“We must never let him know that we actually gave that wretch nearly twenty-five hundred dollars, Edith.  He would never forgive us.  I admit that I was a fool and a ninny, so don’t tell me I am.  I can see by the way you are looking that you’re just crazy to.  It’s all Roxbury’s fault, anyway.  Why should he get up and make a speech in London without letting us know?  Just see how it has placed us!  I think Mr. Brock is an angel to do what he has done for you and Roxbury.  Yes, my dear, you will have to confess that Roxbury is a brute—­a perfect brute.  I’m sure, if you have a spark of fairness in you, you must hate him.  No, no!  Don’t say anything, Edith.  You know I’m right.”

“I’m not going to say anything,” declared Edith angrily.  “I’m going to bed.”

“Edith, if you don’t mind, dear, I think I’ll sleep with you.”  After a moment of deep reflection she added plaintively:  “There is so much that I just have to tell you, deary.  It—­it won’t keep till daylight.”

Bright and early in the morning, the tired, harassed night-farers were routed from their rooms by a demand from the management of the hotel that they appear forthwith in the private office.  This order included every member of Mr. Rodney’s party, excepting the Medcroft baby.  Considerably distressed and very much concerned over the probable outcome of the conference, the Rodney forces made their way to the offices—­not altogether in an open fashion, but by humiliatingly unusual avenues.  The Rodney family came down the back stairs.  Brock was solemnly ushered through the public office by Mr. Odell-Carney and Freddie Ulstervelt.  It is not stretching the truth to say that they were sour and sullen, but, as may be suspected, from peculiarly different causes.  At last all were congregated in the stuffy office, very much subdued and very much at odds with each other.  Mr. Githens was there.  Likewise the gentleman from the bank and a prominent person from the department of police.

Miss Fowler glanced about uneasily, and was relieved to discover that her treacherous gaoler was not there to confront her with charges.  It had occurred to her that he might, after all, have tricked her into committing a crime against the government.

It was quite noticeable that Mrs. Rodney and Katherine did not speak to the Medcroft contingent—­in fact, they ignored them quite completely.  Mrs. Rodney was very pale and very deeply distressed.  She cast many glances at the red-eyed and sheepish Mr. Rodney,—­glances that meant much to the further torture of his soul.

“I am sorry to inform you, Herr Rodney, that the rooms which you now occupy, and those of your friends, are no longer at your disposal.  They have been engaged for from sometime this day by a—­”

“Look here,” interrupted Odell-Carney bluntly, “if you mean that we are not wanted here any longer, why not say so?  Don’t lie about it.  We are leaving to-day, in any event, so wot’s the odds?  Now, come down to facts:  why are we summoned here like a crowd of school children?”