"Beg pardon, Miss Maylands," he said in a subdued tone, "beg pardon, sir. Mr. John has come with those gentlemen."
Both Dolly and Vanbrugh started slightly and looked up at him. Vanbrugh was the first to speak.
"Do you not think you had better go away--to Mrs. Darche?" he asked. "She may want to see you for a minute."
"I suppose they will come in here," said Vanbrugh, addressing Stubbs.
"Yes, sir," answered the butler nervously, "they are coming."
A moment later John Darche entered the room, followed closely by three men, evidently dressed for the occasion, according to superior orders, in what, at police head-quarters, was believed to be the height of the fashion, for they all wore light snuff-coloured overcoats, white ties, dark trousers and heavily-varnished shoes, and each had a perfectly new high hat in his hand. They looked about the room with evident curiosity.
Darche himself was deathly pale and had grown thinner. Otherwise he was little changed. As soon as he caught sight of Vanbrugh, he came forward, extending his hand.
"I have not had a chance to thank you for your able defence," he said calmly.
"It is not necessary," answered Vanbrugh coldly, and putting his hands behind him as he leaned against the mantelpiece. "It was a matter of duty."
"Very well," said John Darche stiffly, and drawing back a step. "If you do not want to shake hands we will treat it as a matter of business."
"He is pretty fresh, ain't he?" remarked one of the officers in an undertone to his neighbour.
"Now I have got to see the old gentleman," said Darche, speaking to Vanbrugh. "Before I go, I would like to have a word with you. There is no objection to my speaking privately to Mr. Vanbrugh, I suppose?" he inquired, turning to the officer.
"Not if you stay in the room," answered the one who took the lead.
Darche nodded to Vanbrugh, who somewhat reluctantly followed him to the other end of the room.
"I say," he began in a tone not to be overheard by the detectives. "Can you not give me another chance?"
"What sort of chance?" replied Vanbrugh, raising his eyebrows.
"If I could get through that door," said John looking over Vanbrugh's shoulder, "I could get away. I know the house and they do not. Presently, when my father comes, if you could create some sort of confusion for a moment, I could slip out. They will never catch me. There is an Italian sailing vessel just clearing. I have had exact information. If I can get through that door I can be in the Sixth Avenue Elevated in three minutes and out of New York Harbour in an hour."