EAR me!" said Lord Manton; "all our lost sheep found again. One, two, three, four, five, six, Yes, the whole six of you."
"You're not dead," said Miss Blow, clutching at Dr. O'Grady's arm; "you're not dead then, after all."
"My wife," said Mr. Dick, "my poor wife. Can any of you tell me"
"Sergeant Farrelly," said Mr. Goddard. "Will you kindly explain how it is that I find you here playing leapfrog with"
"I thought it was a hurdle race," said Lord Manton. "It sounded exactly like a hurdle race."
Sergeant Farrelly drew himself up to attention.
"In obedience to your orders, sir," he said, "Constable Cole and I proceeded to Rosivera on our bicycles, leaving Clonmore at a few minutes after twelve o'clock. Acting on instructions received, we rode as slowly as possible"
"You can leave out that part," said Mr. Goddard, with a glance at Miss Blow, "and go on."
"We have been kidnapped and imprisoned here," said Mr. Sanders; "and I demand that the police shall instantly pursue"
"Lucius," said Miss Blow, "have you been imprisoned?"
"Certainly not," said Dr. O'Grady; "we've been the guests of Mr. Red; haven't we, Patsy?"
"We have, be damn!" said Patsy Devlin. "What was there to hinder us going off any time we wanted?"
"I don't understand," said Miss Blow.
"I demand" said Mr. Sanders again.
"We were prisoners," said Mr. Dick; "and I join with my friend Sanders in insisting that the men who captured us shall be brought to justice. I insist upon it for the sake of my poor wife"
"You shut up," said Dr. O'Grady. "If either you or that ass Sanders says another word, I'll tell how you came to be here."
"I demand" said Mr. Sanders.
"Very well," said Dr. O'Grady. "Excuse me, Adeline Maud, but would you mind leaving the room for a moment? The story I have to tell is not exactly one for a lady to listen to."
"If it's very improper," said Lord Manton, "perhaps I'd better go too. I was very carefully brought up when I was young."
"It's simply this," said Dr. O'Grady, "that Mr. Dick was found by the Emperor bathing on the shore in company with"
"I wasn't," said Mr. Dick.
"You may try to wriggle out of it now," said Dr. O'Grady; "but you told me at the time that you were, and the other fellow, who says he's a Member of Parliament, but looks like a commercial traveller, was mending a bicycle for a lady, who"
"If these stories," said Lord Manton, "are the sort which are likely to break up the happiness of two homes, I hope you won't tell them. Mrs. Dick and Mrs. Sanders are outside, as well as Miss Farquharson, who is an aunt."
"I don't want to tell them," said Dr. O'Grady. "I'd much rather keep them to myself. But I won't have the Emperor pursued."
"Sergeant," said Mr. Goddard, "proceed with your evidence, leaving out all the part about my orders."
"Why?" said Miss Blow. "Are you ashamed of your orders? What were they?"
"If you've anything to be ashamed of in the orders you gave, Goddard," said Dr. O'Grady, "you'd better not have that story told either. I warn you fairly that if any attempt is made to molest the Emperor, I shall have those orders of yours, whatever they are, produced in court."
"We might get on a little," said Lord Manton, "if some one would tell us who the Emperor is."
"He's an anarchist," said Mr. Sanders.
"An anti-military anarchist, a most dangerous man," added Mr. Dick.
"I've warned you once already," said Dr. O'Grady, "what will happen if you persist in talking that way. Even supposing the poor old Emperor is all you say, isn't it a great deal better to blow up a few armies, than to go about the country deceiving innocent women when each of you has a wife at home? Patsy Devlin will bear me out in saying that the Emperor is a most respectable man, large-hearted, generous to a fault; a little eccentric, perhaps, but a thoroughly good sort."
"Do explain," said Lord Manton, "who the Emperor is, and how you and Patsy Devlin and the Members of Parliament and the police all come to be here, playing leapfrog in an attic."
"The Emperor," said Dr. O'Grady, "is Mr. Red. He sent for me to attend a servant of his who had unfortunately scorched the back of his legs while assisting in some scientific experiments in the Chamber of Research."
"The drawing-room?" asked Lord Manton.