PIKE.  They’ve been there since this afternoon.

[Shading his eyes from the light of the room with one hand.]

Look there—­who on earth—­who’s that they’ve got with them?—­Why, good
Lord! it’s Doc!

[Astounded.]

IVANOFF.  It is Herr von Groellerhagen!  Did I not tell you he was a Russian?  He has betrayed me himself.  He was not satisfied that others should. [Bitterly.] I knew I was in the wolf’s throat here!

PIKE.  Don’t you believe it!  They’ve arrested poor old Doc.  They got him as he went out.

IVANOFF [pointing].  No; they speak respectfully to him.  They bow to him—­

PIKE [grimly].  They’ll be bowing to us in a minute.  That’s probably the way these colonels run you in.

[Sharp knock on upper doors.]

PIKE [urging him toward the door on the right].  You wait till I call you, and remember it’s my fight.

IVANOFF [turning, half hysterically].  You promise before I am taken that I shall see—­

[MARIANO enters at upper doors.]

PIKE [domineeringly, as he sees MARIANO].  And don’t you forget what I’ve been telling you—­you get the sand out of that gear-box first thing tomorrow morning, or I’ll see that you draw your last pay Saturday night.

[IVANOFF bows meekly and exit to right, closing door after him.]

MARIANO.  Miss Granger-Seempson!

[Exit.]

PIKE.  All right, Mariano!

[ETHEL enters haughtily.]

I’m much obliged to you for taking my note the right way.  I’ve got some pretty good reasons for not leaving this room.

[She is icy in manner, but her hands fidget with the note he has sent her, crumpling it up.]

ETHEL [sitting].  Your note seemed so extraordinarily urgent—­

PIKE.  It had to be.  Some folks who want to see me are coming here, and I want you to see them—­here.  They’d stopped you from coming if they could.

ETHEL [holding herself very straight in her chair].  There was no effort to prevent me.

PIKE.  No; I didn’t give ’em time.

ETHEL.  May I ask to whom you refer?

PIKE.  The whole kit and boodle of ’em!

ETHEL [not relaxing her coldness].  You are inelegant, Mr. Pike.

PIKE.  I haven’t time to be elegant, even if I knew how.

ETHEL.  Do you mean that my chaperone would disapprove?

PIKE.  I shouldn’t be surprised.  I reckon the whole fine flower of Europe would disapprove.  “Disapprove?”—­they’d sand-bag you to keep you away!

ETHEL [rising quickly].  Oh, then I can’t stay.

PIKE [going between her and the upper doors, speaks with ring of domination].  Yes you can, and you will, and you’ve got to!

ETHEL [angrily].  “Got to!” I shall not!

PIKE.  I’m your guardian, and you’ll do as I say.  You’ll obey me this once if you never do again.