"Do you suppose, Argllay, that any set of half-caste earthworms would find anything I wanted to hide? No, they didn't. Suleiman and I are going off to see Palliser at Birmingham to-day. But I thought I'd leave one of those little fellows with you and one with Reginald. I've dropped his in on him and here's yours." He pulled one of the Stones from his pocket and threw it on to the table. " And now for the warning. You're mixed up with a Whitehall crowd of simians, Arglay, and for all I know, the Persians may be trying to pull the strings they dance to. if you hear anything about it, tell them to be careful. For if they try to get the Crown out of me they'll get more than they want. Tell them if they give me any trouble I'll make enough Stones to build a wall round London. I'll sell them at two penny to the children in the streets. I'll set up a Woolworth's to show nothing but Stones. The whole population of this blasted sink you call London shall be playing hop-scotch with them. I'll give them relics enough, and you tell them so. I've written to Ali Khan warning him and referring him to you for confirmation." He started to go, and stopped. "O and if they try and get me knocked on the head that won't help. For I'll leave it in proper keeping and I'll have a mausoleum of relics built over@ me. So they know."

With which Sir Giles flung out of the room, but he was back again before Lord Arglay could say more than "Cheery creature! "

"My own advice to both of you," he said, "is to say nothing at all whatever leprous hooligan from the Foreign Office or the Embassy you may be pestered with. You play your office, Arglay, and Miss Burnett can play her sex. justice and innocence, that's your line, though I don't suppose either of you's ither."

He was gone again, this time for good, and they heard the front door close.

"Giles always reminds me of the old riddle," Lord Arglay said in a moment. "Would you rather be more abominable than you sound or sound more abominable than you are? The answer is I would rather be neither but I am both. And now what do we do?" He looked at his watch. "I go to the Foreign Office," he said, and considered. "I think, Miss Burnett, if anyone comes from the Persian Embassy you had better see them. Don't know anything; just be obliging. I've asked you to take any message that comes, to interview any callers that sort of thing. Lord Arglay was particularly anxious-you know. I'm not sure that I oughtn't to cut adrift altogether, but there's Bruce Cumberland, and, as a matter of fact, I'm horribly curious. Well, I'll go. I'll tell them to show anyone from the Embassy in to you. Good-bye, and good luck.