to be the protector of his master's honor, or, let us say, of his
master's property, whether that property be silver plate or the woman
his master loves. Last night, after Lord Arthur had gone away, the
servant was left alone in this house with Lord Chetney and Madame
Zichy. From where he sat in the hall he could hear Lord Chetney
bidding her farewell; for, if my idea of him is correct, he
understands English quite as well as you or I. Let us imagine that he
heard her entreating Chetney not to leave her, reminding him of his
former wish to marry her, and let us suppose that he hears Chetney
denounce her, and tell her that at Cairo he has learned of this
Russian admirer--the servant's master. He hears the woman declare that
she has had no admirer but himself, that this unknown Russian was, and
is, nothing to her, that there is no man she loves but him, and that
she cannot live, knowing that he is alive, without his love. Suppose
Chetney believed her, suppose his former infatuation for her returned,
and that in a moment of weakness he forgave her and took her in his
arms. That is the moment the Russian master has feared. It is to guard
against it that he has placed his watchdog over the Princess, and how
do we know but that, when the moment came, the watchdog served his
master, as he saw his duty, and killed them both? What do you think?'
Lyle demanded. 'Would not that explain both murders?'

"I was only too willing to hear any theory which pointed to any one
else as the criminal than Arthur, but Lyle's explanation was too
utterly fantastic. I told him that he certainly showed imagination,
but that he could not hang a man for what he imagined he had done.

"'No,' Lyle answered, 'but I can frighten him by telling him what I
think he has done, and now when I again question the Russian servant I
will make it quite clear to him that I believe he is the murderer. I