There was a chorus of remonstrance, and, under cover of this and the
Baronet's answering protests, a servant, for the second time, slipped
a piece of paper into the hand of the gentleman with the pearl stud.
He read the lines written upon it and tore it into tiny fragments.
The youngest member, who had remained an interested but silent
listener to the tale of the Queen's Messenger, raised his hand,
commandingly.
"Sir Andrew," he cried, "in justice to Lord Arthur Chetney, I must
ask you to be seated. He has been accused in our hearing of a most
serious crime, and I insist that you remain until you have heard me
clear his character."
"You!" cried the Baronet.
"Yes," answered the young man, briskly. "I would have spoken sooner,"
he explained, "but that I thought this gentleman"--he inclined his
head toward the Queen's Messenger--"was about to contribute some
facts of which I was ignorant. He, however, has told us nothing, and
so I will take up the tale at the point where Lieutenant Sears laid
it down and give you those details of which Lieutenant Sears is
ignorant. It seems strange to you that I should be able to add the
sequel to this story.
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