at the table fell back as though a trapdoor had fallen open at
their feet.

"Lord Chetney!" they exclaimed in chorus. They glanced at each other
and back to the American with every expression of concern and
disbelief.

"It is impossible!" cried the Baronet. "Why, my dear sir, young
Chetney only arrived from Africa yesterday. It was so stated in the
evening papers."

The jaw of the American set in a resolute square, and he pressed his
lips together.