fuss about its being a 'debt of honor。'〃 He paused。 〃You hadn't
remembered that； had you？〃
Mellin had closed his eyes。 He lay quite still and made no answer。
〃No； I'll bet you hadn't；〃 said Cooley； correctly deducing the fact。
〃You're well off； or you wouldn't be at this hotel； and； for all I
know； you may be fixed so you won't mind your loss as much as I do
mine； but it ought to make you kind of charitable toward my
suspicions of Madame de Vaurigard's friends。〃
The six hundred dollars in express company checks and the three
hundred…lire bills were all the money the unhappy Mellin had in
the world； and until he could return to Cranston and go back to
work in the real…estate office again； he had no prospect of any
more。 He had not even his steamer ticket。 In the shock of horror
and despair he whispered brokenly：
〃I don't care if they 're the worst people in the world； they're
better than I am！〃
The other's gloom cleared a little at this。 〃Well； you ~have~ got
it！〃 he exclaimed briskly。 〃You don't know how different you'll
feel after a long walk in the open air。〃 He looked at his watch。
〃I've got to go and see what that newspaper…man； Cornish； wants；
it's ten o'clock。 I'll be back after a while； I want to reason
this out with you。 I don't deny but it's possible I'm wrong；
anyway； you think it over while I'm gone。 You take a good hard
think； will you？〃
As he closed the door； Mellin slowly drew the coverlet over his
head。 It was as if he covered the face of some one who had
just died。
VIII。 What Cornish Knew
Two hours passed before young Cooley returned。 He knocked twice
without a reply； then he came in。
The coverlet was still over Mellin's head。
〃Asleep？〃 asked Cooley。
〃No。〃
The coverlet was removed by a shaking hand。
〃Murder！〃 exclaimed Cooley sympathetically； at sight of the other's
face。 〃A night off certainly does things to you！ Better let me get
you some〃
〃No。 I'll be all rightafter while。〃
〃Then I'll go right ahead with our little troubles。 I've decided
to leave for Paris by the one…thirty and haven't got a whole lot
of time。 Cornish is here with me in the hall： he's got something
to say that's important for you to hear； and I'm goin' to bring him
right in。〃 He waved his hand toward the door； which he had left
open。 〃Come along； Cornish。 Poor ole Mellin'll play Du Barry with
us and give us a morning leevy while he listens in a bed with a
palanquin to it。 Now let's draw up chairs and be sociable。〃
The journalist came in； smoking a long cigar； and took the chair
the youth pushed toward him； but； after a twinkling glance through
his big spectacles at the face on the pillow； he rose and threw the
cigar out of the window。
〃Go ahead；〃 said Cooley。 〃I want you to tell him just what you told
me； and when you're through I want to see if he doesn't think I'm
Sherlock Holmes' little brother。〃
〃If Mr。 Mellin does not feel too ill；〃 said Cornish dryly； 〃I know
how painful such cases sometimes〃
〃No。〃 Mellin moistened his parched lips and made a pitiful effort
to smile。 〃I'll be all right very soon。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 began the journalist； 〃that I wasn't able to get
a few words with Mr。 Cooley yesterday evening。 Perhaps you noticed
that I tried as hard as I could； without using actual force〃he
laughed〃to detain him。〃
〃You did your best；〃 agreed Cooley ruefully； 〃and I did my worst。
Nobody ever listens till the next day！〃
〃Well； I'm glad no vital damage was done； anyway；〃 said Cornish。
〃It would have been pretty hard lines if you two young fellows had
been poor men； but as it is you're probably none the worse for a
lesson like this。〃
〃You seem to think seven thousand dollars is a joke；〃 remarked
Cooley。
Cornish laughed again。 〃You see； it flatters me to think my time
was so valuable that a ten minutes' talk with me would have saved
so much money。〃
〃I doubt it；〃 said Cooley。 〃Ten to one we'd neither of us have
believed youlast night！〃
〃I doubt it； too。〃 Cornish turned to Mellin。 〃I hear that you；
Mr。 Mellin； are still of the opinion that you were dealing with
straight people？〃
Mellin managed to whisper 〃Yes。〃
〃Then；〃 said Cornish； 〃I'd better tell you just what I know about
it； and you can form your own opinion as to whether I do know or
not。 I have been in the newspaper business on this side for
fifteen years； and my headquarters are in Paris； where these people
are very well known。 The man who calls himself 'Chandler Pedlow'
was a faro…dealer for Tom Stout in Chicago when Stout's place was
broken up； a good many years ago。 There was a real Chandler Pedlow
in Congress from a California district in the early nineties； but
he is dead。 This man's name is Ben Welch： he's a professional
swindler； and the Englishman； Sneyd； is another； a quiet man； not so
well known as Welch； and not nearly so clever； but a good 'feeder'
for him。 The very attractive Frenchwoman who calls herself
'Comtesse de Vaurigard' is generally believed to be Sneyd's wife；
though I could not take the stand on that myself。 Welch is the
brains of the organization： you mightn't think it； but he's a very
brilliant manhe might have made a great reputation in business
if he'd been straightand； with this woman's help； he's carried out
some really astonishing schemes。 His manner is clumsy； ~he~ knows
that； bless you； but it's the only manner he can manage； and she
is so adroit she can sugar…coat even such a pill as that and coax
people to swallow it。 I don't know anything about the Italian who
is working with them down here。 But a gang of the Welch…Vaurigard…
Sneyd type has tentacles all over the Continent； such people are in
touch with sharpers everywhere； you see。〃
〃Yes；〃 Cooley interpolated； 〃and with woolly little lambkins； too。〃
〃Well；〃 chuckled Cornish； 〃that's the way they make their living；
you know。〃
〃Go on and tell him the rest of it；〃 urged Cooley。
〃About Lady Mount…Rhyswicke；〃 said Cornish； 〃it seems strange
enough； but she has a perfect right to her name。 She is a good
deal older than she looks； and I've heard she used to be remarkably
beautiful。 Her third husband was Lord George Mount…Rhyswicke； a man
who'd been dropped from his clubs； and he deserted her in 1903； but
she has not divorced him。 It is said that he is somewhere in South
America； however； as to that I do not know。〃
Mr。 Cornish put the very slightest possible emphasis on the word
〃know；〃 and proceeded：
〃I've heard that she is sincerely attached to him and sends him
money from time to time； when she has itthough that； too； is
third…hand information。 She has been ~declasse~ ever since her
first divorce。 That was a 'celebrated case；' and she's dropped
down pretty far in the world； though I judge she's a good deal the
best of this crowd。 Exactly what her relations to the others are
I don't know； but I imagine that she's pretty thick with 'em。〃
〃Just a little！〃 exclaimed Cooley。 〃She sits behind one of the
lambkins and Helene behind the other while they get their woolly
wool clipped。 I suppose the two of 'em signaled what was in every
hand we held； though I'm sure they needn't have gone to the trouble！
Fact is； I don't see why they bothered about goin' through the form
of playin' cards with us at all。 They could have taken it away
without that！ Whee！〃 Mr。 Cooley whistled loud and long。 〃And
there's loads of wise young men on the ocean now； hurryin' over to
take our places in the pens。 Well； they can have ~mine~！ Funny；
Mellin： nobody would come up to you or me in the Grand Central in
New York and try to sell us greenbacks just as good as real。 But
we come over to Europe with our pockets full o' money and start in
to see the Big City with Jesse James in a false mustache on one arm；
and Lucresha Borgy； under an assumed name； on the other！〃
〃I am afraid I agree with you；〃 said Cornish； 〃though I must say
that； from all I hear； Madame de Vaurigard might put an atmosphere
about a thing which would deceive almost any one who wasn't on
his guard。 When a Parisienne of her sort is clever at all she's
irresistible。〃
〃I believe you；〃 Cooley sighed deeply。
〃Yesterday evening； Mr。 Mellin；〃 continued the journalist； 〃when
I saw the son of my old friend in company with Welch and Sneyd； of
course I tried to warn him。 I've often seen them in Paris； though
I believe they have no knowledge of me。 As I've said； they are
notorious； especially Welch； yet they have managed； so far； to avoid
any difficulty with the Paris police； and； I'm sorry to say； it
might be hard to actually prove anything against them。 You couldn't
~prove~ that anything was crooked last night； for instance。 For
that matter； I don't suppose you want to。 Mr。 Cooley wishes to
accept his loss and bear it； and I take it that that will be your
attitude； too。 In regard to the note you gave Sneyd； I hope you will
refuse to pay； I don't think that they would dare press the matter。〃
〃Neither do I；〃 Mr。 Cooley agreed。 〃I left a silver cigarette…case
at the apartment last night； and after talkin' to Cornish a while
ago； I sent my man for it with a note to her that'll make 'em all
sit up and take some notice。 The gang's all there together； you
can be sure。 I asked for Sneyd and Pedlow in the office and found
they'd gone out early this morning leavin' word they wouldn't be
back till midnight。 And； see here； I know I'm easy； but somehow
I believe you're even a softer piece o' meat than I am。 I want you
to promise me that whatever happens you won't pay that I O U。〃
Mellin moistened his lips in vain。 He could not answer。
〃I want you to promise me not to pay it；〃 repeated Cooley earnestly。
〃I promise；〃 gasped Mellin。
〃You won't pay it no matter what they do？〃
〃No。〃
This seemed to reassure Mr。 Cooley。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I've got to hustle to get my car shipped and make
the train。 Cornish has finished his job down here and he's goin'
with me。 I want to get out。 The whole thing's left a mighty bad
taste in my mouth； and I'd go crazy if I didn't get away from it。
Why don't you jump into your clothes and come along； too？〃
〃I can't。〃
〃Well；〃 said the young ma