PIKE.  Because I’ve had experience enough of life—­

ETHEL.  In Kokomo?

PIKE.  Yes, ma’am! there’s just as many kinds of people in Kokomo as there is in Pekin, and I didn’t serve a term in the legislature without learning to pick underhand men at sight.  Now that Earl, let alone his havin’ a bad eye—­his ways are altogether too much on the stripe of T. Cuthbert Bentley’s to suit me.

[He opens the envelope slowly, continuing.]

T. Cuthbert was a Chicago gentleman with a fur-lined overcoat.  He opened up a bank in our town, and when he caught the Canadian express, three months later, all he left in Kokomo was the sign on the front door.  That was painted on.  And as for the son.  But there—­I don’t know as I have a call to say more.

[Takes the letter from the envelope.]

Here’s the letter; read it for yourself.

[Gives it to her, watching her as she reads.]

ETHEL [reading].  “Dear Dan:  The Earldom of Hawcastle is one of the oldest in the Kingdom, and the St. Aubyns have distinguished themselves in the forefront of English battles from Agincourt and Crecy to Sebastopol.

[She reads this in a ringing voice and glances at him.]

[PIKE looks puzzled and depressed.]

“The present holder of the title came into it unexpectedly through a series of accidental deaths.  He was a younger son’s younger son, and had spent some years in Russia in business—­what, I do not know—­under another name.  I suppose he assumed it that the historic name of St. Aubyn might not be tarnished by association with trade.  He has spent so much of his life out of England that it is difficult to find out a great deal about him.  Nothing here in his English record is seriously against him; though everything he has is mortgaged over its value, the entail having been broken.

[ETHEL pauses and looks at PIKE, who, much disturbed, rises, and crosses the stage.]

“As to his son, the Honorable Almeric, there’s no objection alleged against his character.  That’s all I’ve been able to learn.”

[She finishes with an air of triumphant finality, and rises with a laugh.]

A terrible indictment!  So that was what you counted on to convince me of my mistake?

PIKE [distressed].  Yes—­it was!

ETHEL.  Do you assert there is one word in this seriously discreditable to the reputation of Lord Hawcastle or Mr. St. Aubyn?

PIKE [humbly].  No.

ETHEL.  And you remember, it is the testimony offered by your own friend [scornfully]—­by your own detective!

PIKE [ruefully].  Oh, if I wanted a detective I wouldn’t get Jim Cooley—­at least, not any more!

[His attitude is thoroughly crestfallen.]

ETHEL [triumphantly, almost graciously].  I shall tell Lord Hawcastle that you will be ready to take up the matter of the settlement the moment his solicitor arrives.